| OUT OF CABINET |
Wednesday, November 06, 2002 |
The following are some of the items discussed/passed by Cabinet at its meeting on Monday, and announced by information minister, Burchell Whiteman, at the post-Cabinet press briefing:
Early Childhood Commission Act
Cabinet gave approval of a Bill entitled "An Act to establish a commission to govern the administration of early childhood care, education and development in Jamaica", and to make provision for connected matters, into the Houses of Parliament. The commission is established to co-ordinate the promotion and oversight of early childhood development and to prevent the fragmentation and duplication of services relating to early childhood development.
Political ombudsman
Cabinet approved the budget for the office furniture, equipment and staffing for the establishment of the office of the political ombudsman at an estimated cost of $8,291,039.00 (confirming what has already been done).
Contracts
Cabinet awarded a number of contracts based on recommendations of the National Contracts Committee:
* To Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrators Limited, $15,549,381.00 for incinerator system required for the disposal of pharmaceutical waste, replacing an existing system that has fallen into a state of disrepair, which is now uneconomical to repair. The useful life of an incinerator is 20 years.
* Tank-Weld Limited, $29,000,635.00 for the construction of a 90-foot diameter tank foundation at Petrojam's Montego Bay terminal.
* Tankweld Construction Co Ltd, $21,632,179.00 for construction of an administration building for the National Solid Waste Management Programme at the Riverton Landfill.