Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the National Water Commission (NWC) is reaping success in its efforts to reduce Non-Revenue Water (NRW) in the Corporate Area and Portmore in St Catherine.
“We are seeing where this is bringing about significant benefits in Portmore. In installing these new pipes and measuring our pressure properly, we have saved 30-odd percent of our energy usage thus far in Portmore”, the Minister said.
Non-Revenue Water refers to water that is lost from theft or broken pipes for which the NWC cannot receive income.
Minister Samuda highlighted that in the Kingston Metropolitan Area, the project has already cut NRW from some 71 percent to under 38 percent. He added that a rollout of the full NRW programme is expected this year.
“A large part of this NRW project will be the mobilization of laying of pipes and pressure monitors, ensuring that we are not either under pumping or over pumping”, he stated.
The Minister, who was speaking yesterday (Thursday, February 16, 2023), at the Commissioning of the 50,000-gallon Storage Tank Replacement Project in York Town Clarendon, pointed to the need for the NWC to build infrastructure that will fundamentally change its capacity to store, process and deliver water.
Energy consumption, he said, is a large part of that thrust and pointed out that over 30 percent of funds collected by the NWC go into paying the Jamaica Public Service.
He added that projects, which reduce the need for pumping hours as well as gravity-fed systems and tackle leaks are critical, as the NWC is actively looking at all opportunities to utilize renewable energy and to manage its consumption.
He pointed to the importance of reporting water theft, noting that it was essential to the stability of all systems being rolled out by the NWC across Jamaica, and urged citizens to work with the NWC.
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, announced that the government has allocated $50 million to assist the National Water Commission (NWC) and the Municipal Corporations with the trucking of water, up until the end of the 2022/2023 Financial Year.
Noting that the island is currently experiencing meteorological drought, Minister Samuda disclosed that the decision followed a recent meeting with Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, during which he instructed that an analysis is done to determine the areas with the greatest impact by the current lack of rainfall.
“He asked that we design a trucking programme to support the areas most impacted in partnership with the NWC and indeed the local authorities and that we give some support that carries us up until the end of the budget year”, the Minister disclosed.
Stating that Jamaica is no stranger to the impacts of drought, Minister Samuda explained that during November and December last year, every parish received rainfall that was less than their 30- year average.
“Although the data for January is preliminary the trend appears to have continued, and in fact worsened. We had expressed a hope for greater rainfall earlier in the year. We have not received it, so I ask citizens to be very cognizant of how we use the water that we do have. We are asking for conservation, and we are asking for understanding” the Minister urged.
Minister Samuda was speaking today (Thursday, February 16, 2023) at the Commissioning of the 50-thousand-gallon Storage Tank Replacement Project, in York Town, Clarendon.
The project was completed at a cost of 22-million dollars under the NWC’s Tank and Pump Rehabilitation for Operational Efficiency Improvement Programme.
Six hundred residents of the mostly agricultural communities of York Town, Howells Content, Bullards Content, Hopewell, Parnassus, Denbigh Drive, Foga Road and Four Paths Settlement, are expected to benefit from the project.
The Minister committed that the NWC would continue to make investments in the community.
The NWC’s Tank and Pump Rehabilitation for Operational Efficiency Improvement Programme, involves the procurement of thirty-three (33) tanks at a cost of approximately $600 million.
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Residents in Dalvey, St Thomas can now breathe a sigh of relief following the commissioning of a $20 million water storage facility yesterday (Wednesday, February 8).
Speaking at the commissioning of the Frazer Hill Storage Tank Replacement Project, Minister with responsibility for Water, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda said last year, every parish benefitted from capital works carried out by the National Water Commission, NWC.
“When we looked at the range of capital projects, there is no parish that has been left out. Every single parish, last year, received capital works from the NWC to expand the utility footprint of the Commission. There is repair work but not new capital projects in every parish”, stated Minister Samuda.
Minister Samuda added that this year, “not only will we be in every parish, but we will be no more than 5 kilometers from almost every single township in Jamaica with capital works this year, a feat that hasn’t been achieved before…What you are seeing is a bit of the renaissance for the National Water Commission”.
The Frazer Hill Storage Tank Replacement Project marks the first of many that will be undertaken by the NWC, this year. The Glass-Fused-To-Steel Bolted Tank at Frazer Hill which has a storage capacity of 50,000 gallons will serve approximately 4,500 residents.
In the meantime, Minister Samuda disclosed that the country is currently in the throes of a Meteorological Drought.
He advised that the Government, in the coming weeks, will announce the steps to be taken in response to the Drought. The response, he says, will include national public education to ensure that everyone is on board.
“While the situation is not chronic, Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has asked to be briefed and for a programme to be developed so that he can put the appropriate measures in place”, explained Minister Samuda.
“We’re at the point where inflows are below outflows. So, we are seeing depletions in our major systems at a rate that we don’t want to see”, the Minister noted, adding that “We’re not going to wait until things are chronic in the way that we used to, and take action after”.
Residents were urged to conserve on their use of water, and to report leaks to the NWC.
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Sen. Hon. Matthew Samuda, today launched the National School Tree Planting Competition at the Forestry Department’s Constant Spring Road offices.
Addressing the participants at the event, Minister Samuda said the launch of the competition is a particularly important investment for our youth.
“This is an excellent initiative that acknowledges and recognizes the important role our schools have, in making sure that our children are not just highly educated, but highly conscious of the role that they have within our society, within our country and certainly within our world. Jamaicans are a highly competitive people and I stand firmly behind the belief that one of the ways that we are going to recruit Jamaicans to environmental action is through getting their competitive spirit going” Minister Samuda stated.
The Minister further noted that this latest activity by the Agency is intended to provide more support to the National Tree Planting Initiative that was launched by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness in 2019.
“It is our intention that we hit the three million tree target before the 60th anniversary of the nation is up. We can then recraft a new one”, he said, adding that “getting schools active and competitive on it, will indeed help us to meet our target”.
Minister Samuda also called for private sector groupings to increase their environmental stewardship through similar competitive means.
“We would love to see that when they have these lovely galas at the end of the year and they acknowledge best corporate citizen, and best in class, that there is an award from all the private sector groupings for those who have done the most for the environment within their space and I can think of no better initiative over the next 12 months than to evaluate that work in the environment by how many trees they have planted”.
The National School Tree Planting Competition will be open to schools at the early childhood, primary and secondary levels and tertiary level students. The schools or student that propagates and plants the most fruit and ornamental trees will win the competition.
Winning schools or students will earn cash prizes valued at $50,000 to $300,000 in the following categories:
Most Trees Planted
Most Innovative School
Most Outstanding Student
Most Outstanding Teacher
Most Outstanding Student of Agricultural Institution
The NTPI with a timeline of three million trees in three years, recognizes that the health, economic and social well-being of Jamaicans is directly linked to the state of the country’s natural resources and the environmental quality.
Trees planted and maintained must be submitted to the Forestry Department via the 876trees mobile app (Forestry Department’s Tree Tracker mobile application) to be counted at the end of the competition, or via a completed log emailed to fdinfo@forestry.gov.jm by February 28, 2023.
The official awards ceremony will be held on International Day of Forests, Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government has been moving at a rapid and efficient pace to ensure more Jamaicans benefit from proper shelter through the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP).
The Prime Minister stated that with the implementation of an improved process and system, more persons will benefit from the NSHP. He further stated that there will be macro and micro impact stemming from the programme.
Prime Minister Holness said: “The technology exists to build a house in just one week. Once we refine it to that level of precision, science and engineering then we will be able to increase the pace at which we transform our society.”
In the meantime, the Prime Minister underscored that the NSHP is about giving hope to others and ensuring that the society is rid of pessimism and despair.
“If people don’t have hope then despair will set in. If people don’t have hope then they will take a pessimistic view of the future and if people don’t have hope then they will not be reasonable.”
Furthermore, the Prime Minister stated that the programme will also help to break intergenerational poverty and give future generations a positive outlook.
The Prime Minister was speaking yesterday (June 17, 2022)Â at the handing over ceremony of a new social housing unit in Wakefield District, Trelawny.
The recipient, Ms Brenda Grant, received a brand new three bedroom house through the NSHP. So far, the Government has handed over 73 units under this programme, with the aim of reaching 100 by August.
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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.
Persons with disabilities in St Elizabeth to access health services and climate info through Nathan Ebanks debut fair
Kingston, Jamaica, November 16, 2019. The disabled population in St. Elizabeth will have increased access to vision and hearing screening among other health services as well as climate change information when the Nathan Ebanks hosts its first Family Expo and Special Needs Resource Fair, on Tuesday, December 3, 2019, at the Alpart Sports Club, Nain, Elizabeth.
“We are excited to be able to take this initiative outside of Kingston,” said Christine Staple Ebanks, founder of the Nathan Ebanks Foundation and event chair. “We know that disability is not a one-size-fits-all, but that the needs of persons even with the same disability in one community/part of the island can be quite different from someone with that same disability elsewhere.”
“For instance, we have been getting a number of reports of children who are both deaf and blind in St. Elizabeth in higher numbers than we find in Kingston. Autism also seems more prevalent than say Cerebral palsy in that community,” said Ebanks.
The Fair is timed to observe National Disabilities Awareness Week and U.N. International Day for Persons with Disabilities. It will form a major part of the National Disabilities Week Calendar and will offer a range of services including climate change and disaster resilience information and talks for persons with disabilities, free registration of Persons with Disabilities with the National Disabilities Registration Database, free birth certificate registration for the 200 persons with disabilities. Other free
services will include vision and hearing screening, academic screening (reading and math), dental services, health checks and medical check-up, presentations and demos to support the lives of persons with disabilities.
“We met with the main community stakeholders to get their input which was used to design the event. We asked them “what breaks your back and hurt your heart concerning your child’s daily living right now.’ We used this information to create the list of services that we will offer at the event. We are grateful for all of the organizations which have come on board to support,” explained Ebanks.
A number of agencies and organizations will participate in the event, including Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPSFA), the Ministry of Health, the Adaptation Programme and Financing Mechanism (AP&FM) of the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR), the Ministry of Education, the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD), HEART Trust/NTA, Jamaica Association for the Deaf (JAD), Jamaica Library Services, the National Health Fund, Jamaica Fire Brigade, St. Elizabeth South Lions Club, Community Based Rehabilitation Jamaica (CBRJ), Registrar General Department, among others.
“We are also pleased to announce that the JCPD will be accepting registration from persons with disabilities for the national data bank at the event. We know that many persons with disabilities are unable to register with us because they do not have a birth certificate. So we have joined with the Registrar General Department (RGD) and will be offering free birth certificate registration for the first 100 persons with disabilities (children, or adults) at the event,” said Dr. Christine Hendricks, executive director of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities. Persons would need to come to the event on December 3, 2019 to register.
The Family Expo and Special Needs Resource Fair is a flagship initiative of the Nathan Ebanks Foundation and is designed to work in partnership with other organizations to advance the mission of inclusion, participation, and empowerment of children (and adults) with disabilities and special needs in Jamaica.
“For the AP&FM – it is very important for persons with disabilities to be aware of climate change and be able to respond. So the Fair gives us a very good opportunity to engage the community,” said Dr. Winsome Townsend, Project Manager of the AP&FM.
The Family Expo and Special Needs Resource Fair, St. Elizabeth is sponsored by the Supreme Ventures Foundation, AP&FM/Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Office of Disaster and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), ChrisMix Radio, JISCO-Alpart, Kirk Distributors/Colgate, NHF, Ministry of Health, and Party Plus Entertainment.
“We once again have partners such as the AP&FM, ODPEM and the Jamaica Fire Brigade to share important information and resources on climate change adaptation, and disaster mitigation with persons with disabilities”, said Staple Ebanks.
“Our vision is to see all children of varied abilities, grow and uncover their unique gifts in a way that respects their diversity and celebrate potential. We were very pleased to see the easy way the St. Elizabeth community has embraced us and this initiative,” she said.
Contact: Christine Staple Ebanks. Telephone: 876 857 4425 or Michelle Douglas Campbell 876-509-0080
About the Nathan Ebanks Foundation
The Nathan Ebanks Foundation® (The NEF) is a registered Jamaican non-profit organization that works for the inclusion, participation, and empowerment of children with disabilities and special education in Jamaica. Established in 2007 by the parents of a child with disabilities in Jamaica, the NEF is committed to ensuring that all children with disabilities and special needs in Jamaica receive equal access, necessary resources, and the opportunity to realize their full potential. (www.nefjamaica.org)
Since our inception the NEF has developed a strong advocacy platform representing the voices of children of disabilities and their families, who have been excluded and marginalized across systems in Jamaica. Our programs have sought to open avenues to ensure equality of access through Advocacy, Access (public education campaigns), and learning (disability education and capacity building, conferences and workshops) and other direct intervention initiatives.
Persons with disabilities pause for a photo with media personality Jenny Jenny at the May 2019 Nathan Ebanks Fair
To the world a participant at the Nathan Ebanks special needs Fair takes a photo break
Kingston. May 22, 2019. Jamaica’s premier environmental expo – Green Expo 2019 – returns on June 7-9, 2019 after an 8 year break with a renewed focus on environmental innovation, hot topics such as climate change adaptation, plastic ban, and a call for Jamaicans to renew their commitment to environmental care.
“We want to raise awareness and understanding of how to care for the environment, practice sustainable development and provide for positive environmental action,” said Dr. Susan Otoukon, Executive Director at the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT), the organisation that hosts the event.
Green Expo 2019 will be held at the National Arena and will showcase booths, displays and exhibitions from over thirty-five companies and government agencies. The Expo, first conceptualised in the 1990s, seeks to address the need for practical environmental education for sustainable development for the public.  It aims to answer the questions: “What can I do for a better life (better environment)”and “Where can I get what I need to do it?”Booths number about 50 with some companies taking more than one. Exhibitions will open from 10. a.m to 10 p.m on Friday and Saturday and 8 p.m. on Sunday
Partners of the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust Conservation Trust for the staging of Green Expo include:
The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) which will be providing information on pollution and protected areas among other topics.
The Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, which is piloting a number of civil society projects with economic benefits.
The Climate Change Data Management Project
Jamaica Energy Partners.
The Spanish Jamaican Foundation
The Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation
Exhibitors include the National Housing Trust which has projects in energy efficiency, and the National Water Commission. InstaSave, a water conservation company, and other entities in the renewable energy and organic agriculture space will also be exhibiting. The Adaptation Programme and Financing Mechanism for the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience will also be displaying some some of its climate adaptation projects.
“Aside from our usual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, such as International Coastal Clean-Up Day, tree planting projects, supporting preservation of marine life, and sponsoring environmental campaigns and programmes, our company strives to operate in an environmentally sustainable ways,” said Melissa Newman, Communication Specialist  with Jamaica Energy Partners. She added that the company takes pride in its role as ambassador for environmental care.
According to Newman, operationally, the company only utilizes low sulphur content fuel (Heavy Fuel Oil).  Additionally, it conducts annual stack emission monitoring, continuous ambient air quality monitoring, annual noise surveys and participates in mangrove reforestation.
 At the Green Expo, Friday June 7 will be specially dedicated to children and will feature a Kiddies Pavilion with Hope Zoo, craft, quizzes and a career day for which registration is required because of limited space.
Careers highlighted will include wildlife conservation, pollution control, information technology and geographic information systems.
Students in uniform and children aged under 12 will pay $200 to attend Green Expo.
“We also have something for the teachers as there is a session on conservation education,” said Dr. Otuokon while adding that Green Expo 2019 will serve as a reminder that environmental care is everybody’s business.
“Think about yourself. Everybody wants a better life. The way to do that is to care for our environment,” she stated.
Kingston, Jamaica, April 17, 2019. Three years after its inception the Nathan Ebanks Foundation (NEF) will be expanding its reach and hosting its Family Expo and Special needs resource Fairs in Kingston and St. Elizabeth.
The event has been steadily attracting partners and for 2019 is partnering with theAdaptation Programme and Financing Mechanism (AP&FM), the Supreme Ventures Limited as well as affiliates from the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities, National Parenting Support Commission, Jamaica Fire Brigade, National Child Month Committee, and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).
“We are happy to be taking the event out of Kingston and to another area as we realise that sometimes persons with disabilities and their families are not able to access this kind of information as easily outside of the urban areas,” said Christine Staple-Ebanks, Founder and President of the NEF.
“Through the Family Expo and Special Needs Resource Fair, we continue to give children with disabilities and their families a platform to reach a broader audience and let their voices be heard, and to connect them to resources and support in the community,” she said.
At the launch on April 10, Ebanks and her team announced the dates of the two events – the Kingston Family Fair and Expo to be held at the Hope Gardens on May 25, 2019 and the newly added second Fair and Expo will be on July 4, 2019 at the Alpart Sports Club, Naine, St. Elizabeth.
These events are designed to support NEF’s quest for the inclusion, participation and empowerment of children with disabilities and special needs.
“Our vision of the future is to see all children of varied abilities and talent, grow, thrive, learn and uncover their own unique gifts in a way that respects their diversity and celebrate potential,” said Staple-Ebanks.
At the same time partners such as the AP&FM supported the expansion and welcomed the opportunity to share information on climate change adaptation with persons with disabilities.
“We are aware that it can be a challenge for persons with disabilities and their families to access information and resources needed to best plan for themselves and their loved ones. And so we were very happy to get the opportunity to share information on climate change and how we can reduce the vulnerability of persons with disabilities,” said Dr. Winsome Townsend, Project Manager for the AP&FM.
There are an estimated 200,000 children living with disabilities in Jamaica and inadequate systems in place to effectively include them into society. Since 2007, the Nathan Ebanks Foundation has been on a mission to advocate for, and strengthen capacities to promote the best interests, rights, safety, education and inclusion of children with disabilities and special education needs in Jamaica. The Fairs will feature an emergency Preparedness Resource Booth, academic screening, mental Health Checks, Health Checks, Dental Services, Vision Screening, Developmental Screening, Information Booths, Adaptive Sports Games and Demonstration, Disability/Special Needs Resource Booths as well as fun games and a gospel concert.
Staple-Ebanks started the NEF in honour of her son Nathan who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy in 2005 at the age of nine months, the foundation was set up to serve children with disabilities through the:
Training of policy-makers, teachers, parents, and administrators Â
Advocating at the highest level of the society – government, media, civil society and private sector so as to broaden the base of support for children living with disabilities.
Partnering with individuals, key local institutions such as the Ministry of Education, Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities and Child Development Agency (CDA), and international organisations such as Full Circle Systems Inc., Multiagency International Training and Support (MAITS UK), Rangoonwala Foundation (UK) Organization of American States (OAS)/Organization of Women of the Americas (OWA) to deliver developmental programmes to the children and families.
Researching key sector issues to inform policy makers and local practitioners.
Providing resource and support for the nation’s educational institutions and agencies creating and integrating study plans for children with disabilities.
So far, achievements include over 5,000 persons reaching Awareness & Capacity-building, 2 Nation-wide Disability Awareness Public Education Campaigns, Multiple Advocacy Platforms and have had over 20,000 books donated to 50 schools and institutions island wide through partnership with St. Bernard’s School in New York, USA.
The Nathan Ebanks Foundation Family Fair and Expo is also supported by its sponsors Party Plus, Chrismixradio.com, e-Learning Jamaica, Lasco Financial Services Limited, JISCO and Alpart Jamaica.
Kindly contact Angela Thame at 876 999-7907 for further details.
