For Immediate Release

Consultations continue on Jamaica’s Draft National Spatial Plan – Climate change underpins spatial plan development
Kingston, Jamaica February 12, 2020. A series of six islandwide consultations have been held on Jamaica’s Draft National Spatial Plan (NSP) and key stakeholders have been providing input on the draft document over the past six weeks. The plan – which mainstreams climate change – is scheduled for finalisations by March 2020.

The consultations which started in early January have been organised by the Adaptation Programme and Financing Mechanism (AP&FM) for the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR). They have been targeting key stakeholders at the local government level including the Municipal Corporations of all the parishes. The consultations were scheduled as follows:

• Wednesday, January 15 – the Spanish Court hotel in Kingston which included participants from the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation, the Portmore Municipal Corporation and the St. Catherine Municipal Corporation.
• Friday, January 17 – the Knutsford Court hotel in Kingston which included participants from the municipal corporations in Portland, St. Thomas and St. Mary.
• Tuesday, January 21 – Villa Sonate in St. Ann which included participants from the municipal corporations in St. Ann and Trelawny.
• Friday, January 24 – Knutsford Court hotel in Kingston which included participants from the municipal corporations in Clarendon and St. Elizabeth.
• Tuesday, January 28 – Oasis hotel in Negril included participants from the municipal corporations in Westmoreland, Hanover and Trelawny
• Friday, January 31 – Deja hotel in St James included participants from the municipal corporations in St. James and Manchester

“The input that has been provided by the stakeholders so far has been very valuable. Participants were able to articulate their visions for improved spatial development during the period 2020 to 2040. It is good that some of the Municipal Corporations have begun to think about how they will help implement the National Spatial Plan and how it will relate to their Parish Development Plans.

They also showed enthusiasm in outlining broad strategic actions for their visions to be achieved. We will include as much of the feedback as possible into the final draft.” said Dr Winsome Townsend, Project Manager for the AP&FM Project, which focuses on integrating climate change issues into development planning. The AP&FM project is being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank. The Project has also provided funds
for climate change adaptation work in small and medium businesses as well as communities.

The draft NSP was compiled from research and consultations that started in April 2018. The most recent draft of the document covers:
The consultations included the National Environment and Planning Agency, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, the Housing Agency of Jamaica, the Urban Development Corporation as well as other entities.

A National Spatial plan is important to the sustainable development of and, use of a country’s natural resources and its built environment.

For further information contact:
Indi Mclymont-Lafayette, Communications Specialist
Adaptation Programme & Financing Mechanism (AP&FM)
for the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) Jamaica
Min. of Economic Growth and Job Creation
16a Half Way Tree Road, Kingston 5
Tel: 6337529 or 294-3608.