MEMORANDUM

TO:

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT ENGINEERING & PORT DEVELOPMENT

FROM:

CIVIL ENGINEER

DATE: MARCH 12, 2007

RE:

PORT ANTONIO RAILWAY STATION

Please review the attached notes of a meeting held between the undersigned and
officials of the Ministry of Education and Youth at the captioned site on Tuesday,
February 27, 2007.
A report clearly outlining my own findings and recommendations for further action is
currently being prepared.
..

David Mudahy
/sh
Att.
Copy:

AVP Development Engineer

NOTES OF MEETING HELD WITH

THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH TEAM

AT THE PORT ANTONIO RAILWAY STATION
Persons attending:
Dennis Morrison
Andrene Blackwin
Dawell Williams
David Mudahy

Chief Architect (Ministry of Education & Youth)

Manager, Operation Phoenix (Ministry of Education & Youth)
Youth Empowerment Officer (Ministry of Education & Youth)
Civil Engineer (Port Authority of Jamaica)

The meeting commenced at 11:00 a.m.

Mr. Morrison led the discussion which took place whilst having a walkthrough of the facility and backyard.
He raised several issues as follows:Flooding of Building
Mr. Morrison indicated that the pavement in front of the building was low-lying, and so during heavy
rainfall water accumulated there. He added that during the major rains in January 2007, so much water
had accumulated in the front, that it overflowed into the building through the front entrances.
Pipe Culvert under Flower Shop
Mr. Morrison indicated that the pipe culvert under the flower shop (at the western end of the building) led
the accumulated runoff away from the front of the building. However, this culvert, he suggested, was too
small and filled with debris, and so could not remove the water at such a rate to prevent the flooding of
the floor.
Paving of Area to the Rear of the Building
Mr. Morrison showed me an area to the rear of the building and stated that this area had previously been
a pond filled with stagnant water. In addition to paving the area he indicated that the Ministry had
constructed a septic tank and drain in the area. The drain he indicated, was below the paved area and
connected the pipe culvert under the flower shop to an existing drain at the rear of the section of the
building occupied by the Artists.
Earth Drain adjacent to Fence at Rear
Mr. Morrison pointed out the presence of an earth drain just beyond the paved area, which was full of
weed and shrubs. He suggested that in its present state the drain would not be able to carry the runoff for
which it was built and so would also contribute to the problem of flooding.
Proposed Solutions
Mr. Morrison suggested that the earth drain to the rear of the building needed to be cleaned immediately.
In addition, he suggested that the drainage from the front of the building needed to be improved by:

Constructing a barrier wall and open drain to the front of the building
Replacing the pipe culvert under the flower shop with a larger culvert (of similar size to that
installed by the Ministry).

The concrete open drain he suggested would be built with a fall towards the western end of the building
(and so towards the pipe culvert under the flower shop).
All three (3) items of work, Mr. Morrison insisted, were to be undertaken by the Lessor, PAJ.

2
Opening of Youth Information Centre
Ms. Blackwin indicated that considerable amount of money had been expended by the Ministry in
upgrading that section of the building they occupy. She further added that the Ministry would be opening
the facility on March 31, 2007. She pointed out that computers and other supporting electronic hardware
would be installed prior to the date of opening. Once these were in place intrusion of water from the floor
above or from the pavement at the front would pose a major risk for damage to these equipment.
Conclusion
The undersigned assured members of the Ministrys team that all their concerns would be conveyed to
the management of the Operations Department of the Port Authority of Jamaica.

D. Mudahy
DM/sh