THE regeneration project for Fort Regent will have a local company as the main contractor, the Treasury Minister has predicted.
Deputy Elaine Millar faced questions in the States Assembly about the appointment by Jersey Development Company of London-based firm SpaceHub as the lead contractor for the exterior redevelopment work.
As the government’s shareholder representative with JDC, Deputy Millar said the arm’s length organisation had researched whether there were suitable landscaping companies on the Island. One potential company had been identified and short-listed, but was subsequently not selected.
“JDC has extensive knowledge and would like to engage a local partner as far as it can, but they need people who can deliver large-scale work,” she said.
Deputy David Warr said: “It sounds like using local businesses is in the ‘too difficult to handle’ box when it should be a priority.”
Other Members criticised JDC for insufficient advertising of the opportunity for the landscaping partner.
But Deputy Millar said there had been “extensive research” into potential partners for this element, and said that when it came to the main contractor for the project, a local partner was likely to be engaged, and she estimated that this appointment was likely to encompass around 90% of the total project.
