Prime Minister Andrew Holness (third left) along with Niu Quinbao (left), Chinese ambassador to Jamaica; Ransford Braham (second left), chairman of the Urban Development Corporation, and Xuexaun Zheng, vice-president of China State Construction Engineering Corporation, just after the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the building of a new Parliament building.

The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) says that the new Parliament building will be definitely designed and built by Jamaicans, a position, it argues, that was always held, but which was lost in the ‘noise’ of public controversy over whether there would be foreign help.

“The UDC, in its responsibility as project manager, continues to execute the mandate and the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) to ensure that the Parliament and the museum are built by Jamaicans,” said Dr Damian Graham, the agency’s general manager, on Tuesday.

Local interest groups, including architects and engineers, had accused the Government of outsourcing work on a national symbol when the administration signed the non-binding MOU with China Construction America (South America division), which is a subsidiary of China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited. The MOU was signed for the Government Circle Project at Heroes Circle in Kingston. The new Parliament building is to be located there.

Speaking in a Gleaner interview, Graham said at the MOU’s signing on March 9 that it was “expressly” stated that work would be done by the UDC, which “comprises 100 per cent Jamaicans”.

At subsequent meetings with concerned interest groups, “We went on record to categorically state that the master-planning work that’s being done is being carried out with augmented capacity that is not having to do with the design and building aspect of the project.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20170817/jcans-will-design-build-new-parliament-building-udc#.WZWojSVlocQ.email