Tag: Ministry of Tourism

Minister Vaz’s Bid for Land in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park: Can We Please Protect our Protected Areas?

June 18, 2020

Yesterday (June 16), a report by the excellent environmental reporter and Associate Editor of the Jamaica Observer Kimone Thompson appeared in the newspaper with the headline “Government wants to lease Holywell land.” The article did not mention the name of the government minister, who reportedly wished to lease a piece of land in the Blue and John … More Minister Vaz’s Bid for Land in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park: Can We Please Protect our Protected Areas?

“The Virus Is Still Out There”: COVID-19 in Jamaica – Travel, Tourism, More

June 15, 2020

Some people have asked me if I am going to do another update on COVID-19. We had two back-to-back press briefings and an online event with the Minister of Tourism, which I missed, at the end of this week. But first here are the latest numbers: We have two new cases today – June 14 … More “The Virus Is Still Out There”: COVID-19 in Jamaica – Travel, Tourism, More

“If a Dirt, a Dirt”: COVID-19 and a Reopening of the Jamaican Economy

May 13, 2020

“If a dirt, a dirt.” There is a fatalistic streak in the Jamaican psyche. The point is sometimes reached where people shrug their shoulders and say, “Suh it guh” (that is how things go). In this COVID-19 era, this tendency has kicked in. “Dirt” refers to death. As this current saying suggests (there are many … More “If a Dirt, a Dirt”: COVID-19 and a Reopening of the Jamaican Economy

Jamaica Environment Trust’s Bittersweet 20th Anniversary for Schools’ Environment Programme

June 20, 2018

After twenty years of the Schools Environment Programme (SEP), Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) has to close the programme down as funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) has been withdrawn. I had already shared some information in a previous post about the financial challenges JET has been facing, and their needs in order to … More Jamaica Environment Trust’s Bittersweet 20th Anniversary for Schools’ Environment Programme

Plastic Rice, Peter Gives Way to Peter, and Runaway Rains Bring Chaos: December 16, 2016

December 16, 2016

Life seems one great big rush, with Christmas just over a week away. There seem to be a few more Christmas parties than usual going on. Are people spending more money? It’s hard to say. The streets are clogged with traffic and stores in Kingston are getting full, but whether there is much business going … More Plastic Rice, Peter Gives Way to Peter, and Runaway Rains Bring Chaos: December 16, 2016

Thinking Green, Justice Delayed, and A Princely Visit: Jamaica on Monday, April 25, 2016

April 26, 2016

The weather has been persistently grey, humid and cloudy. Yesterday, our gardener had some actual grass to cut, although our “lawn” remains very thin and will likely never recover. I hear La Niña is arriving. She sounds like a better deal than the male equivalent, but I’d like to know more about how she might … More Thinking Green, Justice Delayed, and A Princely Visit: Jamaica on Monday, April 25, 2016

Counting Down to Earth Day 2016 in Jamaica (And Go Plant a Tree!)

April 18, 2016

How is our Mother Earth doing, as Earth Day appears on the horizon once more? How is Jamaica doing? I would say our amazing planet – including our beautiful island – may be heading for the Emergency Room, before too long.  Earth Day is Friday, April 22, and there is so much to write about … More Counting Down to Earth Day 2016 in Jamaica (And Go Plant a Tree!)

Yes, Kingston is a Creative City, But It’s Not Just Reggae Music

March 12, 2016

Late last year, the cultural arm of the United Nations, UNESCO designated Kingston, Jamaica as a “Creative City.” The then Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment lobbied hard for this, and the Tourism Enhancement Fund reportedly put up J$3.4 million in support of these efforts. So, this is all good stuff. It’s a good selling point. … More Yes, Kingston is a Creative City, But It’s Not Just Reggae Music

Shifting Sands: An Update on Sand Mining in Negril

January 16, 2016

Here’s a follow-up on the difficult and confusing situation that unfolded this week regarding the removal of sand from Rutland Point in Negril. 60,000 cubic metres of sand, to be precise, to be used at a mega-development in Llandovery, St. Ann. The clay and peat that covered it was reportedly “dumped.” Isn’t it amazing how careless … More Shifting Sands: An Update on Sand Mining in Negril

Of Black Toads and Self-Cleaning Gullies: The Launch of International Coastal Cleanup Day 2015

August 28, 2015

This is the second time I have felt nauseous during Jamaica Environment Trust’s (JET) launch of International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day, which this year will take place on September 19. The global effort is supported by the Ocean Conservancy; in Jamaica, the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has been a major sponsor of the cleanup since 2008. This … More Of Black Toads and Self-Cleaning Gullies: The Launch of International Coastal Cleanup Day 2015