The forum was aimed at  preparing developing countries for the 37th Session of the United

Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Investor-State Dispute

Settlement (ISDS) Reform, which was held in New York from April 1-5 .

The forum was a follow up from previous meetings to assess the challenges facing developing countries

In ensuring that investment agreements support sustainable development goals.

It also provided an opportunity for developing countries to share common experiences, discuss emerging issues, review recent legal developments, and network with colleagues from other developing countries, experts in the field and members of civil society, in order to prepare for ongoing international discussions on the international system governing Investor State Dispute Settlement.

The conference examined various options and approaches for reforming the international legal arrangements for ISDS, weighing the benefits, costs and risks, while taking into consideration the differences among developing country regions, such as Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.

Developed countries, such as those comprising the European Union, have taken the lead in developing proposals for ISDS reform which serve their interests, such as the establishment of a Multilateral Investment Court.    Developing countries at the Forum were able to examine these latest developments and agree on counter proposals to better serve developing country interests.   

Participants at the Forum were also familiarized with ISDS issues related to third party funding for claimants to undertake arbitration proceedings against host states; the appointment of arbitrators; treatment of investors who engage in corrupt practices; the risks of broad fair and equitable treatment (FET) provisions; survival clauses in treaties; regulatory chill and protection of policy space; and most favoured nation (MFN) clauses, among other issues of importance.

Consultations will be held with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and the relevant agencies, about developing the recommended positions which are in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals in the investment related chapters of trade agreements and investment treaties

The conference material and discussions will feed in to the consultation process for the National Investment Policy which is at the Green Paper stage, and will inform a country policy position which will be put to Cabinet on the way forward, and guide future negotiations at the local and regional level.

Kingston, June 25, 2019

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, says the monitoring capabilities of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica will be vastly improved by the supply of a new S-Band Doppler Weather Radar.

The Minister said it was critically important to replace the 20-year-old almost obsolete system that once stood tall as the first Doppler radar to be installed in the English-speaking Caribbean, citing the increasing failure of the aged system.  The new system, he said, signals a resolve to meet the global challenges of weather and climate that face this and future generations head on.

Minister Vaz, was speaking at the contract signing for the design, supply and installation of the US$2,449,203 S-band Doppler Weather Radar to be situated at Cooper’s Hill in St.  Andrew. The signing of the contract took place at The Pavilion, Terra Nova Hotel and Suites on June 25, 2019.

The Minister said that the installation of this Weather Radar will greatly enhance the country’s ability to achieve its Vision 2030 milestones, based on its capacity to pinpoint the location and movement of rainfall cells anywhere over the country and as far away as the Cayman Islands, south-eastern Cuba and Western Haiti.

“Jamaica will also be able to better serve the Caribbean Community as we integrate our observations into the mosaic of stations under operation in the region, and also contribute to the surveillance of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, under their Tropical Cyclone Programme,” the Minister noted.

“We have a very clear vision moving into the next decade,” the Minister said, adding that Jamaica is focused on achieving Outcome 14 under the fourth National Development Goal of “Hazard Risk Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change”.   “We firmly believe that adequate monitoring of natural hazards is pivotal to implementing that strategy”, he noted.

Minister Vaz added that the country has  also adopted Target G of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to “Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to the people by 2030”. 

Meanwhile, the Minister noted that it is particularly encouraging that Enterprise Electronics Corporation (EEC), which is charged with delivering and installing the radar system, has made a commitment to provide critical after-sales service by facilitating capacity building for a team of engineers and operators of the equipment.

“It is also my understanding that the contract includes a lifetime guarantee of maintenance support and availability of spare parts, which we consider critical for the system’s sustainable operations,” the Minister added, while generously thanking them.

The minister also commended the World Bank for their invaluable support in accessing the Climate Investment Funds that are being utilized to make this important Project a reality. 

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Pearnel Charles Jr. says there is no better time to participate in the Jamaican economy.

Minister Charles Jr. indicated that with the support given to Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s) and the investments being made in infrastructure the country is poised for growth.

“There is no better time to participate in the Jamaican economy and there is no better time to forge partnerships with the Jamaican government. We are ready to facilitate investments in innovation in all areas of our economy and we are ready to implement the critical infrastructure and to expand our SME’s and to boost entrepreneurship”, declared Minister Charles Jr.

Minister Charles Jr. was addressing the audience at the Development Bank of Jamaica’s Private Equity, Infrastructure, SMEs, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, yesterday (June 10).

The Minister told the gathering that investing in infrastructure and facilitating the expansion of SMEs are important and impactful drivers of economic growth.

“Infrastructure investment is a very important part of what will be our economic success. The expansion, the modernization of our infrastructure will allow the government to fulfil its obligation to provide an environment where business can thrive”, stated the minister.

Minister Charles Jr. concluded that the Government is now focusing on catalysing growth of the country’s micro sector through increased financing options.

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Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Pearnel Charles Jr says the Government is committed to finding sustainable solutions to addressing the water challenges.

Minister Charles Jr. said while the challenges are many there are no quick fixes for some of the issues.

“The goal for us as leaders must be to anticipate the problems that are going to come and implement solutions to mitigate those challenges”, he declared.

The Minister was speaking during a meeting at the Clarendon Municipal Corporation yesterday (June 5).

Minister Charles Jr. and a team from the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, the National Water Commission, Water Resources Authority and the Rural Water Supply Limited met with stakeholders, in Clarendon, to continue the dialogue in identifying effective solutions for communities currently being affected by the drought.

“Many of our citizens are of the view that there are quick fixes that we are just not carrying out; but, when you speak to the agencies we recognize that what we define as a quick fix is not something that can work”, he explained.

The Minister reiterated the need to have constant engagement with citizens to highlight the work being done and address the viability of projects and determine the best solutions for each community.

In the Meantime, Minister Charles Jr. told the meeting that he welcomes all recommendations and concerns.

“I have directed my team at the ministry to design a reporting mechanism that will capture all the data coming in from the MP’s and Councillors as it relates to water distribution in the affected areas. Once the information is received it will be collated and the proposal will be submitted to the Prime Minister. We are not holding these meetings to focus solely on the challenges, we also need solutions”, stated Minister Charles Jr.

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SOME 150 YOUNG people from more than 33 communities in Clarendon got the chance to give their input into Jamaica’s climate change policy at a youth forum in May Pen last month.

The forum was hosted on May 7 by the Adaptation Programme and Financing Mechanism (AP&FM) of the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience.

“We wanted to make the youth more aware of issues surrounding climate change and how, within their own space, they can implement strategies to adapt,” said Bridgette Barrett, community animator with the AP&FM.

“We also wanted to help them to inform the climate change policy. They will get the opportunity to let their voices be heard on the policy,” she added.

The young people, drawn mainly from communities in and around the Upper Rio Minho Watershed area in the parish where the AP&FM focuses, spent the day getting familiar with climate change and how it will impact them.

Presentations were made by the National Meteorological Office of Jamaica; Jhannel Tomlinson, Jamaica’s youth representative to the UN Climate Talks and the Youth Environmental Advocacy Programme (YEAP) of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC).

“We partnered with the YEAP to present the climate change policy and get the young people to give their thoughts on it. So the YEAP can then use that to inform the policy revisions,” explained Winsome Townsend, project manager of the AP&FM.

The AP&FM is a five-year project being implemented under the MEGJC, with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank through the Climate Investment Funds. It focuses on mainstreaming climate change into national policies and vulnerable sectors. The Upper Rio Minho Watershed in Clarendon is one of its focus areas for climate adaptation work.

 

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20190530/earth-today-clarendon-youth-have-their-say-climate-change-policy

The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) today (May 31), signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for the Greater Infrastructure Development Programme (GIDP).

The MoU was signed by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. in Macao SAR, China.

Minister Charles Jr. stated that the Government is committed to improving the country’s infrastructure.

“This is a clear indication on the part of the Government, and CHEC, to explore the possibilities of deeper collaboration for the future. The aim of this, and any future collaboration, is to bring quality infrastructure development to the people of Jamaica”, expressed Minister Charles Jr.

The GIDP is expected to bring unprecedented infrastructure development to Jamaica and is intended to succeed the soon to be concluded Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP).

“It will be a comprehensive infrastructure programme which will include not just road works but water and sewerage development, as well as, multiple bypasses for several major towns including Kingston”, explained the Minister.

Minister Charles Jr. is attending the 5th China-LAC Infrastructure Forum and the 10th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction (IIICF) Forum in Macao SAR, China

Minister with responsibility for Water, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. says he is moving swiftly to identify the best mechanisms to distribute potable water to the communities most affected by the drought conditions.
 
The Minister stated that the “Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and the National Water Commission (NWC) will undertake a comprehensive assessment of the affected areas and design the most effective and efficient method to distribute water to the most affected areas”.
 
Minister Charles Jr., and a team from the ministry and the NWC, met with Members of Parliament for St Mary, Councillors, the Police and other stakeholders last week Friday (May 24) at the St. Mary Municipal Corporation, following a directive from Prime Minister Andrew Holness in Parliament last week.
 
“We want to maximize efficiency and so we are engaging the stakeholders to get from you your own views, your own perspective to design the best possible mechanism for the distribution of water”, stated Minister Charles Jr.
 
The Minister indicated that he wants to ensure that the allocation of the $125 Million to improve the distribution of water to the most affected areas is utilized in the best way possible.
 
“We start here, in St Mary, but we will be going across the country in short term to liaise with all the Members of Parliament, Councillors and stakeholders because our goal is to ensure that at the end of this we do not repeat the mistakes that we have made in the past and that we put in place and implement the strategies that are going to allow for us to properly prepare for the droughts that will come in the future”, explained Minister Charles Jr.
 
He added that the Government is strengthening the country’s capacity for adaptation and response strategies to drought and other weather systems.
 
“We know that Jamaica is a Small Island Developing State which is disproportionately impacted by climate change. We are not the ones that do the most damage but we are the ones that receive the greatest impact and one of the consequences of that is what we are feeling now”, acknowledged the Minister. 
 
The team from the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and the National Water Commission will hold meetings with stakeholders in the most affected parishes.
 

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Minister with responsibility for Water, Senator Pearnel Charles Jr. is asserting that the delivery of water to health centres and other critical areas remains a priority for the Government.

He says the National Water Commission has been generally consistent in the delivery of water to health institutions.

“I can assure the public that the National Water Commission considers provision of water to these health centres a priority, given the critical nature of resources”, declared the minister.

Minister Charles Jr. indicated that water is trucked to the clinics on the request of the clinic administration.

“In the recent case at the Comprehensive Health Centre, on Slipe Pen Road, I am advised that the Health Centre made request for water on Wednesday and Thursday (May 16) and 2000 gallons were delivered on both days with an additional 3000 gallons on Friday morning, a total of 7000 gallons in three days. This is in addition to piped water being on the property for portions of each day”, detailed Senator Charles Jr.

Minister Charles Jr. added “that based on the scheduling system of the NWC, water is made available to the clinic generally at 9am each morning. However, on Thursday, due to lower than usual availability at the Mona Dam, it unavoidably returned at 12noon. When a team from the NWC visited the clinic on Friday (May 17), all tanks on the premises had water, several being full”, he explained.

In the meantime, the Minister is calling on institutions to manage their water supply so as to minimize water loss.

“We recognize that the entire country is facing challenges at this time, regarding water shortage; however, it is a priority that health facilities, schools and other critical areas are consistently supplied with water. We again call for institutions to properly manage their water supply so as to minimize water loss. I am also calling on the various health institutions to report any water issues you may be having through the established channels as each of these institutions has an in-house representative that liaise with NWC. In doing so, we will be able to respond to any issues speedily to ensure minimal disruptions in their operations”, he concluded.

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The residents, who reside in Meadowsvale, Pitfour Phase three and Retirement Phases one and two, were presented with the titles during a handover ceremony held at the Dawn Christadelphian Bible Centre in Retirement Phase 2, St. James, on May 8.

In his remarks, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., encouraged the recipients to be cognisant of the value of their title and to use it accordingly.

“If you have your house on the land, you can use it to go and leverage a mortgage to expand your house. If you don’t want to build or expand, and you simply want to pass it on, you can use the title to pass on officially, in a secure way…. to anyone that you wish. So this is an important day, this is a day when you are handed the authority to organise your own life,” Senator Charles Jr. said.

The Minister informed that close to 1,500 titles are available for residents who occupy properties in the Meadowsvale, Pitfour and Retirement communities.

He pointed out that far too many homeowners are complacent about moving to get the certificate of titles for the land they occupy informally.

“Just in this area, Meadowsvale, you have 73 titles that have already been issued [and] 327 are still available for completion and collection; Pitfour III, 42 that have been issued and 83 available for completion and collection,” Senator Charles Jr. stated.

“In Retirement Phase one, 212 are available for completion and collection and you have 70-odd that have been collected already. For Retirement Phase Two, 69 [titles] have been issued since 2014, [and there are] 871 titles waiting to be collected for that process to be completed,” he added.

For his part, Chairman of the HAJ, Norman Brown, is encouraging informal land owners in these communities, to complete outstanding payments for their lands, so that they can collect their titles.

He noted that there are tremendous possibilities to be derived through owning a land title, including opportunities for community development.

“When you get a title in your hand it is tremendous. I implore all of us today, when you receive yours, don’t keep it a secret. Tell your neighbour, I got mine, you can get yours too and then you start to develop your community because you will have access to adequate resources,” Mr. Brown stated.

Story Credit: JIS

Minister with responsibility for Water, Infrastructure and Housing, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. says creating a sustainable blue economy is important to the country’s development.

“It is very important that we advance the discussion on the sustainable blue economy. It is not just a catch phrase; it is to Jamaica, and Small Island Developing States, the only way for us to move forward in regards to sustainable development. We have to have a discussion on the health of our marine ecosystem”, declared Minister Charles Jr.

Minister Charles Jr. was speaking at the UnCut Conversations on Climate Change Forum yesterday (May 9) at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel.

In the meantime, Minister Charles Jr. added that the Government is creating a sustainable framework for the management of the country’s water resources to counter the negative impacts of climate change on our water resources.

“We want to create a resilient and sustainable framework for the protection of our water resources in Jamaica… we want to have healthy watersheds to increase availability while reducing sedimentation in intakes and also coastal waters”, stated Minister Charles Jr.

Minister Charles Jr. indicated that the 2019 National Water Sector Policy and Implementation Plan will provide the sustainable parameters within which the sector will operate.

UnCut Conversations on Climate Change is an unscripted, open multi-stakeholder forum that allows for the exchange of information, expertise, experiences and ideas on climate change.

The Forum was hosted by the Climate Change Division in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.

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