Chief Technical Director, Development Planning, Environment Policy and Management, Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Gillian Guthrie, addresses a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ in Kingston on Wednesday (July 23).

With the fourth phase of the ban on specific types of single-use plastic products now in effect, manufacturers, distributors and importers are being urged to offer more environmentally friendly alternatives to consumers.

Speaking during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ in Kingston on Wednesday (July 23), Chief Technical Director (CTD), Development Planning, Environment Policy and Management, Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Gillian Guthrie, said plastics are non-biodegradable products that can take decades to decompose, especially in the natural environment.

“We are encouraging the manufacturer, distributor and importer to provide to the consumer the environmentally friendly alternative. It is going to cost a little bit more upfront but like everything else that is good for you, over the long-term, the benefits that will accrue are even greater,” she stated.

Ms. Guthrie further encouraged consumers to play their part by urging businesses to stock more sustainable options.

“We ask the public… to demand the alternatives, because it is for the betterment of the quality of life that you experience,” she added.

Ms. Guthrie emphasized that while plastic is embedded in modern life, not all types are essential, and replacing those that are unnecessary is both possible and necessary.

“The challenge with plastics is that it’s all over. Plastics are in our clothes, in our cars, in our shoes; it is something that is now engrained in our lives. But what we’re trying to do is to get rid of the plastic that we don’t need, and we [really] don’t need some of these plastics,” she pointed out.

Ms. Guthrie highlighted that the success of the transition depends on full cooperation from all stakeholders.

“It is something that we have to bring the society, the manufacturer, distributor and the importer along with. So we didn’t do it one time. We’ve been trying to do a phased approach, trying to bring the consumer along with it,” the CTD indicated.

Since 2018, the Government of Jamaica has adopted a phased approach to banning specific single-use plastics, ensuring that environmentally friendly alternatives are available and affordable before implementing each new restriction.

The fourth phase, which took effect on July 1, 2025, targets single-use plastic food containers as well as personal care and cosmetic products containing intentionally added plastic microbeads or microplastics

Prime Minister Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says Government will be examining the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP), to see how best to incorporate the provision of land for building.

Speaking yesterday (July 10, 2025) at the Groundbreaking and Contract Signing for the Hibiscus Housing Development at Tower Hill in Kingston 11, Prime Minister Holness said the NSHP currently does not provide the land, so if beneficiaries meet the need, they would have to find the land.

“We have been examining the programme and at some point in time we are going to have to make a change to the programme to include finding lands for persons who meet the need criteria, but don’t have the lands. Right now we could be building many more houses, but we have actually reached the limit in terms of the number of beneficiaries who have the land on which we can build”, he explained.

The Prime Minister added that one of the challenges the programme faces, is that many properties in these communities are not titled.

“Some of them, the owners have migrated, and different persons have been occupying the lands over time and so they are not regularised, so it takes some time to establish ownership for the lands”, he noted.

The Prime Minister noted that while beneficiary assessment, land acquisition, and project design remain the most time-consuming aspects of the programme, there has been significant improvement in the construction and delivery of houses, some completed within just two to three months.

“The phase we are in now is to scale up the programme. In the next budget we will have more resources, we will expand the programme. We will add new features to the programme so that we can serve more people”, the Prime Minister stated.

The Hibiscus Housing Developed is being constructed under Modality Three of the New Social Housing Programme: the “Upgrade of Tenements” (Big Yards).

The Development which has a timeline of six (6) months, will be completed at a cost of over $45 million and will see the construction of seven (7) units, comprising four (4) studios, one (1) two-bedroom unit and two (2) three-bedroom units. The project will benefit 16 persons, including children, who were living in deplorable conditions.

As of July 10, 2025, a total of 295 housing units or 676 rooms have been completed, with over 1063 persons benefitting.   There are 45 active construction projects or 93 rooms which will be completed in short order.  Sixty-five additional projects will commence during this financial year, adding another 384 rooms to the housing stock.

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness along with Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), Hon. Robert Morgan and other stakeholders break ground for the Port Antonio Bypass on June 26, 2025

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, broke ground today, (June 26, 2025) for the commencement of works on the much-anticipated Port Antonio Bypass Project, noting that it ‘marks the breaking of barriers that have long held back the full economic potential’ of Portland and its people. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the US$81 million project, the Prime Minister said the Bypass represents the dawning of a new era of mobility, opportunity and resilience for Portland. “From the early days of our administration we made a clear commitment to modernize Jamaica’s infrastructure and ensure that no parish, no town, no community is left behind. The Port Antonio Bypass Project is the latest expression of that commitment.  It represents an investment in Portland’s growth, in its tourism potential, in its ability to attract capital, create jobs and build wealth for its citizens” he stated. The Prime Minister added that the Bypass Project is “a strategic initiative with national importance”, adding that for decades Port Antonio has been one of Jamaica’s hidden gems, blessed with natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, but held back by limited access and inadequate infrastructure. “The current route through the town centre, while scenic, adds to the traffic congestion in the town.  It is vulnerable to flooding and coastal erosion, and it cannot accommodate the scale of development we envision for this area”. The Port Antonio Bypass, he said, will solve these issues. “The new 18 kilometre corridor divided into 2 phases, will divert through traffic from the fragile, congested, coastal town centre, cutting travel time, reducing transport costs and unlocking vast development potential inland. In so doing, it will unlock new commercial zones, stimulate land development and create room for expansion, while maintaining Port Antonio as a quiet coastal retreat, but with a thriving economic hub”, he explained. Meanwhile, Minister without Portfolio Hon. Robert Morgan noted that the Bypass, is a critical extension of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP). “In April this year, Cabinet approved a variation of the existing (SCHIP) contract, with an allocation of $81 million US dollars for construction and $521 million Jamaican dollars for the acquisition of land for the project.  This is not just a road.  It is a development corridor, a climate resilient artery and a signal of our intent as a Government to continue building Jamaica”, he stated Phase 1 of the Bypass Project runs 7 kilometers from Norwich to Turtle Crawl Harbour, while Phase 2 encompasses the 11 kilometers from Turtle Crawl Harbour to Boston Bay. Works on the project will include the construction of four (4) lanes; the construction of median jersey barriers for phases 1A and 1B; earth and pavement works; the installation of traffic signals, conduits and fibre ducts, as well as the construction of five new bridges. The contractor on the project is China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC).

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), Hon. Matthew Samuda at the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Knowledge Exchange on June 23, 2025.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Matthew Samuda, emphasized the urgency of collective climate action, especially for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and vulnerable nations across the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region.

Minister Samuda was speaking at the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) LAC Knowledge Exchange being hosted by the Government of Jamaica, CIF, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank Group at UWI Regional Headquarters. This four-day gathering of regional leaders, development partners, and technical experts is focused on accelerating climate resilience and sustainable development.

“For Jamaica and our Neighbours, climate change is not a distant threat—it is a lived reality,” the Minister noted. “From more frequent hurricanes and prolonged droughts to coastal degradation and agricultural disruption, our development gains are at risk.”

Recent data underscores the gravity of the challenge. The IDB estimates that climate change could cost the region up to 1.5% of its GDP annually by 2050, while climate-related events have already caused over USD 150 billion in damages between 2000 and 2022. Addressing these threats will require an estimated USD 1.3 trillion in investment by 2030, according to the European Investment Bank.

Minister Samuda called for continued support of the UNFCCC framework and robust financing for key mechanisms such as the CIF, the Green Climate Fund, and the Loss and Damage Fund, stressing the need for equity, accessibility, and locally led solutions.

Highlighting Jamaica’s experience as a participant in the CIF’s Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR), he pointed to successful initiatives involving climate-smart agriculture, resilient infrastructure, and enhanced early warning systems as examples of what meaningful partnership can achieve.

“This Knowledge Exchange gives us the space to reflect, collaborate, and scale up investments under new CIF programs like Nature, People and Climate (NPC) and ARISE, guided by equity, science, and shared learning,” the Minister said.

The event is expected to deepen South-South cooperation, strengthen regional alliances, and amplify the voices of climate-vulnerable communities across the Caribbean and Latin America.

Over the four days, the group will also visit projects that benefited from CIF funding in Jamaica, including a solar-powered agricultural production hub that demonstrates how concessional finance can drive tangible progress in national planning, infrastructure, and livelihoods.

Minister Samuda thanks CIF, IDB, and the World Bank Group for hosting this four-day Knowledge Exchange and bringing together approximately 150 participants from CIF recipient country governments, the private sector, civil society, indigenous peoples, local community groups, as well as CIF MDB partners from the IDB, IFC, and World Bank.

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, cuts the ribbon at the official opening of Phase One of the Garmex Freezone Redevelopment and Expansion Project in Kingston.

“Another bold new chapter in Jamaica’s industrial journey”, is the description given by Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, to Phase One of the   Garmex Freezone Redevelopment and Expansion Project, during the official opening of the complex at its Industrial Terrace location in Kingston today (June 23, 2025).

Developed by the Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ), Phase One of the project delivered approximately 126,000 square feet of new industrial space across 17 enterprises in multiple sectors including mini warehouses and micro businesses, at a cost of $1.1 billion.

“The real achievement is that this was fully funded from the resources of the FCJ.  There was no borrowing to do this. That is prudent public financial management which leads to smart and sustainable development”, he stated.

The Prime Minister further noted that in just over two years since the new facilities became operational, they have generated more than $340 million in rental income and these revenues will be reinvested to finance additional phases of expansion.

The opening ceremony and ribbon cutting, was also the launching pad for Phases 2 and 3 of the redevelopment project, which together will represent nearly half a million square feet of new commercial and industrial space.

Prime Minister Holness said Phase 2 at an estimated cost of $3.2 Billion, will feature a new Marcus Garvey Drive entrance, and a new headquarters for the FCJ.  It will also include multi-level warehouse building and a modern high rise commercial complex.

The Prime Minister further noted that in addition to the spaces allocated for food outlets, medical centres, banking and other facilities required for modern light manufacturing and small business enterprises, the Government is also seeking to develop the area to accommodate technology firms.

“So phase 3 will see the transformation of 5.7 acres of vacant greenfield land into 150,000 square feet of productive space at a cost of $1.5 billion.  I am pleased to report that contracts have already been signed, and work is well underway, with an initial investment of $240 million. These 2 phases combined are projected to create up to 400 jobs in the construction phase and as many as 3000 new permanent jobs across the campus over the next 5 years”, he explained.

Dr Holness said the Garmex Project reflects “the government’s economic strategy in action”, noting that what is being built is “the infrastructure of prosperity”.

“There is a great push for near shoring and friendly shoring and a rethink of where the manufacturing capabilities of the world should exist. Jamaica should not wait until investors are knocking on our door to say we want to come and locate here. We have to build here and wave frantically and say hey, we have facilities, capabilities and the necessary fiscal framework”, the Prime Minister said.

Established in 1976, Garmex has evolved from a warehousing and trans-shipment facility into the “most diverse Freezone in Jamaica and the largest commercial industrial complex on the island”.   The redevelopment project is a direct response to the growing demand for commercial and industrial space and is designed to transform the complex into a vibrant Special Economic Zone.