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The ability of stakeholders in the agricultural and fisheries sectors to respond effectively to the onset and impact of natural disasters is expected to be significantly strengthened, when a special Belgian Government-funded project concludes in August. The 12-month project, entitled: ‘Strengthening Community Preparedness and Resilience to Natural Disasters in Selected Vulnerable Areas in Jamaica’, commenced late last year and is...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is appealing for more Jamaicans to get onboard its Plastic Container Separation Project. The project, which was launched as a pilot in May in the Corporate Area communities of Havendale, Whitfield Town and Pines of Karachi, aims to encourage persons to separate their plastic containers from their regular household waste. The main objectives...

A National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) investigation has found that the noxious fume emission, which resulted in the closure of the Portmore leg of Highway 2000 and the Port Henderson Road in St. Catherine on June 28, was petroleum-based. Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, made the disclosure at a press briefing at NEPA’s...

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, said that Jamaica is meeting the challenge of protecting the country’s marine resources through policy and other safeguard measures. He said that the process to develop a Protected Areas System Master Plan (PASMP) is “far advanced” and should be completed later this year. The plan aims to take a...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, says the region must place high priority on the issue of disaster management. He noted that the Caribbean region is considered to be the second most disaster prone in the world, and  revealed that for Jamaica alone, it is conservatively estimated that for the past 10 years, the country has...

Opposition Spokesperson on Housing, Water and Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Horace Chang, is calling for increased efforts to reforest watershed areas in Negril. Speaking during his contribution to the 2012/13 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 26, Dr. Chang said the replanting could be done under the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP). “Agro forestry can be...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, has assured that the affairs of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) are being tidied up, with new control guidelines issued for the agency’s accounting practices. “As we go forward, we will continue to tighten up the system, to put more checks and balances there, and a sub-committee of...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) wishes to advise the public that the Jamaican Infrastructure Operator Limited (JIO) has reported that an unnamed gaseous substance is pervading from the port. The ODPEM is strongly advising that motorist avoid this area in order to prevent substance inhalation. Emergency responders, the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), the National Environmental Planning...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Japan International Co-operation  Agency (JICA) to fund the expansion of a compost facility as part of efforts to pursue the conversion of solid waste to energy. This was disclosed by  Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott, during his contribution to the...

The Community Based Landslide Risk Reduction Project, being implemented by the Office of Disaster Planning and Emergency Management (ODPEM), will inform Government strategy on disaster risk reduction in vulnerable community. This is especially in relation to communities that are categorised as marginalised or informal settlements, said Senior Director for Mitigation Planning and Research at ODPEM, Karema Aiken-Mitchell, at a recent...

Two more communities have been selected by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to benefit under the World Bank-funded Community-Based Landslide Risk Reduction Project (CBLRRP). The new communities – Bedward Gardens in St. Andrew and Breastwork in Portland, will join Harbour Heights and Melbrook Heights in St. Andrew bringing to four, the number of communities to benefit...

The Caribbean Disaster Risk Atlas, a tool to enhance decision-making to reduce the serious economic and social impacts of natural hazards in the region, was launched Monday June 25th at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona. Funded by the World Bank at a cost of US$510,000 through its Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, the Atlas is...