Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and the People's Republic of China's ambassador, Hu Dingxian, sign agreements for the construction of a four-lane highway from the Lynden Pindling International Airport to connect with the new six-legged roundabout on Thompson Boulevard. The signing took place at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel on Thursday, September 30, 2010. also pictured at left is Minister of Works the Hon. Neko Grant. (BIS Photo/Peter Ramsay).
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Address
by
The Rt. Hon. Hubert A.
Ingraham, MP
Prime Minister of The
Commonwealth of The Bahamas
At The
Contract & Loan
Agreement Signing Ceremony for
Construction of The JFK Airport Gateway
On
Thursday, 30th September, 2010
British Colonial Hilton
Hotel
Nassau, The Bahamas
1:30 P.M.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
You have been invited to
witness an important event. The signing of a contract for the
construction of the Airport Gateway four lane highway and the loan to finance
the same – all with two China State Companies; the China Export Import Bank and
the China Construction Company.
The Airport Gateway is
an important component of my Government’s master plan to modernize and upgrade
the infrastructure of the our capital city of Nassau to the benefit and
enjoyment of residents and the several million visitors whose first entry to
The Bahamas is via the Lynden Pindling International Airport and its connector
roads to our residential neighbourhoods and hotel resorts.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The People’s Republic of
China has generously offered
to assist our modernization objective and we appreciatively accepted.
Ambassador Hu, please convey to the Government of the People’s Republic
of China our thanks and
appreciation.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Other components of our
upgrade and infrastructure improvement programme included the deepening of Nassau Harbour to accommodate the
newest and largest mega cruise ships. The expansion of Arawak Cay, made
possible by using the dredge material removed from the harbour is also
permitting us to proceed with the long deferred transfer of the several
commercial ports from our downtown city centre; thus permitting the substantial
upgrade and beautification of a less congested historic capital city of Nassau.
Work on the new Commercial Port, a public-private joint
venture, is already underway. Some 148 individuals are engaged at that
construction site. Next Thursday you are all invited to join us as we
tour the construction site at Arawak Cay. We are confident that the Arawak Port being constructed by an
American Company, American Bridge, will be completed on
schedule permitting the relocation of commercial cargo ports beginning by the
end of this year.
Another aspect of our
master plan for infrastructure upgrade on New Providence is the completion of
the New Providence Road Corridor Project which is in fact a New Providence road and utility
upgrade and enhancement project including the replacement of water mains and
the underground placement of electricity and telecommunications supply lines.
The project, which is being constructed by an Argentine company, Jose
Cartellone Civil Construction, is also designed to reduce traffic congestion
and improve the delivery and quality of public utilities, all of which have for
far too long aggravated the daily lives of residents of this island.
Soon we will tender the
works required to accommodate the Tommy Robinson National Stadium, a gift from
the Government and people of the People’s Republic of China for which we are deeply
appreciative.
These works will include
the construction of three new road corridors: one linking Thompson Boulevard to
Baillou Hill Rd via a new road leading into a roundabout in the vicinity of the
Government High School and continuing along a reconstructed Moss Rd to Baillou
Hill Rd.; a new road corridor between Stapleton Gardens and the new round about
in the vicinity of Government High School and a third road from that roundabout
to the Tonique Williams-Darling Highway.
An element of these road
works will entail bringing access to electricity, water and sewerage, telephone
and cable services to the new Tommy Robinson National Stadium. All
services will be underground. Additionally the Yellow Elder Sewerage
Treatment Plant will be upgraded to accommodate the increased waste expected to
be generated once the Stadium becomes operational.
And, new parking
facilities will be constructed for the stadium and major landscaping undertaken
including the creation of a new recreational park.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Airport Gateway
project will entail the following:
·
Construction of a dual carriageway (four lanes in total) along JFK Drive, a new westbound
carriageway will be constructed to the south of the existing road;
·
Rehabilitation of the existing carriageway for east bound travel;
·
Construction of nine (9) new roundabouts;
·
Underground installation of all electrical services (132kv, 33kv
and 11 kv) and low voltage cables;
·
Relocation of telecommunication and cable infrastructure;
·
Dense landscaping, and
·
Completion of ancillary works i.e. drainage, signage, road
markings, street lighting, accesses, etc.
These projects together
will have a huge impact on employment levels as they combine to create new and
increased economic opportunities for Bahamian businesses. Additionally, once
completed, the projects will considerably enhance the quality of life for all
residents and visitors to this island.
The Ministry of Public
Works will very shortly invite bids on a tender for a supervisory and
monitoring contract for this project. The contract will provide an
assurance that the materials used and the work performed on the Gateway Project
are at acceptable standards and in conformity with materials used elsewhere in
The Bahamas.
The total cost of this
project is some $70.8 million. This sum includes all fees related to the
payment of customs duties, business licence fees and work permit fees.
The China Export Import
Bank will provide the major financing for the project through a loan facility
of $58 million. The loan has been granted with a concessionary rate of 2%
interest per annum, a rate lower than any available from any of the major
development banks in the region. The loan has a 20 year amortization
period and a 5 year holiday on the payment of the principal.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This is a design-build
project. Early programming suggests that the design start-up works
scheduled for this year will engage approximately 30 Chinese road and utility
design personnel. This number will increase to 50 early next year as
project management teams arrive.
Once the water main and
High Voltage installation commences in mid-2011 some 80 individuals experienced
in this type of installation will join the construction team from China. Subsequently 20
Chinese staff will join the team for the installation of telecommunications
cable and a further 60 foreign workers will install the new water mains.
It is expected that by
September 2012 the foreign labour component will drop to about 80 foreign
workers including managers and workers. Following completion of the
project a small contingent of (CSCEC) staff – between 10 -20 will remain to
conduct testing and to complete training of Bahamian maintenance crews. The
tentative schedule of works suggests a project completion date of end-October,
2012.
The Environmental Impact
Assessment for the Project was conducted by Blue Engineering Ltd. The EIA has
been reviewed and recommended for approval by the BEST Commission.
A contract for cadastral
and topographic surveys for the project was awarded to Donald E. Thompson and
Associates.
Both the EIA and
cadastral and topographic survey contracts were awarded following a competitive
bid process.
I am pleased to welcome
the China Construction Company to The Bahamas. We are aware that you are
scheduled to take up another major construction project here in Nassau, the mega Baha Mar
Resort construction project. It is my hope that your sojourn in our
country will prove mutually beneficial to you and to us. Welcome.
Thank you.
