This is a disturbing development taking place – apparently unchecked – in a Protected Area that is already under threat from the proposed construction of a transshipment port at Goat Islands. I hope the National Environment and Planning Agency takes swift action to prevent further deforestation.
By the way, the Director of the Caribbean Maritime Institute, Dr. Fritz Pinnock, took a large group of media and members of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) to Goat Islands on Sunday, August 17. Dr. Pinnock took the group to a degraded area, apparently to prove that complete destruction of the area to build a transshipment port would be no great sacrifice of Jamaica’s environmental biodiversity (“See! It’s already messed up!”) He observed during a radio interview this morning, “There’s nothing there!”
I hope that similar arguments will not be used to justify the destruction of this part of the Portland Bight Protected Area.
Here is a press release from the Jamaica Environment Trust:
The Jamaica Environment Trust has received reports about widespread cutting down of trees and coal burning taking place at Amity Hall in St. Catherine. Photographs, taken on August 12, 2014, show the extent of the damage to the area.
JET reported the matter to the National Environment and Planning Agency on August 14, 2014 and is expecting a swift investigation and enforcement action to be taken to stop further deforestation and burning.
Amity Hall is within Jamaica’s largest protected area – The Portland Bight Protected Area. A part of the area was also designated as a Game Sanctuary under the Wild Life Protection Act.
Contact:
Danielle Andrade
Legal Director
Jamaica Environment Trust
Petchary's Blog 
Isn’t there any agency on the island that can teach the citizens about forest protection? What about remove tree planted tree?
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There are NGOs and the Forestry Department has the occasional tree-planting campaign. But it’s a drop in the ocean. The current long summer drought does not help – as you probably saw in my earlier post, there have been many forest fires. The band Rootz Underground (Stephen Newland) has also started a great education program in schools called Releaf. Website: http://www.rootzunderground.com/releaf
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Reblogged this on FOOD SECURE FUTURES.
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Thank you very much for the reblog, Patrina!
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Yes, my organization Junior Chamber International (JCI) will be participating in the Beach Clean Up, Looking forward to it, we did it last year and I am looking forward to do it this year again.. I will look into volunteering with NIAL as well, they have an opportunity for volunteering. Even if I don’t immediately source a way how to create change then gaining the knowledge will help me in deciding how to create a process of change.
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I have a question? What are we to do? It would appear as though the upper echelons of society – here in Jamaica, have another place of residents that they can escape to when this here our beautiful land of wood and water starts falling down on our heads, or better yet parts of our country start sinking like Port Royal back in the days. I am just at a hopeless cause, is there something we young active agents of change should be saying to be heard, should be doing to be seen, should be advocating to get changed.. If not we will have no home for our selves and even our children, I wont even say grand children as I doubt that Jamaica will be here long enough to hold my grandchildren. At the rate they are going I might have to sign them up under a new citizenship when they finish selling out all our lands to the Chinese.. I am depressed. I wonder, is it better to be ignorant of what’s happening in Jamaica, or should i be angered by what is taking place and not sure of how I can change it.
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Dear Angelique: Thank you again for your heartfelt comments. Please don’t throw up your hands in despair. As a young person, I would encourage you to get involved and get active! Don’t be depressed. You can join an environmental group such as Jamaica Environment Trust and there are many opportunities for volunteering. For example, the International Beach Clean Up Day is coming up next month. Do what you can… Write and talk about the issues you care about, and join groups that you would like to support. There is strength in numbers! All the best.
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Reblogged this on Ned Hamson Second Line View of the News.
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Thank you so much for the reblog!
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