The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has issued two site warning notices to Agro Expo Farms Limited following an investigation into a video circulated on social media on September 10, 2020, showing two of the company’s trucks carrying out sand mining in the Rio Grande River in the parish of Portland. The notices were served during a visit to...

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), through its Air Quality Index (AQI), is forecasting moderate air quality throughout the weekend. The country has been affected by a Saharan dust plume since June 22, which has led to reduced visibility due to the concentration of dust particles suspended in the air. It has also caused concern for persons with respiratory...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, is calling on Jamaicans to protect the country’s biodiversity, in order to build long-term environmental sustainability. “For us here in Jamaica and other small island developing states, effective action may be as simple as planting a tree, recycling our waste, conserving our water, properly disposing...

The Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation is spearheading the week-long commemoration of International Day for Biological Diversity from May 18 to 22 under the theme, ‘Our Solutions are in Nature’. A series of activities have been organised in partnership with agencies under the Ministry such as the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Forestry Department, while...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is reporting that more than 3,500 pounds of plastic have been collected under its plastic separation pilot project. The collection of plastic waste from 12 St. Andrew communities began on January 27 but was temporarily discontinued as the authority responded to the coronavirus (COVID-19). “In consideration of the health and safety of staff...

The Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation is currently in the process of finalising the update of the National Climate Change Policy Framework, says Acting Chief Technical Director in the Policy, Planning and Evaluation Division, Gillian Guthrie. “We thought it was prudent to revise and update the policy to respond to emerging issues as well as the new developments...

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, is appealing for private property owners to come forward as the Government seeks appropriate space to accommodate persons who are in isolation, quarantine or recovering from the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Government is seeking 600 rooms across the four health regions to be used as transitional houses for such persons. Speaking...

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) will seek to develop eco-tourism in the Goat Islands, as the Government moves to establish the area as a wildlife sanctuary. He noted that while the aim of the Goat Islands Wildlife Sanctuary is to preserve the island’s biodiversity, eco-tourism will provide an avenue for some economic...

The Government has reported that during the fiscal year 2019/20, the Forestry Department satisfactorily met the conditions to access the first tranche of €2 million under the four-year European Union-funded Budget Support Programme. With this, the organisation is now on its way to achieving associated year-two targets for all eight indicators under the programme. This was disclosed by Prime Minister,...