Chinese Government To Help Fund New Downtown Offices For Foreign Affairs

A new building to house the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to be constructed in downtown Kingston, with funding assistance being provided by the People’s Republic of China.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding in making the announcement said the Chinese government would fund 85-percent of the cost and will deliver a turnkey operation with architectural plans to be approved by the local authorities.

“We have been provided with tremendous assistance by the government of the People’s Republic of China which has offered a grant to build the Foreign Affairs building. They will provide 85%. We will have to find the other 15% of the cost. The new Foreign Affairs offices will be constructed on the site on which the Area Four Police is located.We are looking at a design that would incorporate a new Area Four Headquarters on the same site,” Mr. Golding said.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the recent opening of the Spectrum Management Authority’s (SMA) office on Harbour Street in Kingston. The SMA relocated from New Kingston to Harbour Street in December 2009, effecting a saving of $2 million per month in rent and supporting the Prime Minister’s mandate that government offices relocate to downtown.