Government Wages War on the Environment
Here is a statement put out by members of the Jamaica Environmental Advocacy Network (JEAN) on what they are calling a “war on the environment”…
Your thoughts?
“Reeling from announcement after announcement of the pending destruction of Jamaica’s natural resources, environmentalists and sustainable tourism advocates say the Government of Jamaica is waging a relentless war on the environment. Members of the Jamaica Environmental Advocacy Network (JEAN) point to the approval of large project after large project, with insufficient attention paid to the environment.
“We had the construction of very large hotels between 2004 and 2008, and the well documented damage these developments caused. At least one closed before it was even completed, others responded to the poor economic environment by dropping their rates to rock bottom, making it difficult for local tourism operators to compete,” says Diana McCaulay, speaking on behalf of JEAN. “Then – Falmouth – the Disneyfication of an historic town, including destruction of a healthy coral reef, clearance of mangroves and sea grasses, and dredging of the sea floor. Associated with this project was the clear cutting of a watershed area in close proximity to the Martha Brae River, to quarry marl for the cruise ship pier construction. This has been followed by plans to quarry Puerto Bueno Mountain on the North Coast – one of the last remaining stands of dry limestone forest on the north coast, the planned annihilation of the Palisadoes tombolo by a four-lane highway, all within the Palisadoes/Port Royal Protected Area and without an Environmental Impact Assessment or public consultation, plans for large scale quarrying in the Braziletto Mountains and a new limestone export port at Rocky Point, Clarendon and now the news that the pristine area of Font Hill will also be the subject of unsustainable, inappropriate large scale tourism development.”
JEAN contends that the GOJ has spent millions of dollars on several plans, including the South Coast Sustainable Development Plan and Programme, the Sustainable Tourism Master Plan, and the SW Coast Development Plan all of which called for a different model of tourism development for the south coast that tourism interests, local communities and environmental groups agree would be sustainable and more beneficial for local people. The National Ecological Gap Assessment Report identifies Font Hill and environs as a triple priority. Furthermore, the GOJ has also signed international agreements and conventions to protect biological diversity. JEAN insists that at the very least, the GOJ should adhere to its own plans and policies and the international treaties it has signed. “We have seen the environmental destruction on the north coast, and the social problems of exclusion, displacement, crime and poverty – and we understood that lessons had been learned and it would be done differently on the south coast and different going forward,” says Ms. McCaulay.
Tourism stakeholders of the south coast, national environmental agencies and local community groups are calling on the GOJ to rethink this short term, unsustainable strategy for Jamaica’s development. JEAN will be seeking an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Bruce Golding, now the Minister of the Environment, and Minister Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism to outline these urgent concerns and seek a new approach.
For more information please contact:
Diana McCaulay, Jamaica Environment Trust, 469-1315 or Dr. Byron Wilson, Dept. of Life Sciences, UWI, 870-2392 or Wendy Lee, Northern Jamaica Conservation Association, 359-1505
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We must encourage government to behave responsibly toward the environment, we appreciate the necessity for foreign investments, but we must have boundaries. Destroying the ecology under the banner of investments, development and commerce is irresponsible behaviour.
As a people, we do not take seriously the impact our actions have on the environment and the potential catastrophe we are creating.
We must not relent, Government has a responsibility to the people and must not make decisions out of desperation; Yes, we desperately need foreign investments, employment opportunities, production and all the other things that goes in to growing an economy, but we can’t “cut off our nose to spite our face”.
Government must be encouraged to consider the long term effects on the environment, from the decisions they make today.
Together we can make the difference.
OH NO!! And here I’ve been (in some kind of bubble apparently) thinking all was improving in Jamaica – but this past month has been not much less than prophecies of frightening doom on just about every platform. I’m quite ill-informed on much of it (um…the bubble…) since I’ve only been following the thriving art scene there – and thankfully our folks are expressing themselves. But my goodness – who exactly is to profit from all these ventures? Is it true that the coasts and forests being raped and pillaged aren’t even Jamaican owned??? (something I’ve heard in idle chatter…)
Being originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa – I’m quite familiar with the self-destructive recipe of corruption, environmental destruction, short-sighted sales and trading of land and natural resources, and the resulting poverty, strife, and utter hopelessness of a country’s people and the direct passage of this to inevitable tribal war.
With the political, social, and environmental troubles now plaguing our sweet Jamaica – I fear we may already be blinded by impulsive greed that only fear and desperation create. It’s a difficult monster that needs to be tackled somehow (I have no answer unfortunately) because unlike Africa, the 2nd largest landmass in the world – there is no where to run here on our island – and especially now with what I’ve heard referred to as ‘mass travel visa and green card revocation’. Unlike Africa, there’s no space, and there aren’t that many people. Jamaica has one of the biggest spirits, but it’s too small a country to have that spirit be this pissed off.
Sorry about being all over the place – been catching up on a lot of stuff in one sitting – and I’m just blurting it out after reading this one…). As usual – good job bloggin’.