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Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. A.J. Nicholson, said that developing countries like Jamaica, must “move with alacrity” to explore development opportunities in the deep seabed. He was speaking on February 29 at the official launch of observations marking the 30th Anniversary of the Opening for Signature of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) has been integral  in  developing a number of programmes to strengthen the island's capacity to effectively deal with climate change. One such project is the Strategic Programme for Climate Resilience (SPCR),  which seeks to address vulnerable areas across Jamaica. There are several components to the programme - improving climate change information and data management;...

Jamaica will commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Opening for Signature of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, with a series of events throughout the year. A symposium and ceremony to launch the activities will take place on Wednesday (February 29) at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston. The event, which will get underway at...

Ground was broken on Thursday February 23, for construction of the Darling Street Wastewater Pumping Station, which will improve the sewerage system serving sections of downtown Kingston and St. Andrew. The facility, which is scheduled for completion within 18 months, will cost $500 million and is expected to significantly enhance sewage collection in sections of the nation’s capital. On completion,...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has embarked on a bold new low-cost strategy to reduce the risk of landslides and the threat to life and property posed to persons living in hillside communities that are so affected. Over the past 20 years, local disasters resulted in cumulative costs of more than US$1 billion. Among the various...

A new Chief Executive Officer is expected to be appointed soon for the National Works Agency (NWA). This was disclosed by Minister of Transport, Works and Housing the Hon. Dr Omar Davies in a statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday Feb. 21. He informed that the response from qualified persons for the post, which became vacant in 2011,...

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has been carrying out several monitoring exercises at the Montego Bay, Negril, and Ocho Rios Marine Parks, under the Climate Change Adaptation for Disaster and Risk Reduction Project. These parks comprise ecological structures such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, sandy shores, rocky shores, and mangrove forests. Speaking with JIS, on a tour of...

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, has informed that Jamaica will undertake a number of projects aimed at building the country’s resilience to the effects of climate change. Speaking at a post Durban climate change press briefing, held on February 16 at the Terra Nova Hotel, in Kingston, Mr. Pickersgill said proposals are being prepared...

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, has informed that no contract has been awarded for the expansion of the Maggotty water system, to supply potable water to the districts of White Hill and Carisbrook, in St. Elizabeth. “This project was approved for funding in the 2011/12 budget. Although the project was tendered, no contract was...

Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Ronald Jackson, is expressing confidence that  smoke at the Riverton City Landfill will be contained within another two days. Speaking at the weekly Jamaica House press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister, today (February  15), he said conditions are “significantly improved and continuing to get better."...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, has informed that emergency personnel at the Riverton City landfill and disposal site, in Kingston, will continue to carry out mitigation measures at the facility. “The stipulated timeline of 72 hours for the fire fighting and smoke containment operations were met. We are currently in the second phase of smoke...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is embarking on a series of workshops in St. Thomas, aimed at developing an effective coastal management action plan for the parish. The workshops, which got underway on January 19, are being held under ODPEM’s ‘Building Disaster Resilient Communities (BDRC) Project’ and involve collaboration with the St. Thomas Parish Council. The...