KINGSTON, Jamaica — Road, water and sewerage improvement works will be undertaken in sections of the Corporate Area at a cost of $1.24 billion.

This after Cabinet approved the award of a contract for the Munroe/Wellington Road Water and Sewerage project, which will entail sections of Old Hope Road, Retreat and Seymour Avenues.

Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Information, Robert Morgan, provided details during a recent post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

According to a release on Monday, Morgan informed that Cabinet also gave consent for the engagement of WDC Puerto Rico Inc. for the supply, delivery, testing, training and commissioning of one free-standing motor control centre for the National Water Commission (NWC) Old Pepper Relift Station in St Elizabeth.

The contract is in the amount of US$503,648.00, excluding General Consumption Tax and Cost Insurance Freight (CIF).

In addition, the award of a $2.7-billion contract, inclusive of GCT, was approved to M&M Jamaica Limited for the construction of the Westmoreland Divisional Police Headquarters at Lot 3 Llandilo Pen, Westmoreland.

Also, Synergy Engineering Limited will be charged with executing a $419-million contract to provide electrical upgrades at the Annotto Bay Hospital in Portland for a period of 10 months.

Kayani Construction Limited was awarded a $70-million contract for the renovation of the Mandeville and Santa Cruz post offices in Manchester and St Elizabeth, respectively, while Construction Solution Limited will carry out a $211-million contract for the renovation of post offices in Black River, St. Elizabeth; May Pen, Clarendon; Falmouth, Trelawny; and St Ann’s Bay and Ocho Rios in St Ann.

The contract for the waterproofing of the roof of the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston was also approved by the Cabinet in the amount of $121 million to Alfrasure Structure and Roofing Limited.

Turning to other Cabinet decisions, Minister Morgan informed that approval was granted for proposed amendments to the Political Ombudsman (Interim) Act to change the composition of the Commission of Parliament known as the Political Ombudsman from one person to the Electoral Commission of Jamaica as outlined in the Electoral Commission (Interim) Act, 2006.

The legislation has been passed in both Houses of Parliament.

The Minister further noted that approval was given for the integration of the National Family Planning Board into the Ministry of Health and Wellness