Kingston, Jamaica | March 9, 2026: The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) has forged a closer training partnership with the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) (Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs-Conseils).
The FIDIC partnership reaffirms the Corporation’s commitment to international best practice in public infrastructure delivery through the continued adoption and promotion of standard forms of contract, strengthening transparency, accountability and value for money across its growing development portfolio.
As one of Jamaica’s principal agencies responsible for public infrastructure and urban renewal, the UDC continues to invest heavily in training, institutional strengthening and capacity development to ensure that its projects are planned, procured and delivered to the highest global standards. The Corporation has prioritised robust contract management frameworks that reduce risk, improve predictability and enhance outcomes for all stakeholders.
In this context, the UDC recognises the FIDIC partnership as a critical tool for helping to manage complex infrastructure works.
Mr Ignacio Palacios, Engineer, Chartered Quantity Surveyor, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and an accredited official FIDIC trainer said, “FIDIC has proven its success across multiple jurisdictions, including environments with complex legal frameworks and challenging local idiosyncrasies. As the most widely used contract suite in the world, and the preferred reference for multilateral development banks, it provides a trusted and consistent framework for delivering complex projects. Its strength lies in offering clarity, balance, and predictability where uncertainty is often the norm. Ultimately, well-managed FIDIC contracts translate into infrastructure that truly serves people: safer roads, reliable water systems, schools and hospitals delivered with greater accountability. This is why FIDIC continues to be the global benchmark for projects that aim to create lasting public value”.
Deputy General Manager for Development Planning and Projects at the UDC, Ms Loy Malcolm, said the Corporation’s approach to contract administration is grounded in experience, scale and deliberate capacity building. She noted that UDC’s strength in public infrastructure delivery has required a disciplined and structured framework for managing works across its diverse portfolio. FIDIC supports our objective of building the capacity of project managers and contractors alike, while providing the clarity and balance needed to ensure projects are delivered efficiently and in the public interest. This focus on strong contract administration is ultimately an investment in the success of our projects and the communities they are designed to serve,” Ms Malcolm said.
The UDC’s continued embrace of FIDIC aligns with its wider strategy to strengthen institutional readiness, enhance project governance and ensure that public infrastructure is delivered in a transparent, accountable and sustainable manner. Through ongoing investment in people, systems and internationally recognised standards, the UDC remains focused on development that delivers lasting national value.
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