CONTRACT SIGNING FOR AIRPORT TERMINAL
EXPANSION PROJECT

In the picture from left to right: Mr. John Greaves of Zimmcor Limited, Mr. Surj Mangat, Project Manager (Sypher Consultant), Mr. Chris Bicknell of Tank Weld, Mr. Dennis Morrison, Chairman, Airport Authority of Jamaica (AAJ), Minster Pickersgill and Dr. Alwin Hales, Permanent Secretary.

The Honourable Robert Pickersgill on Friday, July 15, 2005 in a press briefing at the Ministry’s conference room awarded two contracts valuing Sixty Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Two Jamaican Dollars (JM$ 60,697,732) and Five Hundred and Eighty-Eight Thousand US Dollars to Tankweld Special Projects and Zimmcor Limited, respectively. These contracts are to facilitate the start-up of phase 1A of the Norman Manley International Airport’s (NMIA) twenty-year expansion, which is to be completed in three phases. The Minister mentioned that Cabinet has approved funding for this Capital Development Programme at NMIA, which value JM$ 127.7 million.

Phase 1A of the project will result in the construction of a new three-level Departure Concourse of approximately 10,000 square meters, which will be integrated with the existing Ticketing Concourse and related facilities. The existing Arrivals/Departure pier will be redeveloped to provide a two level structure to accommodate the separation of arriving and departing passengers.

The Minister noted that “In preparation for the start of Phase 1A of the development programme in September, the airport must relocate all clientele who will be affected by the main construction works. NMIA Airports Limited will therefore be expanding the existing public check-in concourse northwards and will enclose the waving gallery, which has been closed to the Public June of this year.”

The first contract signed was awarded to Tankweld Special Projects and involves the demolition and structural steel works. Tankweld Special Projects is also required to erect three wood-framed tunnels for use as public corridors into the Airport’s Departure Concourse. The tunnels will be wall finished with white painted sheetrock or finished ply walls, with ceilings and fluorescent surface mounted lights. They are also required to demolish, cut up and remove the folded plate canopy, up to the east side of the Tower Block five, 40 x 40 feet umbrella roof structures.

The second contract signed was awarded to Zimmcor Limited and this addresses Glass Curtain Wall Cladding. Zimmcor will be responsible for the design and engineering, supply and installation of 408m2 of Glass Curtain Wall for façade, with Curved Aluminium Composite Panel soffit nosing between Grid Line 16-22; this will effectively enclose the existing Departure Concourse.

Minister Pickersgill said, “These contracts are an integral part of the ongoing refurbishing, upgrading, modernization and expansion of the country’s airport infrastructure, which is critical to our efforts to comfortably welcome and accommodate the growing Tourism sector, Business and travel by Jamaicans.” He further urged the Contractors and Project Managers to complete these works on time and within budget, with minimum discomfort to persons using the airport.