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Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill (seated, head table), addresses Heads of agencies at the Ministry, in Kingston, on August 19. The Minister got an update of the water situation, particularly in the Corporate Area. At left is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Alwin Hayles.

Slight Increase in Reservoirs

The recent bouts of rainfall across the island, especially in the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA), have resulted in a slight increase in the intake of water to the National Water Commission (NWC) storage facilities. This was noted by Acting President...

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill (left), and Member of Parliament for North Clarendon, Hon. Horace Dalley, break ground for construction a $35.7 million water storage facility at Mason River in the parish on Friday (August 15). The undertaking is part of a $202.2 million upgrading of the Mason River Water Supply System.

Ground Broken for 100,000-Gallon Water Tank at Mason River

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill (centre), engages in light discussion with General Manager, National Commercial Bank (NCB) Corporate Banking Division, Brian Boothe (left); and Acting President, National Water Commission (NWC), Mark Barnett. Occasion was the signing ceremony for a US$12 million loan agreement to finance the rehabilitation or replacement of wastewater management facilities, held on August 12, at the NCB's Wellness and Recreation Centre in Kingston.

NWC and NCB Sign US$12 Million Loan Facility for Sewage Upgrading

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill (left), hands over a cheque to Director of SEAL Sprayed Solutions Limited, Vaughn Morris (right) at a ceremony at the National Environment and Planning Agency’s (NEPA) head office in Kingston on August 12. They money represents final payment made to the company, as support in the phasing out of the use of the ozone-depleting substance, Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), in its manufacturing process. Others sharing the moment are: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Dr. Arun Kashyap; and Project Manager of the HCFC Phase Out Management Plan Implementation Project at NEPA, Nicol Walker.

Jamaica Phases Out Use Of Ozone-Depleting Substance

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NWC Institutes New Restrictions on Hope and Mona Systems

11 years ago Environment

NLA Prepares 873 Titles for Properties in Three Parishes

The National Land Agency (NLA) has prepared 873 of 1,005 certificates of title for properties in St. Ann, St. Mary, and Portland, under the Government’s $235 million (US$2 million) land registration project being implemented in those parishes. The remaining 132 titles are currently being processed by the NLA, and should be ready in short order. Preparation of the titles is...

11 years ago Environment

NWC and NCB Sign Us$12 Million Loan Facility for Sewage Upgrading

The National Water Commission (NWC) and the National Commercial Bank have signed a US $12 million loan agreement to finance the rebuilding, rehabilitation or replacement of several waste water treatment facilities across the island. The financing facility is being supported under the Caribbean Regional Fund for Waste Water Management (CReW) Project, which involves the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Inter-American Development Bank...

11 years ago Environment

New Water Restriction

As of Wednesday (August 12), the National Water Commission (NWC) will be restricting the supply of water to every two days for customers served by the Mona and Hope systems. Making the announcement, Acting President of the NWC, Mark Barnett, said the new restriction results from low inflows of water into the two systems. “For those customers who will receive...

Water, Land, Environment, and Climate Change Minister, Hon. Robert Pickersgill (second right), is updated on the progress of the National Water Commission’s (NWC) artificial groundwater system project, at Innswood, South Central St. Catherine, by Senior Engineer at Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL), which is supervising its implementation, Peter Clarke (2nd left), during a tour of the development, on Friday, July 30. Looking on, from left, are: South Central St. Catherine Member of Parliament, Dr. Andrew Wheatley; and Managing Director, Water Resources Authority (WRA), Basil Fernandez. The 15-month project, which commenced in August 2014, is being funded at a cost of just over $1 billion, by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

11 years ago Environment

$1B Innswood Groundwater System on Course for November Completion

The National Water Commission’s (NWC) artificial groundwater recharge system, being built at Innswood, St. Catherine, is on course for completion by November, this year. Over 75 per cent of the works on the 15-month project, being undertaken at a cost of just over $1 billion, has been completed, since its commencement in August 2014. Activities being carried out include: development...

11 years ago Environment

Gov’t Taking Action to Reduce Emissions from Transport Sector

The Government is taking action to improve fuel economy and efficiency in the transportation sector and reduce vehicle emissions, which contribute to global warming. Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, made the declaration as he addressed the Regional Global Fuel Efficiency Workshop at the Terra Hotel and in St. Andrew on July 28. The workshop...

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill (second right) and contractor, Courtney Laing (right), examine activities of workmen as he toured sections of improvement works which are underway to improve water supply in sections of Cascade, Hanover, on July 24. At second left is member of Parliament for eastern Hanover, D. K.
Duncan.

11 years ago Environment

More Than 8,000 Hanover Residents To Benefit From Improved Water Supply

More than 8,000 residents of Cascade, Claremont and Jericho in Hanover are to benefit from an improved supply of potable water, as improvement works, at a cost of $271.25 million, are progressing on that system by the National Water Commission (NWC). Addressing residents and reporters after a tour of the main communities on July 24, at the Merlene Ottey High...

Senior Director, Forest Signs and Technical Services, at the Forestry Department, Miss Donna Lowe, speaking at a recent JIS ‘Think Tank’.

11 years ago Environment

More Forest Cover Recorded

Jamaica has recorded an afforestation rate of 0.41 per cent, a turn-around in the pattern of forestation since it was first checked in 1998. At that time it was revealed that the country was being impacted by a deforestation rate of 0.1 per cent, losing some 336 hectares of forests annually. The revelation is contained in the recently completed Land...