Speaking on Monday, March 30, 2020, at the handing over of three buses to assist with transporting health workers, Minister Vaz noted that the government and the private sector have been working together to respond to the needs of workers in the health sector during this challenging period, including their transportation needs.  

One bus was donated to the Victoria Jubilee Hospital by Guardian Life Limited to assist with transporting health-care workers during the handing over ceremony at Jamaica House.

Minister Without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Hon. Daryl Vaz, tests the comfort of one of the seats in the bus handed over by Guardian Life Limited, along with Board Chairman of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) Wentworth Charles (seated foreground)  and other members of the Ministry of Health and Wellness.  Looking on is President of Guardian Group Limited Eric Hosin (standing behind HM Vaz) 

Two other buses were handed over for use by healthcare workers at the Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth.  The buses are on loan from Island Car Rentals.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz (second right); along with State Minister for Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Member of Parliament for South West St. Elizabeth, Hon. Floyd Green (third left), stand beside two buses that were officially handed over to the Black River Hospital by Island Car Rentals.  Looking on is President of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica Keith Duncan (second left).

Earlier in the month, two buses were handed over to assist with transportation in Portland and three buses in St. Mary for the Port Antonio Hospital and the Annotto Bay Hospital, respectively.  These buses were provided on loan by Avis Rent a Car and Budget Rent a Car.

Minister Vaz took the opportunity to thank the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) for its partnership and support in the fight against COVID-19, and urged Jamaicans to play their part by staying home and keeping themselves updated with factual information from the Ministry of Health and Wellness and other official sources.

To advance further understanding as it relates to the implementation of measures in the public sector to encourage “work from home”, Permanent Secretaries are required to consult with department and agency heads to determine certain functions which could be carried out from home for seven days starting Wednesday, March 18, 2020 to March 25, 2020.

The objective is to reduce the level of public travel and interactions.

The private sector is also required to implement similar measures of having their staff work from home where possible. It is not the intention of the Government to shut down the economy.

Therefore, we expect offices and factories to remain open and continue to produce and offer service with only the minimum staff necessary.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has moved decisively to act to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in Jamaica.

The move follows a meeting of Cabinet yesterday (March 16) which approved measures for the action.

Updating the nation at a media briefing following the meeting of Cabinet, Prime Minister Holness announced that effective Wednesday, March 18 all non-essential work in both the public and private sectors should be done from home or remotely.

“The Government will institute a new policy, required from seven days hence this time, that all non-essential work be done from home. So, we are going to be asking the Permanent Secretaries to examine all functions with their respective ministries departments and agencies, and where [tasks] are considered to be non-essential, that those be carried on at home or remotely. We are now formally requiring the private sector to do this,” said Prime Minister Holness.

According to Prime Minister Holness, markets, supermarkets, corner shops, gas stations and pharmacies will remain open as they are considered essential for the continuation of life. However, he stressed that social distancing must be practiced.

The opening hours for markets will be adjusted to 6am to 2pm daily.

Prime Minister Holness implored market vendors to pay close attention to social distancing.

In that regard, Prime Minister Holness said gatherings should be limited to 20 persons. This includes funerals, weddings, and church services.

The police are now empowered by law to take action if gatherings exceed 20 persons.

In addition, Prime Minister Holness has also announced that bars, night clubs, and other areas of entertainment are ordered closed for seven days, starting this Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

The Prime Minister stated that after five days, a review will be conducted, and the government will update the nation on whether or not the new policies will be escalated based on the spread of COVID-19.

Persons found in breach of the regulations will be charge one million JMD or sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Importantly, Prime Minister Andrew Holness noted that the aim of the Government is not to halt the operations of the economy but to put measures in place to facilitate social distancing and limit the spread of COVID-19.

“We are trying to put in the measures bearing in mind that it is not the intention of the Government to shut down the economy, we have to keep the economy going. What we are trying to do is to institute the measures that we believe will inure greater practice of social distancing which is what is now being recommended as the most effective way of controlling the spread of COVID-19,” said Prime Minister Holness.

In the meantime, all travelers from countries where there is local transmission of COVID19 will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Additionally, hospital visits are reduced to one visitor once per day, while, outpatient clinics in hospitals will be scaled down.

As for public transportation, the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) and the Montego Bay Metro will only transport passengers that are seated while licensed taxis operators are to carry one less passenger.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Holness asserted that the measures that have been agreed by Cabinet under Section 26 (2) of the Disaster Risk Management Act are designed to contain the spread of the virus and to prevent the collapse of the Jamaican economy.

In that regard, the Government has also approved a contract for protective gear and equipment valued at 2.2 million USD, and the Government is also expecting the arrival of 400,000 masks.

FIVE COMMUNITIES in the Upper Rio Minho Watershed (URMW) of Clarendon will be better able to adapt to climate change while increasing their earning capacity, with the recent launch of five innovative aquaponics systems.

The communities of Aenon Town, Ritchies, Alston, Johns Hall and James Hill, with a combined population of over 10, 333 persons, will see their new aquaponics systems operated by their Community Development Committees.

The systems were provided by the Adaptation Programme and Financing Mechanism (AP&FM) project of the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) through INMED Partnerships for Children and their innovative INMED Aquaponics programme.

“It is an exciting time for the project, as these systems will greatly boost agricultural production in the communities. It will reduce their dependence on the changing weather patterns in order to produce because drought, for example, will not cripple the farmers as it used to,” explained Dr Winsome Townsend, project manager for the AP&FM.

AQUAPONICS

Aquaponics is an innovative farming technique that combines aquaculture (fish farming) with hydroponics (soil-less crop production) into a closed system that is resilient to destructive climate change events.

It is a method that boosts crop production up to 10 times higher than traditionally cultivated plots of equivalent size. It uses 85-90% less water and uses no chemical fertilisers or pesticides. Its low energy consumption provides year-round crop production and uses much less labour than traditional farming, making it accessible to individuals with disabilities, beneficial for female-led households and attractive to youth.

“INMED Partnerships for Children and INMED Caribbean are proud to be working with these exceptional communities in the crucial watershed area of Clarendon, and are committed to provide crucial training and mentoring to help them be successful in achieving food and economic security and building climate resiliency,” noted Dr Linda Pfeiffer, INMED’s president.

The aquaponics systems are a part of the activities undertaken under the AP&FM to help to reduce Jamaica’s vulnerability to climate change. The island has been experiencing impacts, such as stronger hurricanes, severe flooding, prolonged droughts and sea level rise. Between 2001 and 2012, Jamaica experienced 11 storm events, including five major hurricanes and several flood events amounting to about J$128.54 billion in loss and damage.

COMMENDATIONS

“We commend these communities for their proactivity and recognising the importance of building resilience to climate change. They have led the charge for implementing the commissioning of these systems which will boost their agricultural outputs critical to ensuring food security especially in periods of drought,” said Therese Turner-Jones, general manager for the Caribbean Country Department of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The Government of Jamaica, the IDB and the World Bank developed the island’s PPCR to help the country to strengthen its climate resilience through enhancing adaptive capacity across priority sectors. PPCR has five projects being implemented to address varying areas of vulnerability. The AP&FM is the largest of the five PPCR projects in Jamaica.

“This project is one that the community has really embraced. I can see based on what they tell me that they have bought into it,” said Morene Marshall, president of the Ritchies Community Development Committee.

“I think the project will provide employment for some persons. It can also bring about togetherness as well as we have representatives from all the different churches in the area working together on it,” she added.

Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), Hon. Daryl Vaz yesterday (February 13) led a multi-agency meeting with the management of the JISCO/Alpart Bauxite Plant in St Elizabeth to address the impact of the dust emanating from the residue disposal area (mud lake) at Nain.

Minister Vaz attended the meeting on the invitation of Member of Parliament (MP) for South East St Elizabeth Franklin Witter.  The meeting also included a number of representatives from the Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDA’s).

The communities affected by the accompanying environmental and human health challenges from the mud lake include: Myersville, Buena Vista, North Hampton, Lower Warminster, Upper Warminster, Austin, Folly, among others.

It was highlighted during the meeting that the dust problem became more pronounced since December 2019 for a number of reasons. 

These include:-

• The commencement of the dry season and lack of rainfall
• JISCO’s inability to quickly build out the dust containment measures such as wetting, irrigation, dust suppression and
• The stockpile of raw material being identified as a source of dust, which the Plant has been instructed to address in short order.

At the end of the meeting it was agreed that residents from the communities are to be compensated starting today (February 14, 2019), with the remaining compensation packages to be issued at the end of the month.

JISCO/Alpart was instructed to increase the number of personnel such as doctors, legal staff and community relations officers,  to address shortcomings in areas of health, land settlement, relocation, legacy issues and community relations with the residents.

The plant was also mandated to comply with a cessation order which was served by National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) under the NRCA Air Quality Regulations(2010),  in January 2019.  The order was specific on the actions JISCO were to implement,  to mitigate the dust problem.

The management of the plant was also instructed to speedily build out the dust suppression measures within the time mandated by NEPA, while Government regulatory agencies were instructed to continue monitoring and enforcement interventions to ensure full compliance by the company.

Minister Vaz gave the assurance that he would personally monitor the situation, and would work with Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montegue, to deal with the issues.

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Minister Without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, has given the assurance that there will be no further changes of land use for the Greater Bernard Lodge Area.

L-R.  Hon. Daryl Vaz, Minister Without Portfolio, Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation; Ms. Naomi Francis, Press Secretary Office of the Prime Minister; Hon. Floyd Green, Minister of State, Ministry of Industry Commerce Agriculture and Fisheries

Speaking this morning (February 14, 2020,) during a press conference at Jamaica house, on the Greater Bernard Lodge Development Master Plan, Minister Vaz noted that this directive had been issued by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Land Management Unit.

Minister Vaz said the Original Master Plan was 3948 acres of land with 1717 acres or 43% being agricultural and 2231 acres or 57% being non-agricultural. However, he emphasized that the revised Master Plan has 5,384.48 acres.

“It is critical that I emphasize that 56% of the 5,384.48 acres will be devoted to agricultural use, 28% for residential use and the remaining 16% for utilities, open spaces and commercial use. We have therefore increased the agricultural allocation from 43% to 56% in the revised Master Plan.  That, coupled with the expansion of agricultural lands and agro-investments to come, ill secure and expand food security and production contrary to misinformation being communicated”, Minister Vaz noted.

According to the Minister, the Greater Bernard Lodge Development Master Plan will seek to primarily address several housing, agricultural and infrastructural issues within the project area simultaneously.

This includes accommodating future population growth for the Kingston Metropolitan Region created by the National Environment & Planning Agency (NEPA)  in collaboration with several key stakeholders from both the private and public sectors.

The Minister further noted that it also includes creating and maintaining a vibrant, sustainable community and protecting its character and longevity while tackling the challenges of affordable housing, transportation, access to jobs and services.

He added that the Plan is consistent with the growth, employment and poverty reduction strategy of the Government.

Minister Vaz noted that the Development will affect approximately 106 lessees and 55 informal settlers who occupy a total of 1782.365 acres, but noted that all affected persons will be compensated and/or relocated.

“The compensation and relocation of these persons have already commenced with many already re-integrated and farming.  In negotiations, relating to the relocation of persons, strict instructions were given that no one was to be forcibly removed”, the Minister said,

He stated that the Development will also improve several areas of Infrastructure including the provision of potable water, sewerage, waste management, and drainage, road rehabilitation in the Greater Portmore Area, aquifer protection and regularization of agricultural lots.

“The Master Plan will not take away from existing communities but will enhance the infrastructural legacy deficit which exists through development which is a part of the remit of the Master Plan”, Minister Vaz said.

Cabinet approved the revised Development Master Plan in January 2020. An Enterprise team was assembled to give oversight to the implementation of the Master Plan as approved by the Cabinet. 

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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 finalisation next month.

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.

They have been targeting key stakeholders at the local government level, including the municipal council of all the parishes. The consultation 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 St Catherine;

– Friday, January 17 – the Knutsford Court hotel in Kingston, which included participants from Portland, St Thomas and St Mary;

– Tuesday, January 21 – Villa Sonate in St Ann, which included participants from St Ann and Trelawny;

– Friday, January 24 – Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston, which included participants from Clarendon and St Elizabeth;

Tuesday, January 28 – Oasis Hotel in Negril, including participants from Westmoreland, Hanover and Trelawny; and

Friday, January 31 – Deja Hotel in St James, including participants from St James and Manchester.

“The input that has been provided by the stakeholders so far has been very valuable. We will include as much of the feedback as possible into the final draft. 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,” said Dr Winsome Townsend, project manager for the AP&FM Project, which focuses on integrating climate change issues into development planning.

AP&FM also provides funds for climate change adaptation work in small and medium businesses, as well as communities. The AP&FM project is being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank.

CONTENTS OF THE DRAFT

The draft NSP is an eight-chapter document compiled from research and consultations that started in April 2018. The most recent draft of the document covers:

1. Introduction

2. The Planning Context

3. Legislative and Institutional Framework

4. Settlements – Rural and Urban Development

5. Public Utilities Infrastructure

6. Social Amenities Infrastructure

7. Major Economic Sectors – Industries

8. National Spatial Planning Policies and Strategies.

The consultations included the National Environment and Planning Agency, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, the Housing Association of Jamaica, the Urban Development Corporation, as well as other entities.

Spatial planning refers to the various approaches used by the government and non-government stakeholders to influence the distribution of people and activities in spaces of various scale. An NSP is important to the sustainable development of and use of a country’s resources.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Daryl Vaz, is to lead a multi-agency tour of the communities in St. Elizabeth that are affected by the dust coming from the dry Jiquan Iron and Steel Company (JISCO) Mud Lake at Myersville in the parish.

The tour which will take place next Thursday, February 13, 2020, is also aimed at addressing other environmental issues that the residents may be experiencing as well as land matters

The tour will include representatives of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), the Member of Parliament for South East St. Elizabeth Frank Witter, Councillors and members of the community organizations as well as JISCO representatives.

Minister Vaz who has responsibility for land, investment, climate change and the environment, said he has taken note of the health and environmental concerns of the residents of Nain and surrounding communities.

The Minister said based on a previous meeting, and in light of the seriousness of the situation, new protocols will have to be established to deal with the dust challenge from the red mud lake.

JISCO/ALPART closed down its production operations on September 27, 2019, for refurbishing which is expected to last two years.

Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC) Senator Pearnel Charles Jr. says water regulation is necessary because the commodity is not enough.

Minister Charles said the forecast, by the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, is for below-normal rainfall and severe drying which will affect the storage levels at the dams and catchment tanks. This means the National Water Commission (NWC) will have less distributive capacity.

He emphasized that “If we don’t get enough, we won’t have enough to give, therefore in order to maintain a particular standard, regulations are put in place”.

He was speaking at a Press Conference convened by the MEGJC at Jamaica House yesterday (Thursday, February 6, 2020).

“This means that persons will have less access to water at times based on the regulations, but more importantly the regulations will allow the NWC to reduce the loss of water from the distribution network due to leaks”, he said.

Government outlines strategies for Drought Management

In outlining the drought mitigation efforts Minister Charles says the immediate and short term plans by the Ministry and its water agencies include:

• The procurement of 14 additional water trucks to assist in the distribution of water to the hardest-hit areas,
• Revised operational procedures for payment to truckers,
• Distribution of black storage tanks,
• Upgrade of major pipeline infrastructure in the Corporate Area,
• Continued work on the NWC’s non-revenue water programme,
• Renovation of Catchment tanks by the Rural Water Supply Limited,
• Retrofitting several schools with rainwater harvesting systems, and;
• Increased regulation.

In the meantime, Head of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, explained that as at December 31, 2019, several parishes were experiencing drought conditions while several others have reported drier than normal conditions.

In noting that the country entered 2020 with a deficit, Mr Thompson explained that December 2019 experienced closer to normal conditions… “But normal does not make up for a deficit before and we would need above normal to make up for a deficit”.

While noting that the Branch is in the process of collecting and analysing data for the month of January, Mr Thompson indicated that “January did not produce any excess of rainfall across the country so it’s unlikely that we’ll see any reversal of what we have seen going into December 2019”.

For his part, Senator Aubyn Hill, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners said that the NWC is being proactive with the management of the country’s water resources adding that to this end the entity has taken several steps to ensure that customers will have water throughout the dry period.

“Help us conserve; help us reuse if you can; and help us recycle when you can. It is all of us who are responsible”, Senator Hill implored.

He said the entity has been continuously monitoring the Hermitage Dam and the Mona Reservoir which have been declining, which is not unusual at this time of the year.