CHEC Cops Third JIE Project of the Year Award

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) receives Award for Engineering Project of the Year presented by the Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE) at their Annual Awards Dinner and Gala under the theme: "Fostering Jamaica's Development Through the Application of Standards".

The completion of the Jamaica North South Highway Project - Sections 1 & 3 from the Caymanas Interchange to Mammee Bay, St Ann, has earned the triple-time recipient of this award another place in the history of the JIE fraternity.

This project has positively impacted the lives of so many Jamaicans; as the provision of this leg of the highway, has allowed the reduction of travel time from the North Coast to the country's capital Kingston to less than an hour. Additionally, the alternative route from the notorious flat bridge has created greater linkages with various sectors including tourism and commerce.

The project is designed as a 4 lane highway, having a design speed of 80 km/h and a total length of 66.1 km. The 2 year and 5 month project cost a total of US$700 million, whose infrastructure also provided better support to the transporting, monitoring and controlling of commuters.

The JIE President Dave A. Barnaby for Council year 2016-2017 states: "I am pleased with the direction Jamaica is heading in engineering; however, I encourage other companies along with the Government of Jamaica, to continue to support our engineers by fostering an environment that upholds certain standards of the profession".

General Manager for Pertojam Limited and Guest Speaker for the event this year, Winston Watson also highlighted the importance of developing and maintaining standards that will help to move Jamaican engineers forward, thus safeguarding a system worth honouring.

Other Awards presented this year included the Award for Excellence in Engineering received by Jeffery Paul Morgan. Student Awards -Most Outstanding Engineering Student, University of the West Indies (UWI) received by Ashley-Jade Grennell -Most Outstanding Engineering Student, University of Technology (UTech), received by Jason Bucknor; and for the first time the - Most Outstanding Engineering Student, Caribbean Institute of Engineering (CMI), Vashawn Burnett. Council Awards for Outstanding Graduate Member, Best Committee and President's Cup Special Awards.