Jamaica signed on to four key international environmental partnerships during the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, held from June 16 to 18. The agreements are the Caribbean Ocean Coordination Mechanism, the Ocean Acidification Alliance, the Action in Blue Regional Network, and the Mangrove Breakthrough. Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, provided the details during...

Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, has announced that a Planning Secretariat is to be established over the next year, to prepare the nation for the hosting of the 13th Our Ocean Conference. The Conference, which is one of the largest global events concerned with ocean protection and the blue economy, is set to be held...

More than 5,000 residents of Mandeville, Manchester, now have reliable access to portable water following the completion of the Hopeton to Waltham Pipeline Project. Undertaken by the National Water Commission (NWC) at a cost of more than $123 million, the system serves 1,300 households in Hopeton, Waltham, Perth, Bloomfield Street, Airey Mount, Manchester Road, May Day and Woodlawn Road. The...

Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, on Thursday (June 11), officially broke ground for the $147.8-million Santa Cruz Bypass Main Replacement Project in St. Elizabeth. The initiative, being carried out by the National Water Commission (NWC), will replace a deteriorating three-inch cast-iron pipeline that has served the community for more than 50 years. The scope of...

The National Water Commission (NWC) has restored operations at its major systems following the islandwide electricity blackout on Friday (June 5). Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, reported that as of 2:00 p.m. on Saturday (June 6), approximately 65,000 customers—representing about 12 per cent of the NWC’s customer base—remained without supply, with full restoration expected within...

Jamaica has called for increased financing, technology transfer, capacity building and technical support to help Small Island Developing States (SIDS) strengthen ocean governance and advance the sustainable development of their blue economies. Speaking at the recent Island States Ocean Summit (ISOS) in Japan, Water, Environment and Climate Change Minister, Hon. Matthew Samuda, highlighted the importance of marine and coastal ecosystems...

A coordinated, multi agency initiative is to be launched to assess the extent of damage to water systems in St. Ann. Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, says St. Ann’s municipal water systems sustained significant damage during Hurricane Melissa, making thorough assessments a critical first step towards restoring and strengthening the parish’s water supply. “The current...