Tag: Ministry of Transport and Mining

Has the Jamaican Government responded to the IACHR regarding human rights of citizens near bauxite mines?

January 4, 2023

I rarely “copy and paste” editorials or articles in our local newspapers, if at all. However, I see this Sunday Gleaner editorial, published on January 1, as related to a recent post – where I pointed out that, as it appears, the Jamaican Government has not yet responded to Resolution 65/22 of the Inter American … More Has the Jamaican Government responded to the IACHR regarding human rights of citizens near bauxite mines?

JET acknowledges the declaration of the Cockpit Country Protected Area, but..

March 23, 2022

On March 17, during the Budget Debate in Parliament, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that the Cockpit Country Protected Area has now been officially designated and gazetted. Is that the end of this long story, with its many twists and turns? Well, not quite. You can find the Environmental Impact Assessments on the National Environment … More JET acknowledges the declaration of the Cockpit Country Protected Area, but..

Why are so many Jamaicans still dying on our roads?

March 20, 2022

We love roads. We are continuously building new ones. More concrete, oil consumption, noise, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution are definitely the way to go, it appears. The mindset seems to be: Let’s try to get from A to B faster! It’s so important to get from, say, Kingston to Mandeville in an hour rather … More Why are so many Jamaicans still dying on our roads?

Road Safety in Jamaica – Can “something dramatic happen”? A letter to the nation from Dr. Lucien Jones

January 29, 2022

Dr. Lucien Jones is Vice Chair and Convenor of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), which is chaired by Prime Minister Andrew Holness. Dr. Jones must sometimes feel like a voice crying in the wilderness, on the terrible numbers of Jamaicans (close to 500 last year!) killed on our roads – but he never gives … More Road Safety in Jamaica – Can “something dramatic happen”? A letter to the nation from Dr. Lucien Jones

Cockpit Country: Government decides to permit a reduced mining area, but concerns remain

January 5, 2022

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) announced yesterday (January 3, 2022) that a reduced area will be offered to the Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners II for mining close to the Cockpit Country under the highly controversial Special Mining Licence (SML) 173. Here’s the full text of NEPA CEO Peter Knight’s statement. This will exclude … More Cockpit Country: Government decides to permit a reduced mining area, but concerns remain

ICYMI in Jamaica: Much Ado About Dreadlocks, INDECOM Chief Steps Down, and JUTC Needs to Shape Up: August 2, 2020

August 3, 2020

August 1 – Emancipation Day – is as good a day as any to restart writing my weekly news posts. I have missed doing them, actually. They help me (and hopefully you) keep a finger on the pulse of things. So, it’s a humid evening, an hour to go before curfew kicks in at 11. … More ICYMI in Jamaica: Much Ado About Dreadlocks, INDECOM Chief Steps Down, and JUTC Needs to Shape Up: August 2, 2020

Message from the Prime Minister on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

November 18, 2019

Today we have been remembering those whose lives were suddenly taken from them. They leave a void in the lives of many. According to the Ministry of Transport’s weekly report, 370 people have died on our roads this year – whether pedestrians, drivers, cyclists or motorcyclists. Most alarmingly, child fatalities and motorcyclist fatalities are expected … More Message from the Prime Minister on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

CCRP Is Worried About the Increased Number of Seniors’ Deaths on the Road

September 25, 2019

There is nothing but worrying news, it seems, about what is happening on our roads. There is very little that is positive to report. As I have noted in my previous comments, it’s a complex problem that requires strong and focused leadership.  One of the concerns is the impact on what we call the most vulnerable … More CCRP Is Worried About the Increased Number of Seniors’ Deaths on the Road

World Environment Day: Cockpit Country, Air Pollution… and Solutions?

June 5, 2019

Tomorrow (Wednesday, June 5) is the United Nations’ World Environment Day. This year’s venue is China, where the theme will be Air Pollution (see below) and if you click on that link above you can learn more from the UN. Some people say there are too many of these “special days” but I don’t have a … More World Environment Day: Cockpit Country, Air Pollution… and Solutions?