$230 Million for Project to Bolster Resilience to Climate Change

Rollout of Jamaica’s Path from Hills to Ocean Project is set to continue in fiscal year 2023/24 with a $230.89-million budgetary allocation.

The sum is programmed in the 2023/24 Estimates of Expenditure, which will be deliberated by the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives on March 1 and 2.

The project, programmed for implementation over eight years, commenced in November 2021 and is intended to bolster resilience to climate change and reduce poverty through the implementation of an integrated and sustainable landscape management methodology.

Achievements up to December 2022 include completion of a rapid ecological assessment study and communication, visibility and sensitisation strategy.

Targets for 2023/24 include the completion of a hydrological study of the Mason River Protected Area, and assessment study of seagrass beds in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, and Hellshire, St. Catherine.

More than $830 million in additional funding is earmarked over the next three fiscal years, to continue the project’s implementation.

The Planning Institute of Jamaica is spearheading the project’s rollout, which runs until November 2028, with joint Government of Jamaica/European Union funding support.

Meanwhile, a contingency provision of $7.96 billion is earmarked for the upcoming year.

The sum will provide budgetary support for new projects approved for implementation by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, under the Public Investment Management System (PIMS), but have not been approved by Cabinet for inclusion in the Budget.

More than 78 billion in additional funding support is programmed for fiscal years 2024/25 to 2026/27.

Financing is being provided by the Government of Jamaica.