AMC complex being retained for agricultural purposes - Green
Published:Friday | April 26, 2024 | 3:09 PM
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Floyd Green, says there are no plans to use the Agricultural Marketing Corporation (AMC) complex for another purpose.
He made the disclosure during Wednesday's post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House in response to concerns arising that there are plans to divest the entity.
The Minister explained that the AMC complex, up until 2016, had tremendous challenges in relation to management and investment and was not fulfilling its fundamental purpose.
“It was… established largely to look at things like distribution and storage in relation to agriculture and to help drive exports. While we do have people operating there and we commend them, even the tenants, they will tell you that the overall state of the AMC needs a capital injection,” Green stated.
“So, what the Government did was to bring together a team to look at what was the best methodology to ensure that AMC remains in agriculture and is truly fulfilling its purpose. So we brought together an Enterprise Team, chaired by Erwin Burton, and including members from the Ministry of Agriculture and from the Development Bank of Jamaica,” he indicated.
The Minister informed that the team looked at the valuation of the property and models that could be utilised for public-private partnership to bring capital injection.
Green said the members have completed their work and submitted recommendations.
“In the terms of reference, we said that the AMC must remain in agriculture. So I want to remove any thought that the AMC will be taken out of agriculture and will be used for another purpose. That will not happen,” the Minister said.
“What we're looking at is the best approach to, for example, get a private sector company to partner with the Government to look at the capital improvements, as is needed, to enter into various arrangements, whether that may be lease to a section of the building, or a long-term lease, or do we go it alone? Does the Government look at what it would cost for the full renovation of the AMC, and do we take that, now, to the Public Investment Infrastructure Committee and ask them for those resources?” he added.
Green further informed that coming out of the assessment, the Government now knows the cost in terms of what funds would be needed, “if we're going to do it alone and do a full renovation of the AMC.”
“Additionally, we now know what the options are in terms of a public-private partnership, as a couple of options have been put on the table. The next step now is to take it to Cabinet.
“So, we will go to Cabinet over the next… four weeks to indicate the options that have been put forward and to hear from Cabinet, what is the best option for us to pursue. But no matter the option, the AMC will serve agriculture, and coming out of this process, what you will see is a renovated, reinvigorated AMC complex,” the Minister stated.
- JIS News
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