Leading contractor handling major projects in Caribbean country
China Harbor Engineering Company, one of the leading engineering contractors in China, has undertaken nearly 20 projects in Jamaica so far, making great contributions to local economic growth and social development.
The 20 projects, with a combined investment of $2 billion, involve multiple fields including highways, ports, airports and logistic centers.
Of them, the southern coastal highway improvement project, or SCHIP, started construction in 2019. It is the first China-Jamaica collaborative project since Jamaica began participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.
The SCHIP is valued at $380 million, with 85 percent of loans provided by the Export-Import Bank of China, according to the Jamaican government.
It mainly consists of building a 28-kilometer highway that is the extension of the existing West-East Highway, setting up a 17-km expressway from Habour View to Yallahs and expanding old coastal roads with an overall length of 119 km in southern regions. That is according to the contractor CHEC, which is a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company.
The project spans numerous vital cities such as the capital Kingston, May Pen and Mandeville, and therefore will become a key channel advancing the integrated development of eastern and western Jamaica, CHEC said.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said at the project’s groundbreaking ceremony that the SCHIP is of major significance to the country as it will improve the national road network, meet people’s growing transport needs, and advance the utilization of land and tourism resources in areas along the roads.
“It is a road to a better future,” Holness said.
Chen Zhong, deputy general manager of the CCCC, said the project will enhance Jamaica’s regional connectivity by upgrading transport infrastructure.
More importantly, it will cement the friendship between the two countries and promote people-topeople exchanges, Chen added.
CHEC conducted extensive field research during the project’s initial stage and fostered good relationships with surrounding communities.
Despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years, the construction team from CHEC made sustained efforts to ensure the project goes as planned.
“We have strictly implemented the pandemic prevention and control measures, while stepping up risk management and offering antipandemic training for all staff members,” a representative from the team said.
Holness inspected the project in July, accompanied by Su Yansong, vice-president of CHEC, and Lu Yunpeng, general manager of CHEC’s Americas division.
The prime minister said during his visit that he was pleased with how the project had progressed so far.
Upon completion, the roads will inject strong impetus into the economy of surrounding areas, Holness said.
Su said the project demonstrated CHEC’s commitment to Jamaica and that the company expected closer cooperation in the future.
The SCHIP is now 80 percent complete and is expected to be finished during the first quarter of 2023.
Chen Daojiang, China’s ambassador to Jamaica, also paid a visit to the project in August.
The ambassador said CHEC has completed a host of gigantic projects in Jamaica during the past 10 years and won wide recognition from local governments and communities.
He hoped that CHEC will continue to implement projects efficiently, promote Chinese culture, and share results with local communities to help to boost bilateral cooperation.
Xu Da’an, manager of the SCHIP, said this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Jamaica diplomatic relations.
Based on high-quality projects and services, CHEC will further expand its markets in Jamaica and contribute more to the BRI, Xu said.
The contractor’s other projects in Jamaica included the Palisadoes shoreline improvement project, the Montego Bay perimeter road project and the Catherine estates housing development project.
Among them, the housing project was to build a total of 1,650 apartments for low-income residents.
Su said he felt very proud to be able to help Jamaican people with affordable housing solutions.
The program will improve local people’s livelihoods by considerably alleviating their housing pressure, Holness said at the program’s handover ceremony in August.
Holness also expressed his gratitude to CHEC for its long-term support for Jamaica’s infrastructure development.
In addition to infrastructure construction, CHEC is committed to its corporate social responsibilities and bringing more benefits to local residents.
The percentage of Jamaican employees in CHEC has continued to climb during the past decade, Lu said.
“We plan to recruit more Jamaican employees, making them account for about 90 percent of unskilled construction workers and 50 percent of technicians,” Lu said.