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INTRODUCTION

The Government of Jamaica within the constraints of limited budgetary resources has in recent years sought alternative means of financing the development and maintenance of major infrastructure projects. Consequently, amendments were made to the Financial Administration and Audit (FAA) Act (the Act) to formalize the deferred financing arrangements being undertaken to deal with the implementation of major infrastructure projects (excluding routine maintenance).

The Honourable House of Representatives will recall Ministry Paper No. MFP-41/03 dated May 20, 2003 which provided details on Deferred Financing Facility (DFF) activities up to March 31, 2003, pursuant to Sub-Section 8 of Section 24E of the Act. The Act requires the Minister to report to the House of Representatives on: -

1. the scope of the project;
2. the levels of financial commitments and the expenditure to date;
3. the physical targets; and
4. the phasing in of the Government's obligations in respect thereof within the annual estimates of revenue and expenditure.

STATUS REPORT

The Ministry of Finance and Planning now seeks to bring to the attention of the Honourable House of Representatives a summary report of the activities undertaken under the Deferred Financing Arrangement for the period April 1, 2003 to March 31, 2004.

Since April 1, 2003, disbursements totaling $1,592.8 million have been made under previously approved arrangements for the continued construction of schools in North Western Jamaica, the continuation of Dualisation and Road Improvement Works to Howard Cooke Boulevard & Alice Eldermire Drive, and the Dredging of Sandy Gully Phase 11.

SCOPE OF PROJECTS

All projects, with a few exceptions, have either been completed, or are progressing, within the scheduled time and with minor variations to the original approved estimated costs. At March 31, 2004, three projects remained incomplete: the North Western Jamaica Schools, the Sandy Gully Phase 11 and the Howard Cooke Boulevard Dualisation. These are scheduled for completion between April 1, 2004 and June 24, 2005 (Appendix B). The gross amount spent on these three projects up to March 31, 2004 was $2,999.60mn, and of the 17 schools projected to be built, four have achieved 63%, 87%, 96% and 98% completion, with work-in-progress on another five schools.

The Honourable House is asked to note that the expenditures undertaken under the Deferred Financing arrangements have contributed to improving the country's infrastructure, and have rehabilitated several kilometres of roads, refurbished and constructed schools, police stations and aerodromes.

REVIEW

Since FY1997/1998 approval has been given for approximately $11,680.32mn in Deferred Financing Facilities for contracts covering road construction and rehabilitation; the construction of schools and bridges; and the rehabilitation and dredging of major gullies, among others. A summary report is provided in Table 1.

Table 1

The following sectors benefited from Deferred Financing arrangements in the period 1997/1998 to 2003/2004:

1. Construction:

   • Rural Road Development Programme - Pamphret to Morant Bay, Negril to Savanna-la-mar and Cement Company to Harbour View Roundabout;

   • Traffic Management Programme - Hope Road; Washington Boulevard/Mandela Highway; Trafalgar Road/Old Harbour Road/Mt. Rosser; and Mt. Zion to Rose Hall;

   • Kingston Coast Road Phase III;

   • HUB Programme - Arterial Roads Island-wide with total mileage of 268 km

   • Northern Jamaica Development Project (NJDP) (North Coast Highway) approximately 298 km (and including Section 1, Negril to Davis Cove, Section 2, Davis Cove to Mosquito Cove, Section 3, Mosquito Cove to Bogue);

   • South Gully - 1.2 km - Montego Bay Drainage and Flood Control;

   • North Gully - Flood Damage Repairs and Construction;

   • Dualisation and Road Improvement Works to Howard Cooke Boulevard & Alice Eldermire Drive; and

   • Dredging of Sandy Gully Phases I and II.

2. Education: Schools Construction Programme (North Western Jamaica Schools) - Seventeen (17) schools are scheduled to be completed under this programme.

3. Security & Justice:

   • Western Regional Police Headquarters; and

   • Purchase of One Hundred and Eighty Six (186) Motor Vehicles for the Police Department

4. Civil Aviation: Rehabilitation of Domestic Aerodromes (Island-wide).

FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS/BUDGETARY PROVISIONS

Of the amount of $11,680.32mn authorized to date, approximately $8,177.42mn has been disbursed by participating financing providers to contractors islandwide (Table 1).

At March 31, 2004, the Public Debt Stock had increased by approximately $3,803mn as a result of Deferred Financing related obligations (Table 1) and a total amount of $1,577.87mn had been paid out in principal and $1,100.46mn in interest. A total of fourteen (14) Loan Agreements and marketable securities with a nominal value of $3,803mn and maturities up to June 2017 have been entered into with, and issued to, financing providers in connection therewith (Appendix A).

Budgetary allocations totaling $330.733mn were provided in the FY2003/2004 Estimates of Expenditure for appropriations to the relevant ministries, pursuant to the provisions of the Act which allow for the corresponding amounts of principal repayments due in the fiscal years to be provided in the respective ministries' appropriations, in addition to being provided for in the Public Debt. For the FY2004/2005 approximately $671.810mn has been provided in the Estimates of Expenditure. The schedule of the phasing in of the Government's obligations in respect hereof within the annual estimates of revenue and expenditure was provided in Ministry Paper No. MFP- 41/03.

APPENDICES

Appendix A - Agreements/Securities Issued For Deferred Financing Facilities

Appendix B - Status Report on Deferred Financing Projects

Omar Davies
Minister of Finance and Planning

April 15, 2004

MF&P File #285/308

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