CHINESE Ambassador to Jamaica Zhoa Zhenyu says China is awaiting the approval of a technical proposal submitted to the Jamaican Government before it begins the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the island's railway.

Jamaica signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China last February to facilitate the venture.

Under the agreement, signed between the Ministry of Transport and Works and the China National Machinery and Equipment Corp Group (CNMEC), China will provide a number of passenger coaches, cargo, wagons and locomotives.

"My hope is that Minister (Robert) Pickersgill (the minister of transport and works) will get it approved by Cabinet.Work will start sometime this year if it is approved," Ambassador Zhoa told reporters following a brief ceremony to hand over equipment to the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) at Up Park Camp in Kingston.

"I was told that very soon, Cabinet will discuss the approval of the project," added the ambassador.

The railway rehabilitation project is estimated to cost US$300 million.

"It has been agreed that 15 per cent of the money will be paid by your government, then 85 per cent will be contributed using Chinese preferential buyers credit," said the ambassador.

A Chinese delegation visited the island last September to survey the current railway system in order to prepare the technical proposal that is to go before Cabinet.

It will take at least three years for the project to be completed, but the Chinese Ambassador said Jamaica's terrain would not affect the project, as it was not complicated as in China.

"You already have some foundation, but you have not used it for a long time so it will need repairs here and there and some of the sleepers can still be used," he said.

The equipment donated to the JDF yesterday included 500 helmets, 20,000 metres of uniform material, 1,500 pairs of combat boots, 500 respirator masks, 12 digital cameras and eight projectors, valued at US$380,000.

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