Tag: St. Ann

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?

On the Rio Cobre, Cockpit Country, and their Jamaican people

December 21, 2022

As the year draws to a close, there are more issues hanging in the balance. I sometimes feel the future of the Planet, including our small, sometimes green, rocky island, is in the balance, too. As the delegates to COP15 – the critical UN conference on biodiversity – pack up their laptops, check out of … More On the Rio Cobre, Cockpit Country, and their Jamaican people

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

For Jamaica’s children and adolescents: Issa Trust Foundation plans a new clinic with a holistic approach

August 21, 2022

Philanthropy is alive and well in Jamaica; but the need is great. Our vulnerable children and adolescents need help. On the north coast of the island, the Issa Trust Foundation (which has been working in Jamaica for the past 17 years) is planning to make a difference to their physical and mental wellbeing by building … More For Jamaica’s children and adolescents: Issa Trust Foundation plans a new clinic with a holistic approach

“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

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..

Jamaica’s private sector calls for transparency, adherence to rules in Bengal mining plans at Puerto Bueno

January 22, 2022

Today, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) expressed concern in a press release today about what seems to be a volte face by the Prime Minister on the matter of mining permits for the Bengal area of St. Ann (Puerto Bueno or Dry Harbour Mountain), which for a while appeared to have been abandoned … More Jamaica’s private sector calls for transparency, adherence to rules in Bengal mining plans at Puerto Bueno

Cockpit Country, Jamaica: “This is an environmental and social justice issue”

January 8, 2022

There is much more to be said about the recent announcement on bauxite mining in the Cockpit Country, which I wrote about in a post earlier this week. Now environmental activist and Founder of the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) Diana McCaulay (@dmccaulay) has shared her thoughts in a fairly long Twitter thread, which I am … More Cockpit Country, Jamaica: “This is an environmental and social justice issue”

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

Human rights in Jamaica and beyond – past and present

December 11, 2021

It’s International Human Rights Day, and it’s not just a hashtag. A lot has been going through my mind today. These are stormy times, with the wind blowing first one way and then the other. A sudden rogue wave appears and nearly knocks you off your feet. 2021 has been strangely – and perhaps surprisingly … More Human rights in Jamaica and beyond – past and present