Construction of the Rainforest Seafood facility at Calliaqua has resumed. So said Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves in Parliament on Monday.
The resumption of work on the Jamaican company’s project had been suspended in March on the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gonsalves explained then that the project had to be temporarily halted because the company’s overall income had been affected by COVID-19 related measures in other territories where the company had investments.
The project here had also been grounded when technical experts out of China, who were expected to be here to supervise the next phase of construction, could not travel, given the lockdown in international commercial flights.
Continuing his ministerial statement, Gonsalves informed the Parliament that a number of critical Government works projects, as outlined in the 2020 Budget, were continuing.
These included: the coastal defense work at Georgetown and Sans Souci; river protection work at Buccament; the Long Line and Belle Isle roads; construction of new vendor stalls; ongoing work on the athletic track and football facility at Brighton.
Work is expected to commence soon on the construction of 47 homes to facilitate the relocation of residents from Rose Place, as a pre-requisite to the work on the extension of port facilities in Kingstown.
The finance minister also said that a number of private sector projects continued amidst the COVID-19 related conditions, including the Royal Mill Hotel/Apartment, etc. Resort, and renovation of the Grand View Hotel, now renamed The View.
“We are grateful to these and other private sector entities for persevering with their investment during this difficult period, and for helping to keep the national economy afloat,” Gonsalves said. (The Vin)