MOU Signed for ‘Adopt-A-Mangrove’ Programme
By: , May 18, 2023
Photo: Sherika Hall
From left (seated): Chief Executive Officer at the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Peter Knight; Chief Operating Officer at the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Company Limited, Gary Barrow and Deputy Chairman of the JPS Foundation Limited, Ramsay McDonald, sign a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding for NEPA’s ‘Adopt-A-Mangrove’ programme, at the Agency’s headquarters in Kingston, on Thursday, May 18. Witnessing the signing are (from left, standing) NEPA’s Director of Planning, Projects, Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Division, Ainsworth Carroll; Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda and Director of the JPS Foundation Limited, Winsome Callum.The Full Story
A $7-million non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed for the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) ‘Adopt-A-Mangrove’ programme.
The MOU was signed by NEPA, Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Foundation Limited and the JPS Company Limited, at a ceremony held at the NEPA Headquarters in Kingston on Thursday, May 18.
Chief Executive Officer, NEPA, Peter Knight, said the signing follows the official launch of the programme on February 2, 2023, in recognition of World Wetlands Day.
He pointed out that while the programme is the brainchild of the Agency’s Protected Area Branch, JPS Company Limited and Foundation were the first adopters under the programme.
They adopted the plot located along the Palisadoes tombolo within the Palisadoes Protected Area and the Ramsar site in Port Royal. They will also be providing the $7-million funding support over a five-year period.
“The initiative will support the ecosystem, conservation and restoration programmes that are already embedded within NEPA, the aim of which is to protect and restore our wetlands as we seek to sustain and enhance their ecological values and functions,” Mr. Knight explained.
Through the programme, NEPA is also seeking to leverage additional financial support for the management of other protected areas.
To this end, he is encouraging more private-sector entities to invest in biodiversity as part of their corporate social responsibility.
Leading by example, Chief Operating Officer of the JPS Company Limited, Gary Barrow, said they are involved in many initiatives but “we are particularly excited about this [one]”.
“We have made a commitment at JPS to not only be conscious and play our part in environmental protection but to actually lead,” he said.
It is for this reason “we were particularly pleased when this initiative was announced,” Mr. Barrow said.
He joined Mr. Knight in calling for more private-sector entities to get involved in initiatives such as these.
“I join you in the appeal because I don’t believe that the private sector is sufficiently involved in the protection of the environment. We know the importance of the mangrove… and it is very important to us,” Mr. Barrow said.