Tag: Special Mining Lease

Urgent statement re: mining-related activities in SML173 – Cockpit Country, Jamaica

November 19, 2022

The lobby group Freedom Imaginaries is raising the alarm. Please read their statement below carefully. This morning I attended a conference which provided valuable updates on the Kingston Harbour Ecosystem Adaptation Measures Project (KHEAM). This impressive project, spearheaded by the GraceKennedy Foundation, embraces several partners and is ensuring full community involvement and buy-in. I met … More Urgent statement re: mining-related activities in SML173 – Cockpit Country, Jamaica

“They’ve left us to eat stones now:” The latest Vice News film on the impacts of bauxite mining in Jamaica

May 2, 2022

Last month, the U.S.-based Vice News posted a second video on the community response to bauxite mining in Jamaica. The Jamaica Environment Trust is reminding us to watch it; the YouTube link is here. The 20-minute report is a follow-up to their 2021 feature, which you can find here. As of May 2, the video … More “They’ve left us to eat stones now:” The latest Vice News film on the impacts of bauxite mining in Jamaica

Cockpit Country Stakeholders reject “inadequate” EIA for bauxite mining permit

October 28, 2021

The issue of Cockpit Country has not disappeared. Many concerns remain. Stay tuned. This is from Jamaica Environment Trust (click on the link to the Final EIA mentioned below): We, the undersigned members of the Cockpit Country Stakeholders Group (CCSG), reject the Final Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for SML 173, now available on the website … More Cockpit Country Stakeholders reject “inadequate” EIA for bauxite mining permit

A Town Hall Meeting on Mining in the Cockpit Country: Let’s Have a Real Discussion Because It’s Not Over

December 20, 2020

The long-awaited public consultations on the Special Mining Lease 173 in Cockpit Country, held virtually on December 8, have been called many things over the past couple of weeks: Jamaica Environment Trust described the proceedings as a “sham.” I would say it made a mockery of what should have been a proper airing of the … More A Town Hall Meeting on Mining in the Cockpit Country: Let’s Have a Real Discussion Because It’s Not Over

Public Consultation on Proposed Bauxite Mining in Cockpit Country: December 8

November 23, 2020

With the controversy over the proposed limestone quarrying and other developments at Puerto Bueno Mountain rattling on, many have asked: “What about Cockpit Country? Is that all over and done with?” Well, as I noted recently on this blog, stakeholders and concerned citizens have expressed concern that proper public consultations would take place, bearing in … More Public Consultation on Proposed Bauxite Mining in Cockpit Country: December 8

Cockpit Country Stakeholders Call for Thorough EIA Consultation Process for Mining Permits

October 29, 2020

This press release from the Cockpit Country Stakeholders Group is not just about environmental issues. It is about transparency, proper consultation, and democracy. As we in Jamaica are living under restrictions during the COVID-19 era – notably, the limitations on gatherings – we cannot possibly attend in-person consultations (which have often lasted for hours in … More Cockpit Country Stakeholders Call for Thorough EIA Consultation Process for Mining Permits

Worrying News from Cockpit Country: JET Says Bauxite Mining Remains a Threat

May 30, 2019

The issues and queries surrounding the Cockpit Country are so complex and numerous that I will definitely be writing about it again very soon. There are many aspects to it. It’s true to say, though, that overall concerns are growing, and residents are growing increasingly anxious, about the impact of bauxite mining on their health … More Worrying News from Cockpit Country: JET Says Bauxite Mining Remains a Threat

Cockpit Country Worries: Community Members Voice Ongoing Concerns Over Mining on Periphery

November 1, 2018

Cockpit Country is fragile. It remains under threat from bauxite mining, which is pressing around the edges of the declared Cockpit Country Protected Area. Just a month ago, I noted in my news summary: “I fear that, while the “ground-truthing” of Cockpit Country continues (the measuring, step by step, of the boundaries) there will be … More Cockpit Country Worries: Community Members Voice Ongoing Concerns Over Mining on Periphery