J$700m Naggo Head factory pushed back to November
Published:Friday | June 18, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Industry and Commerce Minister Karl Samuda has set a November date for the construction of 100,000 square feet of new factory space at Naggo Head in St Catherine.
But the project, which has been on the table since last year, will now cost J$700 million, or 40 per cent more than the J$500 million that was initially projected.
The space will accommodate information and communication technology firms.
Samuda said Tuesday that the request for proposal for consultants and terms of reference for the project have already been completed.
"We hope to complete the evaluation of proposals by August 20 for submission to Cabinet by October 15," he said.
"We expect that construction on this project will commence in November of this year, and that by September of next year the Naggo Head industrial site will be completed and ready for occupancy."
Samuda said the plant would be the first phase of the Government's plan to expand factory inventory for the ICT sector, which is seen as a good prospect for creating jobs.
"The signs are very good; perhaps this is the best route to take to create the jobs in the shortest possible time," he said.
Samuda said the interest by ICT investors has not waned since the civil unrest in Tivoli Gardens in West Kingston.
"The demand is out there for Jamaica. They have expressed it and notwithstanding the difficult challenges we have faced recently," he said, "the signs are very encouraging ..."
Of the new space to be created, which is being built through the government's Factories Corporation of Jamaica, 40,000 square feet is expected to be occupied by the ACS E-Services Group.
The company had indicated last year that it would take up the new space immediately, but declined to say the level of investment being made in the expansion.
Factories Corporation of Jamaica will develop the new space in two phases over two years.