St. James Municipal Corporation is actively working on a disaster plan to mitigate the effects of flooding and other natural disasters on the parish. Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, made the disclosure at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank held at the Municipal Corporation in Montego Bay on November 8. Several sections of the parish experienced major flooding, infrastructure...

Jamaica has moved a successful Motion for the inclusion of a Youth Forum in future Regional Platforms of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). The announcement was made by Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, during his remarks at the closing ceremony of the Seventh Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and its western regional arm, Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited, have launched a solid waste-reduction programme in the community of Chambers Pen in Hanover. The pilot programme will be executed in the form of a composting and plastic bottle separation competition among farmers and community members. At the culmination of...

The seventh Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean (RP21) concluded at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, on Thursday (November 4) with participating countries adopting the revised Regional Action Plan for implementing the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction. This decision, which was informed by the outcome of civil society and youth consultations at...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has developed a National Tsunami Response Plan and Standing Order Procedure for Jamaica. This was disclosed by Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, who indicated that the plan is awaiting the National Disaster Risk Management Council’s approval. “This vital aspect of our disaster risk reduction programme was...

Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, is urging cooperation among countries in the region to develop solutions for disaster risk reduction (DRR). He said that such solutions are imperative, particularly for small island developing states (SIDS) that are most vulnerable and which, on average, incur damage equivalent to 2.1 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) every...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Homer Davis, says the Government continues to place high priority on safeguarding the environment while facilitating economic growth and development. He noted that the establishment of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation is in keeping with the Administration’s focus on driving economic growth and sustainable...