$44 Million for Crystal City Sanitation

JSIF Communications Dept.
Friday, January 13, 2012  
   

Ms. Celia Dillon, Project Manager/Community Investment Project, hands over signed agreement to Lloyd Dormer President of the Prospect Benevolent Society. Looking on are Dr. Fenton Ferguson, Minister of Health (C); Lorace Drydale (L) and Mavis Hines of the Prospect Benevolent Society (R).
The Government of Jamaica through the Jamaica Social Investment Fund signed a financing and sponsor agreement on Thursday January 12 which signals the start of the Crystal City Sanitation Project.
Celia Dillon, Project Manager at JSIF stated, "this sanitation project has been 7 years in the making and would not be possible without funding from the Caribbean Development Bank's Community Investment Project (CIP) and collaboration with the National Housing Trust and Food for the Poor which provided the land and the 22 houses which will receive the sanitary units."
Speaking at his first public function since assuming the post of Minister of Health Dr. Fenton Ferguson said "it's important to me and it's a health matter and I'm glad I'm here. Sanitation is a big item as it relates to health and risk reduction."
Dillon also stated that the project will be implemented using both the Community Based Contracting (CBC) approach and the traditional modality of JSIF procurement and supervision support; and the works will be undertaken at a total cost of $44,063,402.00 with JSIF providing $38,806,702.00 and the community contributing a commendable $5,256,700.00 million.
The sanitation project will also address a number of issues that will see improved living conditions for 225 residents and their environment; as the scope of works involves the construction of bathroom facilities inclusive of a water closet, lavatory basin, shower and multipurpose outdoor wash area.
Deloris Michaels resident of Crystal City and a member of the Benevolent Society after the ceremony said "feel good and proud and hope and pray that everything comes through and so I look forward to 4months when the project is completed."
JSIF will be providing community members training in maintenance and hygiene exercises that will equip them with the necessary skills towards proper sanitation practices. A key component of the training will be sensitization in regards to the importance of bill payments for water to ensure that access to a consistent water supply to attend to your sanitation needs is never denied.
Dillon noted that the residents worked tirelessly and never gave up faith that this day would come.