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GROUND BROKEN FOR US$77M RIO COBRE WATER TREATMENT PLANT PROJECT

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KINGSTON, March 14 (JIS):

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, on Thursday (March 14), broke ground for the Rio Cobre Water Treatment Plant in Content, St. Catherine.

 

The project is valued at US$77 million or J$12 billion.

 

The plant, to be built at a cost of US$77 million (J$12 billion), is expected to be the second largest in Jamaica.

 

It will be able to transfer 15 million gallons of water to benefit approximately 150,000 customers or approximately 600,000 residents in Kingston and St. Andrew, Spanish Town and Portmore.

 

Construction is slated to be completed in two years and will be managed through a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement between the National Water Commission (NWC) and Rio Cobre Water Limited.

 

In his remarks, Prime Minister Holness said the scope of the works will entail the construction of an intake system, inclusive of lift and backup pumps; the construction of a conveyance pipeline from the river to the treatment plant site; the construction of a 15-million-gallon capacity treatment plant and interconnections to the NWC’s distribution network. 

 

“When the project is complete, we can expect improved water supply and reliability for St. Catherine and the Kingston and St. Andrew (KSA) areas, better resilience in the water sector during periods of drought and improved water supply to facilitate our continued development in the business and residential sectors,” he added.

 

The Prime Minister noted that during the worst period of the drought last year, the supply shortfall for the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA) was 12.5 million gallons daily, adding that when the additional 15 million gallons per day comes on stream from the project, that supply will be totally covered, plus a surplus. 

 

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“But with worsening climate change, we have to continue to build even more capacity to ensure that we have enough buffers,” Mr. Holness said.

 

 At the project’s completion, there will be a 23-year period of the plant’s operation by the private partners, after which ownership of the facility will be transferred to the NWC. 

 

The PPP arrangement may also be renewed for an additional five years after the expiration of the initial 23 years.

 

Prime Minister Holness further stated that the treatment plant will reduce the need for the trucking of water and lessen, if not eliminate, the need for water restrictions to affected areas during periods of drought. 

 

“This is a win for the NWC, its customers and for all Jamaica,” he emphasised.

 

Mr. Holness also informed that the Forest Hills Distribution Network upgrade will be undertaken in parallel with the Rio Cobre Water Treatment Plant to ensure benefits to the people of West Rural St. Andrew, including Red Hills to Cooper’s Hill, which have faced chronic water issues.

 

He also mentioned the Marescaux Road Wells rehabilitation project, which will be commissioned shortly.

 

“This combination of project investments will ensure that we will be well on our way to achieving water resilience in the Kingston and St. Andrew Metropolitan Area, Portmore and St. Catherine, prior to 2030. This will also diversify our resources and reduce reliance on the Hermitage dam and the Mona Reservoir,” Prime Minister Holness said.

 

For his part, Minister Without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, said the project was long in coming.

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“If we acknowledge and feel the heat in March, not yet summer, it is representative of the fact that our climate is changing and our weather patterns are shifting, and it speaks to the absolute critical nature of this project,” Mr. Samuda said.

 

He noted that from October 2022 to March 2023, Jamaica experienced its worst drought ever, adding that in the height of that, the KSA received eight per cent of its 30-year average rainfall.

 

“So, it speaks to the fact that this project is indeed absolutely critical. During that drought, Kingston and St. Andrew was short 12½ million gallons daily. This project will add 15 million gallons to the system to assist in distributing water for Portmore and KSA,” Mr. Samuda said.

 

Meanwhile, Country Manager of Vinci Construction Grands Projects and Director of Rio Cobre Water Limited, Timothée Delebarre, said the nature of the project demonstrates a collaboration between public and private sector.

 

 

“We believe that this project should be a cornerstone of an economic model in Jamaica, whereby the Government and the private sector… work hand in hand in developing the country’s infrastructure,” Mr. Delebarre stated.

 

For his part, NWC Chairman, Michael Shaw, said the Rio Cobre Water Treatment Plant forms a critical part of the Commission’s strategic plan, which is to improve and maintain the water supply to the greater Spanish Town area, Portmore and the Corporate Area.

 

“When completed and delivering water to the NWC’s network, it will contribute significantly to NWC achieving three of the four strategic objectives. They are improving coverage, revenue and cashflow, increasing operational efficiencies and improving customer service,” Mr. Shaw stated. 

 

Member of Parliament for St. Catherine North Central, Natalie Neita Garvey, and NWC Vice President, Glaister Cunningham, also spoke during the ceremony.

 

CONTACT: LATONYA LINTON

Caribbean News

Widow’s Testimony Recounts Night Haiti President Was Killed

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MIAMI, Florida — Emotional testimony from Martine Moïse, the widow of assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, has given jurors in a U.S. federal courtroom a chilling account of the night gunmen stormed the presidential residence and killed the country’s leader.

Martine Moïse took the stand this week in Miami as part of the ongoing trial of several men accused of helping plan and finance the July 7, 2021 assassination, a crime that plunged Haiti into political crisis and remains only partially solved.

She told the court that armed men forced their way into the president’s private home in the hills above Port-au-Prince during the early morning hours, firing multiple shots at her husband while she lay beside him. She testified that she was also wounded in the attack and survived by pretending to be dead until the gunmen left the room.

According to prosecutors, the plot involved a group of foreign mercenaries, including former Colombian soldiers, along with Haitian and Haitian-American suspects. Investigators say some of the men believed the mission was to detain the president, but the operation turned into an assassination.

The Miami trial is focusing on the alleged role of South Florida businessmen and others accused of organizing or financing the plan, part of a wider international investigation that has stretched across several countries.

More than four years after the killing, the question of who ultimately ordered the assassination remains unanswered, with suspects still in custody in both Haiti and the United States as the case continues to unfold.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Jamaica Joins Afreximbank Agreement, Strengthening Africa–Caribbean Partnership

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CARIBBEAN — Jamaica has become the 13th CARICOM member state to accede to the African Export-Import Bank Establishment Agreement, further strengthening economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean.

The development was confirmed during the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, where an Afreximbank delegation led by George Elombi and Kanayo Awani met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness to advance cooperation.

Prime Minister Holness thanked the bank for its support following Jamaica’s recent hurricane, noting that Afreximbank financing helped restore critical infrastructure including water, electricity, sewage systems and roads, while also assisting reconstruction efforts aimed at building stronger resilience to future disasters.

The meeting also focused on broader development opportunities tied to Jamaica’s membership in the agreement. Discussions included rebuilding and modernising infrastructure such as railways, hospitals and other public facilities, while strengthening regional transportation and trade networks to improve the movement of people and goods across the Caribbean.

Afreximbank has been expanding its presence in the Caribbean as part of its strategy to connect Africa with the region often referred to as “Global Africa.” The bank has already committed billions of dollars in financing and trade support to Caribbean economies in recent years, including funding for infrastructure, trade facilitation and private sector investment.

By joining the agreement, Jamaica gains expanded access to Afreximbank’s financial instruments, technical support and trade networks designed to promote commerce between Africa and CARICOM states.

Regional leaders say the growing partnership could unlock new opportunities in areas such as trade, logistics, tourism, manufacturing and cultural exchange, strengthening economic cooperation between the two regions with deep historical and diaspora ties.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion  

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Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (February 24, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow, Liberty Business and BTC, recently served as Gold-Level Partner of the two-day Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF), themed “The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience”.

The Digital Divide is of particular interest to Liberty Caribbean and is being addressed through its Charitable Foundation across the region. Low broadband penetration in the Caribbean contributes to diminished opportunities for individuals, communities, and local economies, but with the support of funding partners, this gap can be addressed through a comprehensive programme – JUMP – that focuses on providing access, devices, and digital skills.

“Liberty Caribbean was proud to serve as Gold-Level Partner of the TTIGF because the conversations taking place here shape key digital policies for multiple stakeholders,” said Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad.

“As technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace, we must ensure that innovation strengthens our societies rather than fragments them. The theme, ‘The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience,’ speaks directly to the work we do every day: building networks that are not only fast and reliable, but secure, inclusive and future-ready.”

Across the Caribbean, the digital divide remains one of the most pressing barriers to equitable growth. Low broadband penetration limits access to education, entrepreneurship and essential services, and that is why we are deeply committed to closing this gap.

Through the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation and initiatives like the JUMP Programme, the company is expanding access to technology, affordable connectivity and digital skills training so that individuals and communities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy.

Martin-Sulgan further stated “at Liberty Caribbean, we believe progress and responsibility must move in lock step. By investing in resilient networks, inclusive programmes and trusted partnerships, we are helping to build a Caribbean that is innovative, secure and prepared for the opportunities ahead.”

Topics covered during the Forum, with over 140 participants, included “Securing Critical Infrastructure”, Integrating AI into Digital Transformation”, “The Digital Divide”, The Human Cost of Innovation – Mental Health and Well-being in the Digital Age’, and AI, Cyber Resilience and Regional Innovation”.

Focused on the underlying mandate of the Conference theme thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and community stakeholders were invited to explore how countries can evolve boldly without compromising values or long-term stability.

Photo Caption: 

TTIGF – l-r Darren Campo, Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Yolande Agard-Simmons, Senior Manager Communications; and Kevon Swift, Senior Manager Government and Regulatory Affairs of Flow Trinidad in attendance at the Post Event Mixer at Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Head Office in St Clair, Port of Spain

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