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The Meteorological Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for low-lying and flood-prone areas of St. Thomas, St. Mary, Portland, Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine and Clarendon effective until 5:00 p.m. Thursday. As the remnants of Tropical Wave Chantal moves across Jamaica, The Meteorological Service reported that satellite imagery and radar reports indicate that moderate to heavy showers and...

The Meteorological Service has discontinued the Tropical Storm Watch for Jamaica as Tropical Storm Chantal has degenerated into a strong tropical wave over the central Caribbean Sea. There is, therefore, no longer the threat of tropical storm conditions. At 4:00 p.m. the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal were located near Latitude 16.5 degrees North, Longitude 73.7 degrees West, or about...

Jamaica’s much anticipated Protected Areas System Master Plan (PASMP) is expected to be completed and presented to Cabinet within the next few months. Consultant in the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Leonie Barnaby, made the pronouncement as she addressed regional representatives at the opening of the mid-term evaluation workshop on the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund’s (CEPF) Caribbean...

Following the meeting of the National Disaster Committee (NDC) convened at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday June 10, 2013, chaired by the Honourable Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has activated the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) at level 1. The Prime Minister head of the NDC after receiving...

A Tropical Storm Watch remains in effect for Jamaica as weakening Tropical Storm Chantal moves quickly westward and could pass close to the island’s eastern coastline. This means that tropical storm conditions pose a possible threat to Jamaica within 36 hours. At 1:00 p.m. the centre of Tropical Storm Chantal was estimated to be near Latitude 16.5 degrees North, Longitude...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has been advised by The Meteorological Service that a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Jamaica as Tropical Storm Chantal moves westward and could pass close to the island’s eastern coastline. The ODPEM is advising that the storm could possibly impact the eastern sections of the island if it shifts...

Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Lt. Col. Oral Khan, says that while Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as Jamaica, are not the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, they must play a part in the mitigation agenda. He said that as Jamaica works towards Vision 2030, “we recognise that we not...

The quality and reliability of water supply to over 200,000 residents in the Corporate Area should be significantly improved, as the Mona and Hope water treatment plants have been rehabilitated at a cost of $1.6 billion. The two facilities have a combined output of more than 40 per cent of the National Water Commission’s (NWC) water production capacity in Kingston...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Ian Hayles, is encouraging young people to think carefully, then make decisions that will advance their lives. Speaking at a RISE Life Management Services awards ceremony for the Inner-City Youth Recycling Income Generation Project competition, on July 3, on East Street, downtown Kingston, Mr. Hayles said...

The effects of the current economic climate on Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the framework within which the Community can achieve growth and development will be a major agenda item at the upcoming Thirty-fourth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM. The meeting begins in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago with an Opening Ceremony on...

The National Works Agency (NWA) in collaboration with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Mines & Geology Division of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy & Mining (MSTEM) and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is advising road users that Geotechnical investigative works will be carried out along sections of Gordon Town Road in St. Andrew and the...

Regional Small Island Developing States (SIDS) must place high on the agenda of next year’s SIDS conference, the issue of highly indebted countries being categorised as middle income countries. Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, said that the classification, while indicative of progress, has limited the ability of small island states to access concessionary and...