Construction industry declines by 4% in Q1

For the building construction sub industry, performance was constrained by a 32.6% contraction in housing starts by the National Housing Trust and a 9.1% contraction in the real sales of construction input. 

 

"The decrease in the other construction component was due to lower capital expenditure on civil engineering activities reflecting the net effect of a 67.2% contraction in disbursements by the National Works Agency to $2.2 billion; disbursement facilitated works on the Yallahs to Harbour View leg of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project; and a 36.9% increase in disbursements by the Jamaica Public Service Company to $1.2 billion," Dr. Henry added.