MINISTRY OF WATER, LAND, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE ANNUAL REPORT 2011/2012 TABLED BY HON. ROBERT PICKERSGILL M.P.

PARTNERING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Foreword This Ministry of Water, Land Environment and Climate Change is responsible for 13 Agencies , Departments and Public Bodies covering 29 subject areas. Hence we have compiled this document to afford you a better understanding of the performance of the Ministry over the last financial year and a preview of what we hope to achieve in the next.

Robert. D. Pickersgill M.P. Minister

LISTING OF MINISTRYS SUBJECTS, DEPARTMENTS, AGENCIES AND OTHER PUBLIC BODIES AS AT JANUARY 6, 2012

Subjects (Water) Water Policy and Monitoring Domestic Water Supply Sewerage Surface and Underground Water Resources Subjects (Land and Physical Planning) Land Policy and Administration Estate Management/Property Management Land Reform Land Registration Land Surveys Land Titling Land Development and Utilization Lands (including Crown Lands and Land Settlements) National Geographic Data Management Parish Boundaries Physical Planning Public Sector Estate Management Emancipation Lands Subdivision of Land Town and Country Planning Subjects (Environment and Climate Change) Air Quality and Control Beach Control and Coastal Management Climate Change Environmental Regulation Marine Conservation and Protection Meteorology National Environmental Protection Watershed Management Wildlife Protection Forests

Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change (contd) Agencies (Water) National Water Commission Rural Water Supply Limited Water Resources Authority (WRA)

Agencies (Land and Physical Planning) Real Estate Board Commission of Strata Corporations National Land Agency (NLA)

Agencies (Environment and Climate Change) Forestry Department National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) (Includes National Resource and Conservation Authority, Town Planning Department, Town and Country Planning Authority, Negril/Green Island Local Planning Authority Beach Control Authority) Departments (Water) Water Monitoring Division Departments (Land and Physical Planning) Land Policy Administration and Management Directorate (incorporating Land Access for National Development and Land Administration and Management Programme (LAMP) National Spatial Data Management Division Policy Planning and Standards Division Land Development and Utilization Commission

Departments (Environment and Climate Change) Environmental Management Division Meteorological Services Department

WATER THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR NATION

Introduction As a resource, water is, without a doubt, the lifeblood of any nation. Its importance is underscored by the fact that two former United Nations Secretaries General, and a former Vice President of the World Bank have opined that the next World War may very well be fought over water. Its impact on sustainable development is without parallel and it is critical for the maintenance of environmental and human health and for supporting all human activities, residential, commercial, industrial, electricity generation and agriculture. As such, the provision of potable water to meet the needs of our population, particularly our rural population, is a focal point for this administration and for my Ministry. Our vision for the development of water related infrastructure and supply, spans the length and breadth of this island. This vision is encapsulated in our Manifesto which calls for the creation of an enabling environment within which agencies under the water sector can flourish, as well as the provision of policy prescriptions which support the sustained viability of the various water and sewerage service providers. All of this will be buttressed by comprehensive watershed management programmes which will be implemented in all parishes. We have heard the call for water all across Jamaica and our agencies responsible for water, are responding to that call by undertaking research, implementing projects and adopting strategies to maximize the volume of water available to our citizens, and improve its quality. THE NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION Although there are challenges in the water and wastewater sectors, the Government through its agency, the National Water Commission, continues to work assiduously to overcome them. I am happy to report our accomplishments in the Water Sector. COMPLETED WATER PROJECTS Works were completed on the following components of the Jamaica Water Supply Improvement Project (JWSIP):Rehabilitation of the Constant Spring Treatment Plant The Constant Spring Treatment Plant was completed at a cost of J$704 million. New and more efficient meters which will yield more accurate readings have been installed, facilitating connections to almost 50,000 households in the Corporate Area and 20,000 in Ocho Rios, St. Mary, St. Catherine and May Pen.
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Rehabilitation of Seaview Treatment Plants. Two treatment plants were rehabilitated at the facility in Seaview in Stony Hill. This has improved the reliability of our service to approximately twenty thousand (20,000) persons. A new supply system was integrated into the network at KitsonTown. Under this project service was extended to new areas removing the dependence of householders on high priced trucked water. Rio Cobre Gorge Approximately six (6) kilometers of new Ductile Iron pipes were laid to replace old pipes which were about fifty years old. This was at a cost of over J$700m.

Stony Hill Area Distribution Network Improvements. The Stony Hill Distribution Network Improvements were completed at a cost of J$382.7 million. The works included replacement of leaking pipes and the upgrade of the pipe diameter in certain areas as well as the installation of pressure reducing valves, resulting in a number of areas previously on water scheduling now enjoying 24 hour supply. This has improved supply to about 10,000 persons. Let me pay tribute to the Member of Parliament from N.W. St. James for his role in pushing ahead with the projects, I have just described

CONTINUITY The Government intends to continue and extend the following projects in the water sector: Ongoing Water Projects Under the Jamaica Water Supply Improvement Project, physical works are being undertaken in the Stony Hill area aimed at alleviating the water woes for the residents of Sherbourne Heights, Wireless Station Road, Kingswood and sections of Mannings Hill. Other areas including lower Lawrence Tavern, Mount Ogle, Temple Hall and Golden Spring will also benefit from the project. This aspect of the project will cost J$818 million. In the meantime the laying of pipes started on July 16 th and will end in a very happy Christmas for the residents of the abovementioned communities. I am again happy to report that all the funding is in place for this project and all the approvals have been obtained.
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The rehabilitation of the Mona and Hope Treatment Plants (part of the Kingston Water and Sanitation Project) Work is also on-going at the Mona/Hope Treatment Plant at a cost of J$1.6 billion. These works are scheduled to be completed within the next 12 months. My Ministry is targeting water lock-offs to ensure a more predictable and reliable supply system. The citizens of the Kingston/St. Andrew metropolitan area and the Portmore municipality should witness greater reliability in their water service; greater coverage in these areas and water at a consistent pressure. Turning to Portmore, we have procured 10 kilometers of 750 mm diameter pipe which will arrive in the island by mid August, with construction scheduled to start by the first week in September. This will provide an additional six (6) million gallons per day to the municipality. Currently, works are on-going on the Darling Street pumping Station to the tune of J$614.1million. That project is expected to be completed within the next 18 months. PROJECTS TARGETED FOR THE 2012-2013 FINANCIAL YEAR The long term plans relating to both water and wastewater services are being laid out by my Ministry and the NWC in the Parish Plans which are now being revised in relation to all parishes. These plans will put us in good stead to meet the desired level of coverage for our citizens over the next 5 to 10 years. Key stakeholder meetings will be organized at the local level to inform the public of the plans in these two critical areas. All 63 members of this Honourable House will be notified in this calendar year of the schedule in relation to the stakeholders consultation in their constituencies. The preliminary Engineers Estimate is that it will require J$191billion over the next ten years to execute all the works covered by the parish plans. We have raised thus far J$26billion of this amount. Fiscal space permitting we expect to be able to raise the remainder of funding over the period. I recognize that over the years the western section of the country has been plagued with water shortages. We intend to address that problem starting this fiscal year. To that end, and with the blessing and assistance of the Minister of Finance, we shall be shortly embarking on bilateral negotiations to secure both the financial and technical resources to effect a number of water supply projects in the parishes of Trelawny, St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth to the tune of US$250million. These matters are at an early and delicate stage and a further detailed announcement on these projects will be made in due course.

Non Revenue Water (NRW) We recognize that the increases in water production capacity that will come from the various projects highlighted earlier will not have the desired effect if immediate and definitive steps are not taken to reduce the levels of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) being experienced by the NWC. NRW basically refers to the loss of water produced and arises mainly from old and leaking infrastructure and illegal connections to the NWCs network (theft). The aim is to reduce the NRW by 8% annually over the next 5 years to a level of approximately 30% down from 66% by 2016/2017. The physical works to achieve this target have already begun in areas such as Havendale, Waterworks, Norbrook and Hope Pastures. The early successes are encouraging and the necessary physical works will be replicated throughout the island over the next 5 years. For this financial year, we will be laying 14 kilometers of pipeline from Content to Ferry in order to improve and mitigate the major disruptions and leaks estimated at two million gallons per day from the existing Rio Cobre Pipeline. We will also be rehabilitating three water treatment plants, Bogue in St. Ann, Martha Brae in Trelawny, and Great River in St. James in order to restore these plants to their designed capacity. The model to be employed for these projects will be Engineer, Procure and Construct (EPC) and we expect to have the design works completed this year. Water and Wastewater Projects to Commence in 2012-2013 We will be commencing the following water projects this financial year: Rehabilitation of 26 water supply facilities in the KSA, inclusive of pumping stations and tanks, at a cost of J$1.6 billion; Comprehensive NRW program at a cost of J$4.5 billion Design works are to be started for the following projects Rehabilitation of three rural township water supply systems - Old Harbour, May Pen and Mandeville at a cost of J$4.7 billion.

We will soon be embarking on the Port Antonio water, sewerage and drainage project which will be undertaken at a total cost of US$18.2 million or J$1.65billion. The contract will be signed shortly, and the contractor mobilized within a month. We expect pipe work on this project to begin within three months .

My portfolio as the Minister in charge of the environment also requires me to ensure that provisions are made for wastewater solutions. In that regard I am again happy to report that the NWC, working in a collaborative manner with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Inter-American Development Band (IDB) will be rehabilitating, replacing, retiring or building 14 wastewater projects. They include Boscobel (St. Mary); Elletson Flats (St. Andrew); Mineral Heights (Clarendon); and De La Vega City (St. Catherine), among others plants under the CREW. Within the next two to three weeks the Request for Proposals (RFP) in relation to the Boscobel and Elleston Flats Wastewater Treatment Plants will be published in the newspapers and the NWC has been given a strict time line that physical works on these projects should commence this fiscal year. The amount involved in these projects is J$1.06 billion and subject to some minor housekeeping affairs the funding for these projects is in place. Work is also being done to retire all the small wastewater plants in Portmore St. Catherine owned and operated by the NWC and to divert the flows to the Soapberry Treatment Plant. That project is now at the stage where bids have been invited by the National Water Commission and it is expected that the physical work on that project will commence this fiscal year. I would like to invite all my colleagues of this Honourable House in the Portmore area to sit with the NWC to review the plans and timetable in relation to this project and to ascertain when their respective constituencies will be impacted by the project. Preliminary works are also being done by the NWC in relation to the entire sewerage system in down town Kingston. The thrust to return extensive commercial life to down town Kingston, especially the southern sections along the water front, will not be realized unless the wastewater disposal system is fully functional. My Ministry intends to play its part in this endeavour from the point of view of the provision of the wastewater service. My Ministry also intends to play its part in ensuring that there is no further deterioration of the environment in that section of the city especially of the Kingston Harbour. In fact, it is the intention of my Ministry to ensure that within the next 5 years the Harbour and the surrounding mangroves will be on their way to full re-generation.

The improvement in the wastewater works will go a far way in this endeavour. In support of this we have already started the design work on phases 2 and 3 of the Harbour View wastewater treatment plant at a cost of J$500million. Additionally we intend to explore the public/private partnership model (PPP) for 3 major wastewater projects in Old Harbour, May Pen, and Savanna La Mar to be done over the next 3 years. Energy Costs At present, the NWC is paying in the region of half a billion dollars ($500million) monthly in electricity bills that is $6billion annually. The aim is to cut this bill by $1.8billion during the next fiscal year. The objective is to pump to the tanks during JPS off-peak periods and gravity feed from the tanks during periods of highest demand. We must do everything we can to reduce our energy consumption and thus reduce our carbon footprint. Summary of Water and Waste Water Services I wish to close this section by emphasizing the following points: The NWC, working in close collaboration with my Ministry and the Ministry of Finance now has available J$23.4 billion which will be used to undertake a number of highly beneficial projects in both the water and waste water sectors. The NWC, again working in close collaboration with my Ministry and the Ministry of Finance will endeavour to raise a further US$300million in funding between this fiscal year and fiscal year 2013/2014. US$50 million of this will be required this fiscal year. These funds will be used to undertake further projects in the water and waste water sectors with specific emphasis on the parishes of Trelawny, St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth. My Ministry has been and will continue to play its part as a major engine of growth in the economy both on a direct basis by the tremendous job creation opportunities that will be realized and in the economic spin-offs from the projects to be undertaken by the NWC.

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RURAL WATER SUPPLY LTD. Rural Water Supply Limited, continues to play a critical role in the development of systems to serve our small rural communities. Upgrading and Rehabilitation of Minor Water Supply Systems During the Financial Year 2011/2012, upgrading works were carried out on the following minor water supply systems at: Castle Bush in South St. James Cool Water and Charity Spring in East Central St. James Buena Vista in South St. James Upgrading works were also carried out on minor water supply systems in the parish of St. Elizabeth. These include: Ballards Valley in South East Elizabeth Joint Wood to Nanny in North East St. Elizabeth Top Redding to Haughton North East St. Elizabeth All of these areas are now receiving adequate water supply. The amount expended in completing these works was J$4.8 million. Rural Water Supply Limited will be carrying out upgrading and remedial works on the following small water supply systems during the Financial Year 2012/2013 Lottery Water Supply System in East Central St. James Mt. Rosser Spring Entombment Rehabilitation, North West St Catherine Bamboo Ridge Pipeline Extension, South West St. Catherine Upgrading of Small Water Supply systems in Eastern Portland Upgrading of small water supply systems in Western Westmoreland

J$22 million dollars was earmarked under the Capital A Budget to fund these projects. Catchment Tank Rehabilitation and Rainwater Harvesting Fifty to fifty-one percent (50% - 51%) of households in rural areas have access to piped water. This is an increase from forty-five percent (45%) in 2004. Approximately twenty-three percent (23%) of rural households receive water from standpipes and twenty two percent (22%) from rainwater tanks. Rainwater harvesting continues to be a viable mode of water supply for residents in several areas of rural Jamaica. The parish of St. Elizabeth benefitted significantly from the catchment tank rehabilitation programme during the last Financial Year 2011-2012.

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Twelve (12) rainwater catchment tanks were upgraded at a cost of $12M in the constituencies of North West, North East, South West and South East St. Elizabeth, resulting in just under 7,500 residents benefitting from improved water supply. A pilot rainwater harvesting project was carried out at two (2) schools, Maldon and Chatsworth Primary Schools in South St. James, at a cost of $7.6M. Works undertaken included the installation of rainwater guttering, storage tanks, solar power technology as well as water saving devices such as low flush toilets. These works are completed and are operating satisfactorily. Based on the success of this pilot project, discussions will be entered into with the Ministry of Education with a view to duplicating these projects in deep rural communities which do not now enjoy piped potable water. Going forward, $27M has been earmarked in the 2012 2013 Capital A Budget for the rehabilitation of catchment tanks and rainwater harvesting systems. The Camrose Catchment in East Central St. James will commence in early August. Other catchments in South East St. James, North West Manchester and North East St. Catherine should commence by the end of September. Completion of on-going Projects The following ongoing projects for which funding was provided in the 2011/2012 Financial Year will be brought to completion. Johns Groin, North West St. Catherine Wharf Lane in Western Portland Farmers Height in North East St. Ann Quaminus in Southern Clarendon Comfort Hall/Copperwood in South St. James Broadgate in South East St. Mary and Cascade Water Supply System, South West St. Ann. These systems, when completed will benefit approximately 43,200 residents at a total cost of J$270M. Rural Water Supply Limited in collaboration with the National Water Commission will be embarking on a major rural water supply upgrading programme. 26 projects have been slated for implementation over a three (3) year period at an approximate cost of J$4.04 billion, 23 of which have already been earmarked for implementation. (Please see Appendix for table). When completed, these water supply systems will benefit 250,000 residents throughout all parishes in Jamaica. This will increase rural water coverage in terms of access to potable water by twenty to twenty one percent (20% - 21%).

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Detailed designs have already started on the following six of the 26 projects: Cascade/Claremont/Jericho - Eastern Hanover Agualta Vale/Highgate/Islington/Richmond - St Mary Non-Pariel/Orange Hill/Retirement - Western Westmoreland Burnt Savannah/Knoxwood, - South West St. Elizabeth Bull Head/Mason River/Kellits - Northern Clarendon Distribution Improvement - Eastern Westmoreland

Works on these six (6) projects are estimated to cost J$1.3B when completed and will benefit approximately 57,000 residents. The selection of these projects was based on the high population density and the most favourable rate of return in relation to the capital cost per person. It should be noted, however, that included in the project listing are constituencies with very little or no water; these will be given priority ranking in terms of implementation. The constituencies include North West Manchester, Northern Clarendon, North West Clarendon, North West St. Elizabeth, South East St. Elizabeth, South St. James and South East St. Ann.

Rural Water Master Plan Preparation It should also be noted that grant funding, has been obtained from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to fund the Rural Water Master Plan which is a study to be conducted to ascertain areas in Jamaica without access to potable water and to provide solutions in this regard by employing different modalities, for example, piped solutions and rainwater harvesting systems. An advertisement requesting quotations for engagement of consultants has already been published. Grant funding of J$29M, is being provided to carry out this study and to review and update the Water Sector Policy.

WATER RESOURCES AUTHORITY The Water Resources Authority (WRA) in keeping with its mandate to manage the water resources of the island continues to offer a proactive approach through the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management and the development of flood plain maps, the analysis of rainfall runoff and strong interagency linkages. The monitoring of ground and surface water is carried out to allow for the assessment of available water resources and to allocate water in an equitable manner through the granting of permits and licences.
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In addition the Authority has provided advice, information and technical assessments to both public and private sectors to drive national development. Major achievements for the year 2011/2012 The major achievements in the monitoring and management of water resources include: The completion of 91% of targeted stream flow measurements with full computation of data and update of the database The completion of 94% of targeted ground water measurement with full computation of data and update of the database The construction and commissioning of one new river gauging station on the Wagwater River near Broadgate St. Mary and the repairs of nine other stations across the island to improve data collection and reliability The installation of ten (10) data loggers on river gauging stations to enable continuous and reliable data collection The installation of ten (10) rainfall intensity gauges in various hydrologic basins across the island the data from which will supplement the MET Service network of stations The upgrade of the Rio Cobre Flood Warning System (RCFWS) that transmits real time rainfall and river level data from 4 rainfall stations and 1 river station that is used to determine closure of the Rio Cobre Gorge by ODPEM and the possible evacuation of persons living in the flood plain of the river near Spanish Town. The upgraded RCFWS is more robust and more reliable. Completed Projects F/Y 2011/2012 The Authority continues to assess the water resources across the island with funds provided by international agencies and the government. Among the projects completed last year are the following: Assessment of the water resources of the Cabarita Hydrologic Basin (Westmoreland) to determine resource availability and to guide tourism and housing development along the southwest coast. The Water Programme for Environmental Sustainability (WPA II) with the objective of developing a pilot groundwater management model of the Yallahs River alluvium aquifer, for assessing climate change and other impacts on the water resources. This is a collaborative project with Trinidad and the Caribbean Caricom Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) in Belize with funding from the Italian Ministry of Environment and Territory (IMET) through UNESCO. The model has been completed and the final report is now being completed. The model will be transferred for assessing the water resources of the other alluvium aquifers across the island such as those in Clarendon and St Catherine.

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 The development of a pollution risk vulnerability map of the island delineating the aquifer vulnerability using various parameters into low, medium and high risk. The map and accompanying report will be used by planners to guide the development approval process in terms of the location of industries that could impact on water resources. The risk vulnerability assessment will form the basis for the delineation of water quality control zones around major water supply systems such as Roaring, Orange and Fish River Blueholes now used by the NWC as public water supply sources. The water quality control zones will allow for the protection of water quality through the curtailment of certain activities that will impact negatively on water resources. The regional Caribbean Hydrologic Cycle Observation System (CaribHYCOS) with the objective of upgrading a number of monitoring stations that transmit real time data into a central database in Guadeloupe that will be used to improve forecasting across the Caribbean. The project is funded by the EU and the French Government. Jamaica will see the upgrade of two stream flow stations, the donation of six rainfall stations, water quality monitoring equipment, measurement devices and laptops. The equipment and resulting data collected once analyzed will improve the understanding and management of the islands water resources. The Authority has placed a thrust on the use of rainwater harvesting as a means of augmenting water supply for both irrigation and drinking purposes and as a climate change strategy. The Authority has completed the assessment of the potential for rainwater harvesting at different level of reliability. The maps produced indicate the annual rainfall that can be harnessed at the 50%, 75% and 90% reliability for various areas across the island. Rainwater harvesting pilot systems have been constructed, in collaboration with RADA and the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) with funding from UN-FAO, for small farmers in south St Elizabeth. This dependable water supply has led to increased and more frequent crop production. Closure of abandoned bauxite waste sites The Authority has been jointly working with the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI), NEPA and Rio Tinto Alcan in the safe closure of abandoned waste sites at Kirkvine and Ewarton bauxite/alumina works in a further attempt to protect water quality and environmental aesthetics. The closure of the Mt. Rosser red mud lake is now underway and the waste pond has been substantially drained of all the liquid fraction. The mud will be reshaped, treated and fertilized.

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The intensive monitoring programme has not detected any contamination of water resources by the draining of the highly caustic effluent. The final finish will see the mud lake area covered and vegetated fully removing this threat to water resources quality. Environmental Permits The Authority reviewed over 200 development applications/Environmental Impact Assessments in support of NEPAs permits and licences system and as a member of the Technical Review Committee that makes recommendations as to the granting of the environmental permit. The WRAs reviews were in relation to: The impact of the development on water resources-runoff Flooding potential Type sewage treatment and possible contamination of water resources and Availability of domestic water to meet health and sanitation demands.

Project WET The Water and Education Programme was launched and Project WET Jamaica established through the signing of a MOU with UNESCO and Project WET. The Water and Education programme trained 150 teachers using the UNESCO-IHP/Project WET methodology and the activity book created specifically for the Caribbean. The water education programme brings an increase in the awareness of the importance and protection/conservation of water resources using simple, interactive methodologies to bring the subject to the students in the classroom. Water Sector Policy/Rural Water Supply Master Plan The Authority will play a critical role in the upcoming review of the National Water Sector Policy and the preparation of the Rural Water Supply Strategy and Action Plans (Rural Water Supply Master Plan). The review of the policy must include the technological advances in water resources management and the impacts of climate change on water resources. The collaboration of the WRA with the Climate Change Group of the UWI and its own work in modeling of climate change scenarios and impacts has indicated reduced flows in several rivers, increased salinity in aquifers especially along the south coast and an increasing water demand especially in the agricultural sector. The agricultural sector is the largest user of water in the island and stands to be most affected by climate change. The policy must set the framework and the strategic interventions which cannot be done without the inclusion of the National Irrigation Commission and its programmes/plans.

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The work done by the Authority in determining the potential for rainwater harvesting and the use of rainwater as a sole and augmentation source of water must be included in the policy and it should become mandatory for new houses to be outfitted with the necessary technology to harvest rainwater. Existing houses should be outfitted for rainwater harvesting within a certain time frame. The policy must consider the following in the scenario of mitigating climate change Impacts: Integrated Water Resources Management Rainwater harvesting Effluent re-use Water efficiency Artificial recharge of aquifers

The preparation of the Rural Water Supply Master Plan will be a collaborative exercise and will require the input of data from the WRAs database, the identification of sources and the assessment and analysis of the safe yield and quality suitability of sources identified to meet the rural demand. Response to Opposition Spokesman on Deforestation in Moreland Hills Westmoreland The opposition spokesman on water in his presentation in June had commented on the issue of the deforestation at Moreland Hills in Westmoreland and Hanover, the reduced aquifer recharge from rainfall and the impact on the supply from the Logwood Water Treatment Plant that supplies Negril Lucea. The Authority has reviewed the land use changes in Morelands Hills using Google images between 2003 and 2009 and has noted the following: There is increased land clearance though it is more to the south i.e towards Negril-Whitehall There has been an increased development of housing especially in the Cave Valley area which would lead to increased runoff and reduced recharge. Further work would be required to positively assert the changes in water availability to the land use changes in the Moreland Hills. However the Authority has reviewed the groundwater levels, the rainfall data and the abstraction from the Orange River Limestone aquifer.

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The preliminary interpretation indicates the following: There has been a decline of rainfall over the aquifer recharge area There has been a shift in the rainfall pattern with the greatest rainfall/highest water levels in the low demand period --July to October Aquifer replenishment is not fully accomplished after the rainy season and once the high demand period (January to June) is reached the water levels decline rapidly There has been a decline in the long term (since 1992) water levels of between 2-4metres The groundwater levels recorded in April 2012 are the lowest on record. The reliable yield of the aquifer has not been determined by yield testing and the NWC may be over abstracting when the blueholes are pumped at 27,274 cubic metres per day (6migd). The Authority will continue the collection of data and will further review the hydrologic situation to ensure that the optimal volume is abstracted from the blueholes at Logwood. The NWC has reported increased turbidity from the Great River which has affected the plants capability to treat and distribute 68,160 cubic metres per day (15migd) of water. The WRA has also used Google images between 2002 and 2011 to review the land use changes in the upper watershed. The maps indicate large areas of land cleared between the two periods along with increased housing development most of which is unplanned. This large scale deforestation has led to increased erosion with higher then designed turbidity entering the NWCs Great River Plant and impacting on the plants output, treatment cost and sustainability. Upper Rio Cobre Sub- Basin Project In 2012 the Authority will start a new project to assess the recharge and travel path and time in the limestone aquifer of the upper Rio Cobre sub-basin (Linstead-EwartonLluidas Vale) which will improve the knowledge of the water resources in this important aquifer. The project will involve the use of naturally occurring isotopes as tracers and is to be funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over the two year life of the project. The IAEA will inject over J$20M in the project primarily in equipment, capacity building, technical visits, training and provision of expertise. The project will be a pilot one and it is hoped that the technology and methodology will be transferred to other basins across the island.

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LAND A TOOL FOR EMPOWERMENT Introduction National Hero, the Rt. Excellent Norman Washington Manley said quote, . Land is the only source of the material life of the people. It provides food and shelter. It furnishes work and wealth. It is the basis of all production, of all development, of all security, of all growth. It is, in very truth, the root of our being. endquote This is our 50th year of Independence. The historical evolution of Land Settlements commenced in or about 1938, for the purpose of securing ownership of land for the poor and landless. The ownership of land is still an effective means of gaining economic and social independence. 50 years after our independence we have not been able to provide registered Certificates of Title to the number of beneficiaries who have been disappointed. This administration is serious about security of tenure for ordinary Jamaicans as this is one of the best ways to empower our people to improve themselves, build better communities and ultimately build a better nation. As such, as outlined in our Manifesto, we will continue to encourage more land owners to secure titles for their properties and thereby stimulate more productive use. The progressive agenda for land titling will be facilitated through ongoing education programmes and direct interventions at the community level , as well as streamlining the actual titling process by our implementing agencies and programmes such as LAMP. Without a Title, the land owners tenure is insecure. He is not able to use his land asset to borrow money to help to finance his childrens education, or production and to generally improve himself. THE NATIONAL LAND AGENCY Revaluation Programme The National Land Agencys Valuation Division is currently carrying out a revaluation exercise to update all property values for the purposes of assessing property taxes. The last revaluation programme was carried out in 2002/2003 so the revaluation is long overdue. The government regards this as a priority.

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Land Settlement Schemes There are 344 land settlement schemes islandwide comprising approximately 50,000 lots.

These schemes are broken down as follows: St, Catherine 28 Clarendon 31 Manchester 24 St, Elizabeth 26 Westmoreland 25 Hanover 21 St. James 27 Trelawny 17 St. Ann 20 St Mary 32 Portland 33 St. Thomas 31 St. Andrew 29 There are 7,631Certificates of Title in Office in the name of the Commissioner of Lands, and 1060 Certificates in the name of the purchasers. A Probate Unit has been established to assist beneficiaries of deceased land settlement allottees and advertisements have been placed in newspaper to try and find the beneficiaries. I will continue to put emphasis on this area, as I firmly believe that these titles must be put in the hands of the people, and the sooner the better. It is our fervent desire to create an Ownership Society. Land Acquisition Projects My Ministry through the NLA continues to support the National Works Agency (NWA) in their acquisition projects as follows: (1) Soursop Turn to Danks: (Constituency - North Central Clarendon) This comprises 279 parcels approximately. The affected parcels now have to be identified. Estimated date for construction to begin is June 2013 Toms River to Agualta Vale: (Constituency St. Mary South East) Valuation of approximately 380 properties is now being done by NLA and Notices under the Land Acquisition Act are being prepared for dispatch to landowners. Estimated date for construction work to begin is May 2013 Highway 2000 (Mount Rosser Bypass Linstead to Moneague): (Constituencies St. Catherine North Western, St. Ann South Eastern and St. Catherine North Eastern). This comprises 250 parcels. Estimated date for completion of construction work is September 2013
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(2)

(3)

(4)

Highway 2000 (North/South Link Caymanas to Ocho Rios): (Constituencies St. Catherine North Central and St. Ann South Eastern) NROCC has advised that this new link comprises 579 parcels approximately. NLA has not yet received the list of parcels from NROCC. Estimated date for construction work to begin is June 2013

(5)

Northern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (Hanover to Port Antonio) Work is continuing to complete the acquisition of lands for this project

Web Chat The National Land Agency commenced its new Live Web Chat Support Service via its website on Wednesday March 28, 2012. The Live Web Chat Service can be accessed by clicking on the icon located on the home page of the NLAs website at www.nla.gov.jm. eLandjamaica customers and other users (local and overseas) have access to real time text based conversations with an available Customer Service Officer, to deal with all NLA issues. It also allows them to leave messages outside of operating hours. Since its inception, NLA has received 878 chat requests at an average of 219 per month and the system is manned by 4 Customer Service Officers. Estate Management Systems (EMS) The Estate Management Division within the Agency is responsible for managing all lands owned by the Commissioner of Lands. These include Crown land leases, Project Land Leases, and Land Settlement properties. The traditional paper based land records that currently reside in the Division have become inadequate and inefficient in addressing the extent of government land ownership, and details covering possession and land use. The EMS will modernize the operations by transforming a number of existing activities into an electronic environment. A uniformed, comprehensive and integrated computerized system will be used to provide graphic and textual information on every parcel of land. Funding was received from the European Union to implement this system at a cost of 290,000 Euros. There are 31,382 properties on the Valuation Roll owned by the Commissioner of Lands, comprising 195,302 hectares (482,602 acres) approximately. Sales Data

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The Agency began offering a subscription service for the listing of transfers conducted on a monthly basis at its Land Titles Division. Customers are required to pay an annual fee of $60,000 to obtain data on the number of land transfers. Customer Mail Boxes Surveys and Mapping Division The NLA has installed customer mailboxes for Commissioned Land Surveyors at the Surveys and Mapping Division at 23 1/2 Charles Street, Kingston. Commissioned Land Surveyors can now enjoy a more efficient and flexible delivery of plans as they will be able to collect their plans at their convenience during office opening hours from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Mondays to Thursdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Fridays. Mapping of Major Towns There is an on-going project to map all major towns. The Agency has completed: Kingston / St. Andrew Ocho Rios Spanish Town all field work completed and the map is being finalized. Montego Bay field work has been completed and the map will be available during this financial year.

Focus Group Meetings Two (2) sessions were held in February 2012 with selected customers to discuss the Agencys current and future projects and services. The Group comprised GOJ Departments and private sector personnel such as lawyers, real estate professionals, valuers and land surveyors. Land Registration and Conveyancing Workshop The NLA conducted three (3) Land Registration and Conveyancing Workshops in which members of the legal fraternity and financial institutions underwent an 8 -week training course. The course was designed to equip persons with in-depth knowledge and a comprehensive and detailed understanding of aspects of Land Law and its practice at the National Land Agency. This workshop was aimed at reducing the amount of errors on documents lodged at our offices.

Public Education During the financial year 2011-2012 the National Land Agency continued its public education drive across the island to sensitize persons about land-related matters, such as how to get a registered title, titling issues for land settlement lots, leasing and divestment of government lands, as well as land valuation matters in relation to property tax.

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Five (5) sessions were carried out and included staff from Land Administration Management Programme (LAMP), National Housing Trust (NHT), Administrator Generals Department (AGD) and Tax Administration of Jamaica (TAJ). The sessions were held in Portland, Hanover, Westmoreland, Trelawny and St. Ann. Initiatives for 2012/2013 Property Watch Identity fraud is a problem that the Agency tries to reduce as much as possible. Although the NLA has instituted several measures to reduce the incidence of fraud at its Land Titles Division, we will be further strengthening these measures with the introduction of Property Watch. This service will ensure that landowners are property notified of dealings on their titles. The service will be fully operational by March 31, 2013. Search Certificates Online This is an improvement to the over the counter services now offered, and it will be offered to customers at an additional cost. The finished product will be made available to the customer via e-mail in addition to the delivery of the paper records.

SURVEYS AND MAPPING DIVISION Digital Plan Annexation Plan annexation is the process by which a plan is drawn onto the certificate of title. This process is a highly manual one. Electronically produced plans will result in the reduction in turnaround times associated with issuing new certificates of title with plans. eLandjamaica Access to Survey Records Currently only land valuation and titles records are available on the Agencys internet service, eLandjamaica. The aim of the project is to ensure that survey plans and specialised map records are available via eLandjamaica so that customers can have easier access to these records without having to come into the NLAs offices.

LAND VALUATION DIVISION Digitizing (Scanning) of Land Valuation Data This involves making existing data available in an electronic form via the internet. For several years customers have had to visit various locations to find source documents that help to create the Valuation Roll. Some of these source documents include Transfer of Ownership (TR1) Forms, Proof of Ownership and Proof of Possession. The Agency has the ability to provide this service to customers, regardless of location globally through our website eLandjamaica.

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Additionally the digitizing of these documents will make it easier for updating/processing/amendment of Valuation Roll data. This will also result in a significant reduction in the turnaround time in providing these services. REAL ESTATE BOARD The Real Estate Board received 60 applications from developers, 34 from dealers and 99 from salesmen to obtain registration. For the year the Board registered 60 developers who added 1505 units and 2216 lots to the private housing pool, 38 dealers (4 applications were received in the previous financial year) and 91 salesmen. This brought the total numbers registered to 972 developers, 846 dealers and 1960 salesmen. The Board issued licences to 324 dealers and 555 salesmen to practice real estate in the 2011-12 financial year. 49 developers who had not completed their schemes, previously registered, renewed their developments for the 2011-12 financial year. From April 1, 2011 to present, the Board received 46 complaints from members of the public. The majority of these was against developers and unregistered and unlicensed real estate practitioners. Of the complaints received 25 were resolved to the satisfaction of the parties and 21 are at various stages in the investigation process. The Board successfully prosecuted 3 illegal dealers during the previous financial year and another illegal dealer, with 3 complaints of illegal practice, was referred to the Flying Squad. The Board also investigated and monitored a further 15 problematic development schemes in protection of 1,039 purchasers depositing US$4,946,908.65 and JA$2,900,277,626.95 paid under prepayment contracts. The Board is currently in the Supreme Court in protection of depositors in six of these schemes. To increase public awareness and compliance, the Board conducted two public education fora, and published their first Citizen Charter as well as two newsletters during this year and increased communication and enhanced public awareness through advertisements in the press.

THE COMMISSION OF STRATA CORPORATIONS The Commission of Strata Corporations fully registered 84% of all the strata plans incorporated in Jamaica. The Commission partially registered a further 4.8% of strata plans (one of the proprietors of a strata plan with two proprietors registered). The Commission is currently preparing to prosecute the remaining 11.2% of the strata plans that are non-compliant.
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It has sought the guidance of the Director of Public Prosecutions and has sent warning letters by registered mail, advertised warnings in the local press and visited the delinquent Proprietor Strata Plans. To increase public awareness and compliance, the Commission conducted six (6) public education seminars across the island. These seminars were held in St. Andrew, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, twice in Portmore and in Westmoreland. These areas were targeted as they contained the highest concentration of Proprietors Strata Plans. The Commission trained five (5) of its officers in Dispute Resolution and received applications for 93 Dispute Resolution to be conducted. It has conducted 78 such Dispute Resolutions and settled 67% of the matters. The Commission has received a total of 123 requests for Power of Sale Certificates due to non-payment of maintenance fees. After careful examinations and assurances that due diligence was done, 78 certificates were issued since the inception of the Commission. Four (4) applications were withdrawn. Additional documents have been requested for the remaining applications. The Commission has also received seven (7) applications from aggrieved parties to be heard by the Tribunal. The Tribunal convened three (3) of the hearings and issued its rulings. The remaining four (4) are awaiting dates for the hearings. The Commission is currently moving for the urgent amendment of two sections of the Registration (Strata Title) Act. The drafting instructions have been issued. Targets for the 2012-2013 Fiscal Year The organization has created a four a year Strategic Plan that ties the targets set for both the REB and the CSC to the national targets outlined in the Vision 2030 Plan. This plan will be revised periodically to address the new dynamics of both entities. Both the Real Estate (Dealers and Developers) Act and the Registration (Strata Titles) Act will require urgent amendments. New Mandates The Real Estate Board is also slated to undertake two additional duties. These are: To supervise gated communities to address similar challenges as those faced by Proprietor Strata Plans; and To supervise, train and register the marketers and the marketing of Time Share in Jamaica. The Real Estate Board is working with the Ministry of Tourism to pilot the legislation for Time Share. Three (3) Draft Bills have been obtained to date. The intent of the working group is to circulate the third draft for comments from the appropriate government agencies and stakeholders.
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LAND POLICY ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT DIRECTORATE Land Divestment With changing times, the land divestment process has also come under the microscope as we strive to ensure transparency and fairness in the allocation of such lands and promote prudent and sustainable land utilization that will lead to social and economic development. I am therefore pleased to report that the Land Divestment Advisory Committee (LDAC) which was established a number of years ago to provide the Minister with critical technical and professional guidance in this area, is to be enshrined in statute. I will shortly take the Bill to amend the Crown Property Vesting Act to the legislative committee of Cabinet and hope to have it tabled in the House as early thereafter as possible. The amendments will not only enshrine the Land Divestment Advisory Committee (LDAC) in statute but will also outline the composition of the Committee, its appointment and other related matters. During fiscal year 2011/2012, the LDAC processed 31 applications (including resubmissions) for divestment. A total of 25 applications, were recommended for divestment. Ministerial approval was obtained for 22 applications valued at approximately $112 million for sale or lease of government owned properties. The remainder of the applications was deferred for further information/clarification as required by the LDAC. Policy and Procedures Manual to guide the divestment of Government owned lands. As we embark on this course to realize Vision 2030, we have sought to infuse the principles of transparency and fairness in all aspects of divestment in government by creating a policy framework and procedures manual to be used as a guide. This Manual has been the subject of wide stakeholder consultation and is now finalized. I am scheduled to take it to CABINET by August this year.

The policy manual details the purpose and various modalities of divestment and the pricing policy to be followed. Some of the proposed major policies outlined include: Divestment to promote economic and infrastructural development A system of transparency, equity and accountability Incentives to promote social capital formation and for the preservation of natural resources and the environment Optimum utilization of land resource through prudent selection and monitoring Minimize speculation through analytical and built in mechanism in processing.
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Policy to guide Divestment of Government Owned Houses Complimentary to the Divestment Manual, is the policy to guide the lease and sale of Government-owned houses to Civil Servants. This policy provides for procedures to promote fairness, equity and transparency. Stakeholder consultation has been completed and I shall be signing off on this policy soon.

Revision of National Land Policy (NLP) 1996 As we are all aware the National Land Policy is now over 16 years old. We have made progress in reviewing this policy on a chapter by chapter basis to ensure that it is aligned to and facilitates us achieving Vision 2030. The principles of sustainable development are being infused in all areas in the policy because it is critical that we use in a sustainable manner our most vital resource-the land. The sections on Agriculture Land Use and Settlement strategy have been completed. The chapter on the National Spatial Data Infrastructure is far advanced and we are targeting the completed policy by or before the end of 2013/14.

Legislative framework We continue to seek to improve the legislative framework governing land administration and I have already mentioned The Crown Property Vesting Act (Amendment) Bill which will shortly be taken to the Legislative Committee. The amendments will not only enshrine the Land Divestment Advisory Committee (LDAC) in statute but will also outline the composition of the Committee, its appointment and other related matters.

Land Administration and Management Programme (LAMP) LAMP was established to implement a number of recommendations contained in the National Land Policy. One of its major activities is the establishment of a dynamic land market in Jamaica that will provide efficient use of resources and accessibility to all segments of society, in a fair and transparent manner.

Of the estimated over 800,000 land parcels in Jamaica, approximately forty five (45%) per cent of land parcels in Jamaica are still not registered. In addition, because we largely do not administer estates and continue to dispose of land informally, a large number of registered titles do not reflect existing property rights. This is because over the years there has been a failure to update the register. As a result these valuable assets continue to be traded outside the formal economy. This does not bode well for the development of our nation.

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LAMP has now been expanded to cover all parishes except Kingston, Saint Andrew, Portmore and its Environs. We are also exploring the feasibility of declaring parts of rural Saint Andrew as project areas as I gather that many land owners have been approaching LAMP for its service and our objective is to assist them. This Government is dedicated to creating an ownership society, and so we will use LAMP to address titling for these land settlement beneficiaries who have been waiting for too long to receive their Titles. In an effort to expand its services, GoJ through LAMP had entered into a public/private partnership for a privately financed expansion programme with a South Korean Company, the Korea Cadastral Survey Corporation (KCSC) and Geoland Title Limited, a Jamaican Project Management Company. KCSC invested the amount of just over US$2 Million to privately finance the venture, with the expectation that they would recover cost if they were able to undertake at least 12,500 applications for Titles. There have been challenges with land tenure issues in the field. However, KCSC has stated that they remain committed to the task and are prepared to invest more of their money to further cadastral mapping and tenure clarification in Jamaica. Results Under LAMP II, as at May 31, 2,653 land parcels have been cadastrally surveyed and 3,749 parcels have been placed in the digital Cadastral Map data base for St Elizabeth. Of the over 4,800 files opened, 697 applications for Titles have been made. 205 Titles have been completed and another 384 have been provisionally approved. The issues which have negatively affected LAMP 2 range from land owners not being able to get their names on the tax roll, to affordability and root of Title issues. These issues have dogged the LAMP programme for years and have their root in our cultural habits which have stayed with us from Emancipation. We therefore must adjust our system of land administration and take into account our cultural norms. We must meet the people at their varying levels and not exclude them because the way in which they buy and sell land does not fit within the framework that was adopted which is in many respects simply alien to the way of life of a significant number of our people. We have undertaken to address these matters head on. Land owners owning land, and in possession of the land must be entered on the tax roll. If this is not done, their land cannot be titled. We are proceeding with the use of the Certificate of Compliance process under the Facilities for Titles Act and the Adjudication Committees under the Special Provisions
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Act in an effort to establish reputed ownership of the land owners. Low cost financing is being provided under Land Access for National Development (LAND) through the Peoples Cooperative Banks firstly in the pilot parishes of Saint Elizabeth, Clarendon and Manchester. We are making efforts to secure an additional amount of J$50 Million from the Petro Caribe Fund which will be used to expand this programme. A Register of Compliance Certificates is also being established by the Agricultural Development Bank in collaboration with LAMP. It is essential that proper records be kept so that the title investigation process is as efficient as possible.

Regulations under the Land Surveyors Act We are moving to address the issue of surveying capacity in Jamaica. The Virtual Reference System (VRS) has been fully established at the expense of over J$30 Million by the Government. This allows surveyors to produce survey plans that can be tied into the national grid at a cheaper and more efficient rate.

The land surveyors must now seek to equip themselves to take advantage of the VRS. We fully intend to implement new Regulations under the Land Surveyors Act to ensure that all plans are tied into the national grid and can be used to build the national cadastral map. This map we need to make land titling cheaper and more efficient. We must move to modernize this area because it affects our competitive edge under the competitiveness enhancement programme and as such impacts doing business in Jamaica. LAMPII Extension In our efforts to create this ownership society, we intend to accelerate the pace of delivery of LAMP services to as many land owners as possible. The prevailing fiscal constraints make the use the (public/private partnership the best option to help us achieve our targets. The Korea Cadastral Survey Corporation KCSC) of South Korea and Geoland Title Limited had earlier this year expressed an interest in extending the LAMP II initiative and we have agreed to extend the contract for a further period with modification of some of the terms and conditions. KOICA Grant The Government, through the efforts of LAMP, has received grant funding in the amount of US$2.1 Million, from the Korea Overseas International Corporation Agency (KOICA).of South Korea. This will be used to facilitate the delivery of land surveys for at least 1,000 needy households in St Mary, St. Ann and Portland and help us to
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accelerate the delivery of some long overdue land settlement Titles. This project is scheduled to get underway in September of this year.

The PMU will receive, under the KOICA project, much needed equipment and valued at US$ 910,000 which will significantly improve its ability to manage the total number of files now over 23,000, as well as to enhance the customer service experience of its clients, its tenure regularization and clarification activities and ultimately help to produce more registered titles. Our sincere gratitude to the Korean Government for its efforts and support in this venture. Additionally, support is also being sought from the Petro Caribe Fund in the amount of J$18 Million, to help to deliver another 1,000 titles to beneficiaries whose titles are in the vault at LAMP but have severe difficulties in completing payments. NATIONAL SPATIAL DATA MANAGEMENT. It has been proven that the countries which have been able to harvest and leverage geospatial information have been able to successfully plan and manage their physical and natural resources. The use of geospatial information is important in communicating issues and designing solutions, for example in the planning of our towns and cities. Geospatial information allows citizens to participate in the development process which is necessary for good governance. Geospatial information management generally supports informed and optimal decision making taking into consideration multiple factors and criteria. This government has been making the necessary investments, in the areas of training and education, technology, data collection and management, systems and processes and the preparation of standards and guidelines to manage the countrys geospatial information. We have been successfully using this information to support management and decision making not only in my Ministry but across all of government. This work is been managed by a small branch of the Ministry and the Land Information Council of Jamaica, a body created by Cabinet, consisting of public, private and tertiary education entities. These entities provide national strategic direction, leadership, policy development, and management of Jamaicas Spatial Data Infrastructure. Its responsibilities make it central to the promotion and growth of Jamaicas geospatial sector and most importantly an enabler for national development. The Jamaica Geospatial sector may be described as young and nurturing given the number and types of users and the extent to which the technology is being used. The

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government is the largest user of geospatial technologies with over 35 active geospatial entities. November 16th 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of the Land Information Council of Jamaica. To mark this major milestone, two geospatial sensitization workshops will be held and the anniversary will culminate with the co-hosting of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) Caribbean GIS conference in November 12 to 16 this year, during Geography Awareness Week. In regard to geospatial policy development, work continued with the revision of Chapter 2, of the National Land Policy. We have now progressed to the building of a National Spatial Data Infrastructure for Jamaica. The policy has been updated to facilitate sectoral growth, reflect technological advancements and of course, provide for the geospatial data needs of the government and our people. Metadata Policy Metadata is simply the detailed information that goes into making data. It is, in fact, data about data. All creators and users of geospatial data need to collect and manage metadata. A metadata guideline was prepared some years ago, however the collection and management of metadata are not at the levels of compliance that we wish to have. The metadata portal currently has approximately only one hundred metadata records from 11 government entities that are available to the public for search, viewing and retrieval. The number of records need to be increased and therefore we have begun to work on a metadata policy which will make it mandatory for all creators of geospatial data to collect and maintain metadata. This activity is important as it preserves the millions of dollars of investment made to create geospatial data. We also will be working assiduously to prepare legislation to govern the geospatial industry. After 20 years being guided by policy it has now become necessary to have a firm governance framework. Building capacity-Training GIS Professionals Geospatial institutional strengthening through training and education is another area of work. For the reporting period, 10 courses were delivered which were attended by 167 persons from both the public and private sectors. There was a 50% increase in the number of persons trained when compared to 2010, although still very low in comparison to previous years. For the first time the National Spatial Data Manangement Division, LICJ conducted GIS training in the region, in St. Lucia from April 4-6, 2011. This was done upon the request from the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation. During this hallmark training
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exercise, six St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited employees were successfully trained in Introduction to ArcGIS. Under the GIS in Schools Education Programme, 15 Geography and Social Studies teachers from 9 Ministry of Education Region 2 secondary schools were trained. The schools included Morant Bay High Iona High, Fair Prospect High, Carron Hall High, Tacky High, Port Antonio High, Oracabessa High, Titichfield High and Buff Bay High. The schools are provided with GIS software, data and training material and it is expected that they will incorporate GIS tools in lessons to prepare school based assessment course work, and geography clubs. Support to National Spatial Plan & others. In terms of technical support we have continued to provide technical support to facilitate the preparation of the National Spatial Plan and in collaboration with a multi-agency group have prepared the terms of reference for the collection and conversion of spatial data to facilitate the preparation of four Parish Plans in St. Elizabeth, Clarendon, Hanover and Clarendon. The Office of Cabinet will be providing the lead support and funds for this data collection exercise. Technical support ranging from preparing GIS job descriptions, project design, data collection exercises, technical advice, to project monitoring were provided to, the Ministry of Health, HEART NTA, St. Elizabeth Parish Council and Parish Development Committee, ODPEM, Ministry of Local Government and MOA- RADA- EU Banana Support Programme. Procurement of current satellite imagery The ministry will shortly be contracting the services of an imagery distributor to procure the most current, highest available resolution, true color, imagery of the entire island. The acquisition will be at a cost of J$24.5 million and will be funded by contributions from over 15 geospatial data users. This is the second time that a joined up procurement exercise will be done. It was first done 10 years ago when island wide IKONOS imagery was collected. The imagery will be distributed to over 40 entities to be used in their operations. For 2011 32 government entities inclusive of the Urban Development Corporation, HEART, Rural Physical Planning Division, Water Resources Authority, National Land Agency and the Westmoreland Parish Council requested and received approximately 560 geospatial data sets held in the national repository. Geospatial Network of the Americas (GeoSUR) Jamaica joined over 87 countries, 12 international organizations, private sector entities and a number of United Nations bodies at the first High Level Forum on United Nations, Global Geospatial Information Management in Seoul, Korea, October 24-26, 2011. The forum highlighted the importance of making geospatial data available, and
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the need to develop and strengthen partnerships across the globe to alleviate world issues such as poverty, food security and natural disasters. The major declarations were to: Support the United Nations initiative to foster geospatial information management. Take action to strengthen national, regional and global cooperation to develop global community of geospatial information practice under United Nations Devise processes to promote standards, treatment of geospatial data to enhance management at all levels. Share experiences in policy making, supporting legislation and funding strategies to encourage and develop best practices in geospatial info. Management.

We have been undertaking initiatives in support of these practices and are pleased with the achievements we have made to date. I will shortly obtain Cabinets approval for Jamaica to become a member of The Geospatial Network of the Americas (GeoSUR). This is a regional integration initiative that seeks to integrate and disseminate spatial data from data providers across South and Central America and the Caribbean. GeoSUR provides decision-makers and the public with national and regional digital maps and related data to facilitate the planning of physical infrastructural development and the management and monitoring of the environment among other development objectives. There is much more to be done, however I am convinced that we are on the correct path to have efficient and effective management and access to geospatial data. The future for the growth and development of a local geospatial industry remains positive given technological advances in cloud computing, shared web services, and increased access to earth observation data, growth in public participation in GIS, open data movements and increasing international GIS advocacy by international organizations.

POLICY, PLANNING AND STANDARDS DIVISION Town and Country Planning Act In this financial year, this administration will be moving full speed ahead with the amendments of the Town and Country Planning Act. These amendments will enable greater effectiveness for planning, land use and development in Jamaica. The amendments will also enable improvements to the development approvals process. Some of the major recommendations include: The period for the serving of Stop and Enforcement Notices
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 The role of the Minister versus the role of NEPA The roles of local government especially in relation to enforcement of planning control The empowerment of the Government Town Planner Whether to include Development Plans as legal stand alone Planning instruments or whether to adopt the general permitted development Orders along with development plans as allowed in the Bill. The feasibility of a proposed new environment and planning legislation will also be addressed. Best practices are being researched and drafting instructions for some of the amendments are currently being prepared Gated Communities and Town House Legislation The government will also vigorously pursue the preparation of new legislation to govern the maintenance of and management of common areas in gated communities, town house complexes, commercial complexes etc. This legislation will be similar to the recently promulgated Strata Titles Act which governs the management of apartment complexes. Research has commenced to formulate the proposals for the new legislation and a policy document will be prepared by my Ministry in conjunction with the Real Estate Board. This policy document will inform the preparation of the drafting instructions for the new legislation before the end of the financial year. A Revised Residential Density Zoning Policy for Jamaica The need for a review of residential density zoning standards in Jamaica is a major issue. The increase in urbanization as well as population demand has placed additional stress on the allocation and uses of land. The rapid expansion of urban centres and the finite land resources bring to light the need to review existing residential density standards as an integral part of Jamaicas spatial development strategy. There is a need to increase densities especially in the urban areas to maximize the use of scarce land resources and to take advantage of economies of scale in respect of infrastructural investments such as central sewerage systems and mass transit. My Ministry in conjunction with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is currently preparing a policy paper for revised residential development densities in Jamaica.

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The paper will inform the preparation of new density standards for urban areas for approval by the Town and Country Planning Authority and the Cabinet after the solicitation of comments/recommendations from the relevant stakeholders.

ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FUTURE Introduction The management of the Environment and Planning issues in the country is a crosscutting theme which affects ALL Sectors! It impacts Health, Agriculture & Fisheries, Water, Housing, Tourism, Mining, Science & Technology and Energyto name a few. The Ministry through its Environmental Management Division and its agency, the National Environment and Planning Agency, (NEPA) will continue to advocate, promote and where necessary enforce the laws that govern and protect the environment, always mindful of the delicate balance that must be achieved between economic development and the preservation and conservation of our natural resources. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT DIVISION Successive administrations have recognized the importance and cross-cutting nature of the environment portfolio and the role it plays in nation building, and over the last 20 years, the country has made some strides in environmental governance. However, much more work is needed to ensure that all Jamaicans can live, work and play in a natural healthy environment. . Vision 2030 includes as national goal No 4 that Jamaica has a healthy natural environment without this goal, achieving our Vision would be challenging, if not impossible. Protection and sustainable use of Jamaicas biodiversity is critical for the prosperity and well being of our nation. In this regard, a number of initiatives related to protected areas are underway. Jamaica has committed to the development of a Protected Areas System Master Plan (PASMP) which promotes a coordinated approach to PAs management within the Government and across the other sectors of society. An important section of the Master Plan concerns the sustainable financing of PAs and proposes strategies to be taken to accomplish this, one of which is the establishment of a National Trust Fund for PAs. The Master Plan is presently being finalized and will be completed this year. Jamaica has also endorsed the Caribbean Challenge Initiative, which now includes ten countries in the Caribbean which have committed to protect at least 20% of their near-shore marine / coastal environment by 2020; to mobilize funding and put in place sustainable funding mechanisms as well as to accelerate and support action to implement the commitments by Government. Two weeks ago, Jamaica co-hosted with Grenada, the first meeting of senior officials of the countries participating in the Caribbean Challenge Initiative to plan for a summit of political and business leaders to be held in the British Virgin Islands in mid 2013.
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The Summit is being hosted by the Governments of Grenada and the British Virgin Islands and Sir Richard Branson (CEO of the Virgin Group of Companies) will host business leaders and CEOs of major corporations to set a new course for the regions marine and coastal environment. Key development partners will also be invited. The event will be an opportunity to: Endorse, at the highest level, new commitments to marine conservation action Announce concrete conservation actions being taken Announce new funding programs and Announce innovative public-private partnerships.

Consolidation of the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica and the Forest Conservation Fund The Government has given approval for the consolidation of two debt swaps the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) and the Forest Conservation Fund (FCF). Through the EFJ, the resources freed from debt are used for environmental protection and conservation and to promote child survival and child development in Jamaica. Under the FCF, Eligible entities are community-based organisations, non-government entities working in forestry/environmental management and conservation that involve local community in planning and project execution, and academia. The name Environmental Foundation of Jamaica will be retained and this would allow for the management of funds related to various environmental issues such as protected areas, climate change, sustainable development, tropical forest conservation, and child survival and development. For the first two years, there will be an Inception Board with the NGO members drawn from the existing members of the board s of the EFJ and the FCF, which would allow for persons knowledgeable about the Funds to guide the new entity in the early years. The majority of the Board will be NGO representatives and the Chairman will be selected from the NGO members. The GOJ will have two voting directors and one non-voting observer on the Board of the restructured entity. Management of Chemicals and Hazardous Wastes As with many developing countries, the environmentally sound management of chemicals and hazardous wastes remains a significant challenge for Jamaica. It is important that we effectively address the deficiencies in the existing legislative, institutional frameworks and physical infrastructure as it relates to the regulation of the chemicals and wastes sectors as in many cases it is the poorest persons within our society which are most at risk from exposure to these toxic and hazardous substances. Indeed, a recent study by the World Health Organization indicated that 4.9 million deaths globally were attributable to environmental exposure to chemicals in 2004. According to the 5th edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-5), there are 248,000 chemical products which are commercially available globally.
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These are products utilized in the agriculture, health, industrial manufacturing, energy extraction and generation sectors. While chemicals have enormous societal and economic benefits, if not managed properly they can have significant and possibly irreversible adverse effects on public health and the environment. With respect to the policy and legislative framework, the Ministry will continue its work on the development of a National Policy and Strategy for the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes. A draft Policy document has already been prepared and will be forwarded to Cabinet for approval as a Green Paper in the second half of the 2012/2013 FY. Under the National Quick Start Programme Trust Fund (QSPTF) Project, the Ministry will assist the Ministry of Health in the 2012/2013 FY with the preparation of drafting instructions for much needed chemicals legislation. This will be an omnibus legislation which will regulate all chemicals, except pesticides and precursor chemicals, throughout their lifecycle, that is, from extraction and manufacture/production to consumption/use to post-consumption disposal. Also, under the National QSPTF Project, work will commence in the current financial year on an inventory of priority chemicals, namely asbestos and mercury and the development of a National Chemicals Emergency Response Plan (NCERP) which will build on the National Chemicals Emergency Response Protocol which was developed through support from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). On the matter of the management of hazardous wastes, the scope of wastes classified as hazardous waste is wide and ranges from waste such as waste batteries to clinical wastes to industrial wastes to waste electrical and electronic assemblies. Jamaica is particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of hazardous wastes as the country does not have proper hazardous waste facilities and hazardous waste streams are mixed with either municipal or solid wastes and disposed of our disposal sites or illegally dumped on land, in gullies or other water courses. We therefore need to build the countrys capacity to effectively deal with the wastes we generate. The private sector and industry must play a more proactive role in providing goods and services to the market which are more environmentally friendly. In addition, we need to further strengthen and expand our existing recovery, reuse and recycling sector to utilize the wastes we generate. Electrical and electronic wastes (e-wastes) is the fastest growing waste stream globally in the 21st century. It is estimated that 20-50 million tonnes of e-wastes are generated annually. In Jamaica in 2010, the proportion of the population that owned computers and mobile phones increased by 9.3% over the previous year.

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The distributors of these products and related accessories, including batteries and chargers, will be required to put the necessary infrastructure in place to recover and recycle or reuse these products. It is unacceptable that such products are being disposed of at the islands disposal sites. Under the National QSPTF Project, the Ministry, in collaboration with the NSWMA and other public and private sector stakeholders, will developing and implementing a National Programme for the environmentally sound management (ESM) of electrical and electronic wastes (e-wastes). The primary focus of the Programme will be the collection and export for recycling of used and end-of-life computing equipment and mobile phones and related accessories. It will also include a pilot Project including communities selected within the Kingston and St. Andrew region and St. Catherine. Wastewater and Sludge Regulations The Ministry in collaboration with the National Environment and Planning Agency has finalized work on the Natural Resources Conservation (Wastewater and Sludge) Regulations. The Regulations will be gazetted within the next two months. These Regulations include requirements for a licence to construct and operate sewage and trade effluent treatment facilities, the treatment and discharge of sewage and trade effluent into the environment, the renewal and modification of licences, and establishes sewage and trade effluent standards. Rio+20 In preparation for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 (Rio+20), a number of consultations were held and Jamaica contributed to the document from which the negotiating text was developed. At the international level, Jamaica participated in the negotiations of the preparatory committee as well as in regional meetings. The main themes of the Conference were a green economy in the context of sustainable development/ poverty eradication; and the institutional framework for sustainable development. Eradicating poverty was seen as the greatest global challenge facing the world today. The decisions included : The establishment of a working group to address the development of Sustainable Development Goals which will follow on the 2015 Millennium Development Goals Adoption of a 10 year Framework of Programmes on sustainable consumption and production and Establishment of an intergovernmental process in the United Nations General Assembly to assess financing needs in order to prepare a report proposing options on an effective Sustainable Development Financing Strategy.

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Of particular interest to Small Island Developing States, was a focus on ocean issues as well as agreement for a meeting in 2014 to follow up on the Conference on the Sustainable development of Small Island States held in Barbados in 1994. One aspect of this engagement is access to information, environmental justice and public participation. Jamaica joined with countries in Latin America which are proposing that a feasibility study be done by ECLAC over the next two years to see whether there should be a regional instrument based on Principle 10 of the Rio Principles of 1992. As we look towards post Rio+20 implementation and preparation for Barbados +20 in 2014, it is critical that there be a strong, effective mechanism in place at both national and regional levels to participate effectively in and prepare for the planned activities. A number of countries China, Italy and Brazil- announced the availability of financial resources available to SIDS including for climate change adaptation activities and these will be followed-up.

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING AGENCY(NEPA) NEPA faces a number of challenges but the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA), the Town and Country Planning Authority (TCPA) and the administration of the Agency have been proactive and are determined to take the necessary action to strengthen the stewardship for protecting and conserving the environment and improving the planning framework in the country. The Agency has experienced success in a number of key deliverables as well as initiatives undertaken during the period under review. It has: Strengthened its monitoring and enforcement capability. Placed greater emphasis on planning and development matters, inter alia, finalising the Development Orders and Plans for selected parishes and areas; continued to work towards the development of a national spatial plan and placing emphasis on Special Areas: Negril, Port Henderson, Blue Lagoon, Portland Cottage and Canoe Valley. NEPA recently completed preparation of the draft Development Order for St Thomas and commenced reconnaissance surveys for the growth centres and rural settlement nodes towards the preparation of the Draft Clarendon Parish Development Order. This means that in order to ensure that a proper management system is in place to guide any proposed development in these areas, all developments will have to be approved by the TCPA instead of being considered at the local parish level. NEPA has continued to be a key secondary player in the national response scheme to pollution incidents. Within the last year, there were 37 pollution incidents, (oil spills, fish kills, chemical spills, air pollution and trade discharges and ship groundings). The Agency responded to these incidents within 24 hours.

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 NEPA has also implemented a Kingston Harbour Environmental Management Programme to encourage major industry players to comply with environmental standards, regulations and permit conditions. Implemented key strategies for the management of major polluters, such as Sugar-producing Sector and Distilleries and the Bauxite/Alumina Industries Developed an effective air quality management programme whereby major and significant facilities in areas, for example, electricity generation, cement production and bauxite and alumina are required to obtain air discharge licence from the NRCA. Strengthened the working relationships with environmental non-governmental organizations, community based organizations and international donor agencies and generally broadened stakeholders participation in environmental programmes Regarding our Environmental Performance record, I am happy to report that during the period 2010 to 2012, Jamaica improved its position on the International Environmental Performance Index, moving from a position of 89 in 2010 to 63 in 2012 out of 151 countries. NEPA has maintained its efforts to achieve timely approval of permits and licenses for developments. The Agency continues to work through the Development Assistance Centre (DAC) to offer pre-application consultation and facilitation. The main purpose of the DAC is to assist developers of large investment projects to adequately prepare their projects to achieve approval within the GOJ 90-day target after formal application. On the point of Applications Management, NEPA has achieved noticeable improvement in the processing of applications in a bid to promote sustainable development particularly of large investment projects. The data indicates that the Agency has been relatively consistent in the number of applications that are processed within 90-days. Over a 3-year period the percentage of applications processed within ninety days has ranged between 77% and 78%. Number of applications processed within 90-days Year Total Received Total Processed Total % of Applications in 90-

Processed in Processed 90-Days Days 78 77 78

2011 - 2012 2010 - 2011 2009 - 2010

1710 1890 2091

1809 2059 1989

1404 1590 1556

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Partnerships NEPA has placed strategic priority on governance and partnerships. Partnerships and good governance are keys to success in achieving the Agencys mandate in an environment of cost containment and bourgeoning environmental problems such as climate change, increased risk of water pollution, air pollution and increased threat from invasive alien species.

Enforcement Actions NEPA has been using a strategy of environmental enforcement to include warning letters and notices, breach notices, enforcement notices cessation orders, stop notices, notice of intention to suspend and summons to improve environmental stewardship. This has led to an increased level of compliance among more companies, developers, businesses and individuals (including government entities). Enforcement Action under the NRCA/TCPA/Beach Control Acts (January-Present) ENFORCEMENT INSTRUMENTS SERVED NUMBER LAWS & BREACHED REGULATIONS

Breach Notices

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Beach Control Act (BCA) 2; Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act (NRCA) Permit & Licence Regs. 26 BCA 7; NRCA Act 18; Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) 4 NRCA Act 2; NRCA Permit & Licence Regs. 12 NRCA Act 7; TCPA 2 NRCA Act TCPA

Warning Notices Warning Letters Enforcement Notices Cessation Orders Stop Notices Notice of Intention to Suspend Summons

29 14 9 3 2 4 4

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There have been 5 successful prosecutions between January and June 2012. The Agency is currently pursuing a number of significant court cases against a number of private developers for breaches of the NRCA Act, Wildlife Protection Act, and Beach Control Act. Last November (18-20) the NRCA/NEPA, Environmental Law Institute, The Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association, The Norman Manley Law School and Jamaica Environment Trust conducted a Judicial Training Seminar for Resident Magistrates to sensitize members of the judiciary. What this sensitization has led to, is an increased awareness in the courts of environmental and planning breaches. There are currently 17 matters in court, (5 related to the NRCA Act, 2 to the TCPA Act, 5 to the Wildlife Protection Act (WLPA) and 5 to the Beaches Control Act). Management of Cays and Protected Areas A Cays Committee has been established by the National Council on Ocean and Coastal Zone Management (NCOCZM) to develop a policy for Cays management. It is critical that the work of the Committee be completed especially in light of the recent interest being paid by developers in securing specific Cays for developmental purposes which may not be in the best interest of conservation and preservation. There is also interest from environmental NGOs and the University of the West Indies (UWI) to develop selected Cays for the purposes of conservation and preservation. This is an issue that will require Ministerial and/or Cabinet policy position. A Coastal Resources and Wetlands Policy is presently being developed which will establish guidelines for the conservation and sustainable management of Jamaicas Wetlands and Coastal Resources including Cays. The Agency has been consulting with a number of stakeholders to establish a national bio-reserve. One challenge which will require ministerial intervention and support is to arrive at a policy position to transfer ownership of the lands to support the establishment of the bio reserve. Special attention will be given to protected areas management. The process has already commenced with the establishment of an Inter-Agency Protected Areas Committee with one of its chief objectives being to develop a Protected Areas System Master Plan. With the help of the UNDP, NEPA is also implementing a project funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the German Bank, UNDP, The Nature Conservancy and the GOJ for just over J$609m to strengthen the financial and operational sustainability of the national protected area. This includes the establishment of a trust fund which will also receive funds from the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund for protected area support.

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The NRCA/NEPA has established partnerships with NGOs through agreements such as Memoranda of Understanding and delegation instrument for the management of protected areas declared under the NRCA Act. There are two existing agreements for the management of the Negril Marine Park and the Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park and one is currently being renewed for the Management of the Montego Bay Marine Park. Currently, the NRCA provides provided financial support to the NGOs by annual subvention of approximately $19M. Management of Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) The Government of Jamaica is a party to the convention on wetlands/morass (Ramsar) the objective of which is to promote the wise use and sustainable use of wetlands. This places tremendous responsibility on the Government through NEPA to ensure that the wetlands are not indiscriminately converted for development purposes. This is significant as a policy position in the overall management of the environment since wetlands play a critical role in preserving ecosystems services, and are one of the first defence mechanisms the country has against high tides and swells associated with climate change and natural hazards such as hurricanes. The country should be proud that in the last financial year, Mason River in Clarendon was declared as Jamaicas 4th Ramsar Site! Therefore along with the other 3 Ramsar sites (Palisadoes/Port Royal, Black River Lower Morass and Portland Bight Protected Areas & Cays) NEPA will place special emphasis on wise and sustainable use of Mason River. Illegal importation/exportation of animals The country faces a minor crisis with the import and export of non-native animals. This presents a significant threat to the nations biodiversity and public health. There has been a pronounced increase in this illicit trade over the past three years. NEPA has led a multi-agency team in response to the problem supported by a public education programme to the tune of J$3Million. The Agency also collaborated with the Veterinary Services Division in closely monitoring pet stores, and will soon lead the charge in developing regulations for the pet trade industry. These strategies have led to a better educated public, greater scrutiny at ports of entry clear and a lull in the illicit trade. Persons in the Agriculture Sector can attest that the importation of foreign species (animals and plants) whether wittingly or unwittingly, can lead to introduction of Invasive Alien Species (IAS). Jamaica has over the years seen an increase in IAS introduction which has affected marine, freshwater and wetland ecosystems. By Invasive Alien Species, I am referring to the Lionfish, the Wild Ginger plant and Paperbark Tree and feral animals (wild pigs, wild cats and wild dogs). Over the last three (3) years NEPA and the Department of Life Sciences of the UWI has been doing research on how to control and manage IAS.
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Extensive public education and awareness activities are taking place and include the erection of a sign in the arrivals lounge of the Norman Manley International Airport discouraging persons from bringing in foreign plants and animals.

Coastal Zone Management Jamaicas Coastal Zone, and the related ecosystems, are our first line of defence from the impending impacts of Climate Change. Therefore, it is important for the country to be concerned with knowing the health of these coastal ecosystems - like mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs. Research has shown that in the last 10 years there has been no change in coral reef cover, particularly the hard corals but the reefs are showing increased bleaching as a result of the stresses of global warming. Additionally, data collected by NEPA have shown that of the 36 beaches monitored, 25% recorded chronic erosion, inclusive of places like Negril, 11% recorded evidence of mild erosion (1 25% loss) and 15% recorded a gain in average beach width. Aside from regular programmatic activities, NEPA has received funding from the European Union (EU) to the tune of J$124.6M to implement a 2-year project with the objective of increasing the resilience of these coastal ecosystems to the impending effects of Climate Change. Negril, will be one of the key beneficiaries of this project, where new technologies will be explored in a bid to help in beach restoration. Other activities include seagrass and mangrove rehabilitation and the installation of artificial reefs. Additionally, NEPA is poised to receive US$5M from the Adaptation Fund for Climate Change to install hard engineering structures in Negril to contribute to long-term beach preservation. This will be welcomed news to the hotel and tourism sectors. The goal is to replicate these climate change adaptation mechanisms in other sensitive areas with severe coastal erosion, such as Old Harbour and Portland Bight. In March of this year there was the grounding of a ship (MV Oceanic Power) on the coral reefs in the Port Royal Cays. NEPA responded to this incident and employed an adopted international Coral Reef Crime Scene Investigation methodology to determine the damage and to state a value of the cost of the damage. The client is currently in the process of commencing rehabilitation works to the reef structure. Pollution Prevention NEPA has continued to encourage voluntary compliance as a special enforcement strategy. A key example of this has been the Kingston Harbour Environmental Management Programme (KHEMP) which was developed to help prevent further deterioration of the Kingston Harbour. The KHEMP was conceptualized in October 2009 as a result of a major pollution incident which occurred in September 2009 (spill of approximately 300,000 tons of sulphuric acid into the Kingston Harbour by Industrial Chemical Company), and built on the previous outputs of the National Kingston Harbour Rehabilitation programme.
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The objective of the KHEMP is to bring all facilities, inclusive of public and private sector entities, which are potential or actual polluters of the Kingston Harbour into compliance with the requisite environmental regulations, standards and guidelines. All enterprises along the rim of the Harbour from Palisadoes to Bog Walk have been targeted and assessed. Some have been cited for breaches under the NRCA/TCPA. Most have been given time in which to remedy the breaches. The compliance strategy used by the Agency focused on facilitation (working together with industry), and enforcement action, as necessary. The level of compliance as a result of the programme has continued to improve. During the last financial year, the Agency conducted assessments of thirty (30) industrial facilities identified as potential polluters of the Kingston Harbour through their impact on the Rio Cobre and the Hope River. The Agency has commenced the implementation of a similar programme for the Black River area. Air Quality Management Good air quality is inextricably linked to quality of life. NEPA has improved the monitoring of air quality in the country, though with limited resources. Jamaica currently has 57 air quality monitoring stations spread across the island; 46 of which are located outside of the Kingston and St. Andrew region. This means that NEPA is widening the network to collect information on ambient air quality and to eventually educate the public on the state of their airsheds. Consequently NEPA has already started its public education campaign in this regard, through the uploading of pertinent national air quality data on its website. Closely related to this is the need to honour the countrys obligations to the Montreal Protocol, which has an objective for countries that have ratified the protocol to gradually phase-out Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). The National Ozone Unit at NEPA has already successfully led the charge in phasing-out of ODS such as Choloroflorocarbons (CFCs) (chemicals used in refrigerant industry) long before the international 2016 target. NEPA continues work in this regard and has commenced the phase-out of Hydro-CFCs (HCFCs) chemicals used in the foam sector with the support of the MultiLateral Fund, UNEP and UNDP. Immediately associated with this are the issues related to Illicit Fires & Burning at Riverton. A dangerous and disastrous practice has developed on the perimeter of the Riverton Dump over the past twelve to eighteen months. Persons have been burning tyres and other flammables to reap metal. On any given morning at least 8 major burning occurrences can be seen. The impact being that the major corridors of the City become polluted from the activity. This matter requires cross-ministerial collaboration for resolution (between MWLE&CC, MLG&CD and MoH). An interministerial committee has been set up to discuss, strategize and implement a plan of action to reduce the frequency of the hazards and the risks associated with burning.

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Response to Pollution Incidents NEPA has continued to be a key secondary player in the national response scheme to pollution incidents. Within the last year, there have been 37 pollution incidents (oil spills, fish kills, chemical spills, air pollution, sewage and trade discharges and ship groundings). The Agency responded to these incidents within twenty four hours. Pollution Incidents by type and number Type Fish Kills Chemical Spills Oil Spills Dunder Sewage Fires Dust Pollution Mal Odour Unknown Pollution Total River Number 13 8 2 4 (1 as Fish Kill) 4 2 3 1 1 37

NEPA has spearheaded an initiative, supported by PAHO, to develop a National Chemical Emergency Response Plan, including a Chemical Emergency Response Protocol . The latter has been completed as a draft which has been forwarded to ODPEM for review and approval with a view towards implementation. For this financial year, the Agency intends to complete the Pollution Incident Response Protocol.

Spatial Planning Town and Country Planning or urban and regional planning is critical to the orderly and progressive development of Jamaica and to ensuring that there is a balance among the competing demands for use of land. Proper Spatial Planning continues to be a challenge to the country. NEPA continues to work on completion of Development Orders (legal documents prepared under the Town and Country Planning Act (1957) which guide development activity in the area to which the order apply); the National
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Atlas of Jamaica which focuses on the islands physical characteristics, natural resources, population and land use patterns, social facilities and transportation; and the National Spatial Plan which is intended to provide the framework for national spatial planning. The country is in receipt of assistance from the Caribbean Development Bank to complete the National Spatial Plan. The project is being administered by the Ministry with technical work to be completed by NEPA with the help of Specialists. Work on this plan is expected to begin this fiscal year and will last for 18 months.

FORESTRY DEPARTMENT Jamaicas Forests 30% or approximately 335,000 hectares of Jamaicas landmass has been classified as forests. Unfortunately too many of us view these wooded areas as just bush to be chopped and burnt and the land developed or used for agricultural purposes. This has resulted in an annual deforestation rate of 0.1% or the removal of approximately 300 hectares of forests every year. Our forests are irreplaceable and are as important to us as the very air that we breathe. One of the key functions of our forests is carbon sequestration, which is the removal of carbon dioxide from out atmosphere. At the local level, the forests: Regulate water supplies Prevent or reduce landslides and flooding Assist in the maintenance of soil fertility for agriculture Provide income through nature related Tourism Provide for cultural and aesthetic values important to society. And at the national level, our forests Enhance environmental stability and security Provide possibilities for recreation and related services for local use and for the expansion of the tourism sector/industry At the Global level, the forests Absorb carbon dioxide thereby reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, which held to decrease global warming Help regulate global climatic conditions and mitigate the effects of climate change Have a key role in maintaining the biological diversity of plants and animals It is for these reasons that forests on crown lands across the island are protected under the Forest Act 1996 and Regulations of 2001. While no forest reserve is excluded, a few are given greater prominence based on the level of endemism and biodiversity.

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Mining in the Cockpit Country Over the years there have been on-going, rigorous and heated discussions about the Cockpit Country and the possibility of the area being mined for bauxite. Today I would like to lay the issue to rest. The Cockpit Country constitutes about 2.1% of the land area of Jamaica, mostly within the West-Central region of the island and is an important Centre of Jamaicas natural and cultural heritage. It consists of the largest remaining block of moist tropical/wet limestone forest in Jamaica. The Cockpit Country is the second largest expanse of contiguous forest remaining on the island, with the 22,327 hectare Cockpit Country Forest Reserve at its heart. This feature is unique to 3 locations worldwide. The Cockpit Country is a karstic area characterized by dense formations of rounded peaks and step-sided, bowl-shaped depressions sculpted over millennia by erosion and chemical dissolution of limestone. This has resulted in an extensive network of caves. The area supplies 40% of the islands freshwater resources. The concentration of endemism in the Cockpit Country is one of the most remarkable in the world. 27 of Jamaicas 28 endemic bird species are found in the area, along with 1,500 species of plants and several species of amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates. It is likely that the sole viable population of the endemic, globally endangered giant swallowtail is confined to the Cockpit country and up to 95 percent of the worlds Black-billed parrots one of two threatened endemic Jamaican parrots live in the Cockpit Country. The area is also home to the endangered Jamaican Blackbird. However, the Cockpit Country with its high level of endemism also contains significant deposits of bauxite. In 2006, due to concerns raised by various stakeholders regarding proposed mining in the Cockpit Country and the significant threat to the biodiversity in the area, the Ministry of Agriculture through Mines and Geology division contracted the Department of Geography and Geology at the University of the West Indies to undertake a study to define the boundaries of the Cockpit country and the area that can receive protection under the law. However, the area is far too important to the countrys cultural and environmental heritage to have it jeopardized in this manner. Mining in the area could essential destroy the resources found there. For example the endangered Jamaican Blackbird forages primarily on bromeliads, which are epiphytic plants growing on the branches of trees. Bromeliads are especially vulnerable to forest fragmentation and caustic dust from mining.

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Very shortly we will have to make a decision as to what allowable activities can take place in the Cockpit Country. I have been meeting with various stakeholders to determine the boundaries and what activities will be allowed. This area is far too important to the countrys cultural and environmental heritage to have it jeopardized in this manner. Mining in the area could essentially destroy the resources found there. The Forestry Department is finalizing a management Plan for the Cockpit Country. The comprehensive document will identify the roles and synergies among the major stakeholders including community members, operating in the area. Our energies must now be focused on reforestation, not just in the Cockpit but in all reserves islandwide. We have secured funding for consultations to take place with stakeholders in the Cockpit Country area and the general public on the proposed boundary and management plans for the Cockpit Country. The Forestry Department The Forestry Department is the agency that has as its mandate, the protection and conservation of forests on government land. Since becoming an executive agency in 2010, the Forestry Department has been evaluating and revising its processes to make it more efficient, effective, and customer oriented. In keeping with this improved mode of operation, I deemed it fit and have so given my approval for the name of the organization to be changed to the National Forestry Agency. I will soon be making a submission to Cabinet to this effect, and thereafter the public awareness and education programme will be launched. During the last financial year, the Forestry Department continued with its reforestation activities with the replanting of approximately 275 hectares of land under projects and recurrent budgets. An additional 522 hectares was maintained to support establishment. A total of approximately 220 thousand seedlings were produced and distributed islandwide. As I indicated earlier only a third of Jamaica is still forest. Of this portion, two thirds is owned by private individuals. That means partnership is of the utmost importance. The agency continues to court small, medium and large landowners to participate in its private planting programme. Under the programme, the participants are given seedlings free of cost as well as technical advice on the species to be planted. Currently there are approximately 3,000 participants in the programme. While we can replant new trees, we cannot plant a forest. They are irreplaceable. A key strategy being employed by the agency to ensure sustainable forest management, is the direct involvement of communities in the preservation and conservation efforts. Last year, three (3) new local forest management committees were established, bringing to eleven (11) the number of such committees operating islandwide.

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The communities that participate in these committees are able to engage in income earning activities that do not interfere with the sustainability and integrity of the forest resources. Draft Forest Policy There will soon be a new forest policy for Jamaica. Jamaicas previous forest policy was adopted in 1996, and amended in 2001. The forest policy 2012 sets out a vision, principles and goals relating to Jamaicas forestry sector. It addresses both national priorities for forests including conservation, protection and reforestation of forest ecosystems, as well as the need for forests to be supportive of rural livelihoods and uses as well as mitigation for Climate Change. The Forest Policy 2012 indicates priority areas that will be continued, as well as additional/new areas for reform of the Forest Act 1996. It also identifies new objectives and measures to be taken by the Agency. The Forest Policy 2012 seeks to: Improve the legal and institutional framework for the development, management, and conservation of all forests in Jamaica. Protect Jamaicas biodiversity and safeguard national forest treasures of cultural, recreational and historical value through a variety of regulatory approaches. Outline measures to improve transparency and accountability in the management and use of Jamaicas forest resources. Expand the jurisdiction of the Forestry Department to facilitate the protection and conservation of trees, forests and mangroves on private lands. Incentivize the preservation of standing natural forest. Provide a broader framework to support community participation in forest management. Promote sustainable forest management as a means to improve the quality of life of the people who live close to, and rely on forest resources. Encourage, through appropriate incentives, the prioritization of the restoration of the forest cover on denuded and degraded lands. Consultations are currently underway to solicit the input of all the major stakeholders. At the end of the process, Jamaica should have a Forest Policy that is comprehensive, and able to respond to the needs of the changing forest environment. Also this financial year, drafting instructions will be issued for the revision of the Forest Act, 1996. The revision will make the legislation more broad-based and current. 2012-2013 Financial Year For this financial year, the forestry department, with funding through the E.U. Climate Change Adaptation Disaster Risk Reduction Project, will undertake several activities. Chief among them is the determination of the percentage change in Jamaicas forest cover.

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The new deforestation figures will give us a clear indication of the direction of the Agencys replanting efforts. The Agencys nurseries will also be rehabilitated under the project, to improve production and efficiency in its operations, and a Forest Fire Management Plan for the island will be developed. The Forestry Department also expects to plant an additional 160 hectares of denuded land and to have 2,600 hectares of land gazetted as forest reserves. It is expected that 640 persons will be employed under this programme. As the Forestry Department continues to involve the community, 5 additional Local Forest Management Committtees will be established.

CLIMATE CHANGE WE MUST CHANGE Climate Change is the epochal, multi-sectoral issue of our time which even at this very early stage is proving to be disruptive and regressive, attacking the natural and built environment, our economy and our society. This universal phenomenon is threatening the very economic base on which we seek to build our country and the time honored traditions inherent in our culture. Without our collective concerted actions Climate Change could prove to be a major obstacle in achieving the goals of making Jamaica a better place to live, work, raise families and do business. For instance, this week in the world, we have seen the random and devastating impacts of climate change. The southern USA is experiencing the worst drought since 19561. While fighting forest fires in the North West, there is flooding in the north east and mud slides in Canada. Japan and Russia are simultaneously experiencing severe flooding with rising death tolls. Europe is also inundated with episodes of flooding, while Greece has now declared a state of emergency because of drought and forest fires. Already 16 people have died as a result of the sub zero temperatures being experienced in Chile. What the world is experiencing and what we are seeing is not just a Climate Change crisis but the unfolding of a horror story. Indeed we are all adrift in the same boat, and there is no way half the boat is going to sink. The Caribbean Region is not immune to climate change, on the contrary we are the most vulnerable. And I want to emphasize,, that although we produce less than 1% of greenhouse gas emissions that give rise to Climate Change as a group of Small Island Developing States, we pay the heaviest price.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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For instance, the Caribbean region saw extremely warm sea temperatures in 2005 which caused the largest bleaching of coral reefs in the region, to date. This event wiped out as much as 70% of the reefs in some countries2. Not only did this result in the loss of biodiversity, but also our natural barriers to hurricanes and storm surges as well as significant loss of livelihoods of fishers and tourism entities. One silent impact of climate change on our Blue Economy is the increased acidification of our oceans. One can anticipate the impact of this acidification of the exoskeletons of valuable marine species such as Conch. I dont have to remind that our conch industry not only contributes significantly to the GDP but is a major industry on which many fishers and their families depend. We cannot afford, as a nation to lose this valuable export. Already loss from agricultural exports alone was valued at US$30 to 50 Billion dollars for the region.3 In total if we do not act now, then it is estimated that Latin America and the Caribbean will stand to lose US$100 Billion annually as a result of climate change. In bringing the climate change crisis closer to home, within Latin America and the Caribbean, Jamaica is listed as having the 2nd highest economic risk exposure to two or more hazards.4 This means that the impact of each disaster independently and cumulatively has had significant impact on Jamaicas economic progress and affects the GDP in a negative way. For example in 2004, agriculture contributed J$13.8 billion to the GDP, but Hurricane Ivan cost the industry J$8.5 billion in damage. According to the IDB/ECLAC WWF Report, in the ten year period between 1998 and 2008, disasters cost our country US$14 billion per year.5 It is clear. As a nation we must protect, prepare, adapt and mitigate against the increasing impacts of climate change and climate variability. We must aim to build a climate resilient society and defend the gains that we have made, as well as protect our prospects for future development. Climate Change knows no boundaries nor does it discriminate against social class, colour, religion, nor might I add, does it know ministerial or political boundaries. Climate Change illustrates humankinds interconnectedness across national boundaries. We did not see Hurricane Allen, Gilbert or Ivan needing a visa to come to Jamaica did we?

2 3

Allen and Garcia-Navarro, 2010 IDB/ECLAC and WWF Report 4 Natural Disaster Hotpsot Study done by the World Bank in 2008. 5 IDB/ECLAC and WWF

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On January 2, 2012, the Most Honorable Prime Minister kept the promise of the 2006 Manifesto and established for the first time, a Climate Change Ministry. She mandated me with the responsibility for the Portfolio. I will proudly state that Jamaica is the first small island Developing State and one of the few globally that has established a Ministry of Climate Change.6 Building on the establishment of this Ministry, on April 19, 2012, the Most Honorable Prime Minister took another step and established a Climate Change Advisory Board. This comprised a multi-sectoral group of experts who were charged with certain responsibilities, and among their early tasks are to:1)Establish a Climate Change Department 2)Prepare a Climate Change Policy 3) Educate and build public awareness on climate change and 4) Seek additional bilateral and multi lateral support for climate change projects. In 2006, this Administration proposed the creation of a Climate Change Unit to help drive Jamaicas coordination and management of the countrys climate change efforts. This has been met through the second directive given by the Most Honorable Prime Minister On January 2, 2012 which was to establish, not just a unit, but a Climate Change Department. I am pleased to announce that with the assistance of the UNDP, two international consultants were provided and have now submitted a draft report for the establishment of the Climate Change Department. It is my intention to have this Department up and running by the end of the year. I have recognized the need for the development of an overarching, cohesive policy framework to address climate variability and change. I have recognized that more congruence and consistency among various sector polices are needed to attack the impacts of climate change. To deal quickly with this, I will be hosting, with the support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) a National Climate Change Workshop, at the Wyndham Kingston Hotel, from July 26 27, 2012. From this workshop, we will develop a comprehensive Climate Change policy framework and road map by year end, while identifying existing gaps that need to be addressed immediately.

I would like to emphasize at this point, that this workshop has already gained international attention, Donor Agency representatives (World Bank, IDB, USAID) will begin arriving from Washington DC., as of Wednesday, July 25. It is my hope that we
6

UNDP Technical Report

53

will attract additional financial and technical support from these donor agencies to fill the gaps identified at the Workshop. We have proceeded with a number of initiatives and projects which target adaptation to climate change and I would like to highlight a few. The EU and UNEP funded Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Project. This project has gained significant ground in fulfilling its objectives to strengthen Jamaicas adaptive capacity and contribute to sustainable development We have rehabilitated and improved the management of the Hope and White River/Rio Bueno watersheds. Of the proposed 300 hectares we have already rehabilitated 240 hectares. In giving the Blue Economy the importance it deserves, we have sought to increase the resilience of our coastal ecosystems to climate change impacts through a number of activities.

We have replanted 5.04 hectares of mangrove in Portland Cottage and will be replanting 1.98 hectares at Refuge Cay (Kingston Harbour) starting in August. In August we will also be restoring areas of seagrass in Long Bay, Negril as well as we will be officially installing Artificial Reefs in Old Harbour Bay and Negril. All this is in an effort to develop our coastal resilience. Public Awareness Public awareness about climate change continues to be one of the Ministrys primary objectives. A public awareness campaign was launched on the 23 rd of March, 2012, World Meteorological Day. To date, we have covered four (4) parishes, and have engaged the entertainment fraternity, creating climate change songs as well as skits and plays which have been used to engage society. In addition to this, we have held numerous climate change awareness workshops in Portland Bight and Long Bay, Negril. The Road to Qatar- the 18th UN Framework Convention on Climate Change From as far back as 2006 that this Administration promised, in our Manifesto, to become an active and effective voice in the global and regional debate on climate change. I am pleased to announce that we have kept that promise. We have actively participated in climate change conferences, even as recently as RIO +20 as well as negotiations in Johannesburg and Copenhagen . We will be present at the next Conference of Parties in Qatar.

54

This has helped in positioning Jamaica to benefit from recent developments, as well as to access to funding and initiatives in international fora. On this note it is with pleasure that I inform this Honorable House that The Adaptation Fund Board has approved a grant of US$10 Million (J$850 million) to Jamaica for a Climate Change Adaptation Programme that will introduce measures to protect livelihoods and food security in communities that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of Climate Change. In this regard, I take this opportunity to thank the Met Office and PIOJ. The Project will focus on improving land and water management for the agriculture sector, strengthen coastal protection, and build institutional and local capacities for climate change adaptation in the Parishes of: Westmoreland (western) Manchester (north-eastern) Clarendon (northern) St. Mary (southeastern) St. Ann (south-western) Trelawny (southern) and St. Thomas (western). The old adage of Rome burning while Nero fiddled will never be used to describe us, not when the impacts of climate change are manifesting themselves more and more and with increasing ferocity. We are in a race against time. We are crossing a threshold into uncharted territory. While there is no precedent to guide us, we have had to find the courage to look the reality of Climate Change in the eye and swiftly do what we need to do, in order to ensure that we create a climate resilient and sustainable Jamaica, that is an enviable place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.

THE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE Pending the establishment of the Ministrys Climate Change Department, the Meteorological Division continues to function as Climate Change focal point for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). As such, it has actively participated in meetings of the Subsidiary Bodies in Bonn, Germany during May and June. The Meteorological Service Division remains committed to the monitoring of weather conditions over Jamaica and the wider Region, especially during this years Hurricane Season. With almost a third of the Season already gone, adequate staffing is in place and resources have been allocated to ensure that equipment remains operational and the nation will remain fully informed and warned in the event of a tropical cyclone threat. The Division has also made steady progress in the establishment of a Quality Management System for aeronautical meteorological services provided through the National Meteorological Centre at the Norman Manley International Airport. The goal is to complete the process and apply for ISO Certification by the end of October 2012.
55

Afterword Let me hope that this report has provided you with a much better understanding and appreciation of the achievements and future prospects of the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change.

Robert D. Pickersgill Minister

56

APPENDIX 1
RURAL WATER SUPPLY LTD. LIST OF PROJECTS, COST ESTIMATE, POPULATION & DURATION

No.

PROJECT

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ELECTORAL DIVISION Negril

COST ESTIMATE J$410m

POPULATION

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD 24months

Non Pariel/Orange Hill/ Retirement Westmoreland, West MP - Wykeham McNeil

Extension of the Lucea Negril System to include extracting 4 MLD gallon from Logwood source, installation of a new transmission and construction of two relift stations and storage reservoir Source modification at Cresser's Spring, refurbish pumping station at Agualta Vale, construct two intermediate pumping stations, major distribution improvement in Highgate and Islington, drill and develope a new well at Chovy

20,290

Agualta vale/ Highgate/ Islington/ Richmond - St. Mary, South Eastern/West/West Central MP - Winston Green

Islington Richmond Highgate

J$772m

29,191

36 months

57

RURAL WATER SUPPLY LTD.

LIST OF PROJECTS, COST ESTIMATE, POPULATION & DURATION

No.

PROJECT

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ELECTORAL DIVISION Mountainside

COST ESTIMATE J$45m

POPULATION

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD 12 months

Burnt Savannah / Knockwood - St. Elizabeth, South West MP - Hugh Buchanan Bull Head/ Mason River/ Kellits/ Snady River Clarendon, North MP - Horace Dalley

Upgrade the distribution pipelines from Burnt Savannah storage tank to Knockwood and environs Construct intake structure and chlorine contact tank to abstract water from the Bullhead source. Install gravity pipeline and construct storage reservoir Improve distribution pipeline to New Roads, Leamington, Jonhson, Amity and Bethel Town

2,401

Kellits

J$75m

6,127

12 months

Distribution Improvement Westmoreland, Eastern MP - Luther Buchanan

Leamington

J$75m

17 months

58

RURAL WATER SUPPLY LTD.

LIST OF PROJECTS, COST ESTIMATE, POPULATION & DURATION

No.

PROJECT

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ELECTORAL DIVISION Sandy Bay

COST ESTIMATE J$195m

POPULATION

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD 24 months

Cascade/ Claremont/ Jericho - Hanover, Eastern MP - D.K. Duncan

Interconnect to the Great River Lucea pipeline, construct a relift station at Paradise to pump to storage reservoir to be constructed at German Hill, gravity from German Hill to feed Claremont, Retreat and Jericho, construct relift station at Pengat, construct transmission pipeline from proposed relift station to tank at Cascade, gravity feed to feed Ponside and environs De-silt and repair the intake structure on the Clyde River, install parallel pipelines and increase capacity of storage reservoir

9,235

Clydesdale/ Content Gap/ Guava Ridge - St. Andrew, East Rural MP - Damion Crawford

Gordon Town Mavis Bank

J$50m

4,322

16 months

59

RURAL WATER SUPPLY LTD.

LIST OF PROJECTS, COST ESTIMATE, POPULATION & DURATION

No.

PROJECT

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ELECTORAL DIVISION Seaforth White Horses

COST ESTIMATE J$105m

POPULATION

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD 18 months

Seaforth / Whitehall/ Soho - St. Thomas, West MP - James Robertson

Relocate the Whitehall filter plant, improve intake structure at Plantain Garden River source, upgrade distribution system Rationalize the existing well sources: Little Park well, Newell well, Hounslow well etc. Reconstruct the Parottee well, construct a new storage reservoir, expand transmission and distribution network Rehabilitate the Dornoch treatment plant and pumping station, upgrade the transmission and distribution pipelines, realign distribution pipeline running cross country

16,827

Barbary Hall/ North Parottee - St. Elizabeth, South West MP - Hugh Buchanan

MountainSide Pedro Plains

J$889m

21,108

29.5 months

10

Dornoch/ Jackson Town/ Stewart Town - Trelawny Northern MP - Patrick Atkinson

Duncan

J$180m

9,838

24 months

60

RURAL WATER SUPPLY LTD.

LIST OF PROJECTS, COST ESTIMATE, POPULATION & DURATION

No.

PROJECT

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ELECTORAL DIVISION Sligoville

COST ESTIMATE J$35m

POPULATION

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD 9 months

11

Richard Hall/ Mt. Dawson St Catherine, North Central MP - Natalie Neita Henry

Install new transmission pipeline from Well G to Richard Hall and from Richard Hall to mount Dawson. Upgrade relift station, repair storage reservoir and install new distribution pipelines Equip the Green Park Well, install transmission and distribution pipeline, construct storage reservoir and relift station, extend system to serve Bamboo Construct raw water intake and pumping station on the Quashi river, construct slow sand filter plant, install transmission and distribution pipelines, repair and refurbish storage reservoir

1,616

12

Higgin Town - St. Ann, North East MP - Shahine Robinson

Lime Hall

J$ 150m

9,490

24 months

13

Albert Town - Trelawny, Southern MP - Marisa DalrymplePhilibert

Albert Town

J$179.2m

6,605

24 months

61

RURAL WATER SUPPLY LTD.

LIST OF PROJECTS, COST ESTIMATE, POPULATION & DURATION

No.

PROJECT

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ELECTORAL DIVISION Oracabessa

COST ESTIMATE J$290m

POPULATION

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD 24 months

14

Mason Hall - St. Mary, West MP Joylan Silvera

Abstract water from the White River source, construct water treatment plant and pumping station, construct storage reservoir, install transmission and distribution pipelines within Mason Hall service area Drill and develope new well at Evergreen, install transmission and distribution pipelines, repair existing storage reservoir, construct a new storage reservoir. Develope the White Hall well and construct well pumping station, install transmission and distribution pipelines, construct relift station and storage reservoir

7,111

15

Mile Gully - Manchester, North West MP - Mikael Phillips

Mile Gully

J$250m

9,235

24 months

16

Whitehall / New Market St. Elizabeth MP - J.C. Hutchinson

New Market

J$145m

4,094

24 months

62

RURAL WATER SUPPLY LTD.

LIST OF PROJECTS, COST ESTIMATE, POPULATION & DURATION

No.

PROJECT

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ELECTORAL DIVISION Garlands

COST ESTIMATE J$89m

POPULATION

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD 18 months

17

Elderslie/ Niagara/ Garlands - St James, South MP - Deryck Kellier

Upgrade the Node Spring source at Eldeslie, install transmission and distribution pipelines, construct storage reservoir. Possible interconnect Tangle River source Upgrade distribution pipelines and install service connections within Mitchel Town Construct spring entombment and install gravity pipeline

6,003

18

Mitchell Town Clarendon, South East MP - Rudyard Spencer Nine Turns/ Etric Hall Clarendon, North West MP - Richard Azan Prospect/ Grange/ Rock Spring - Hanover, Western MP - Ian Hales

Rocky Point

J$35m

9,248

12 months

19

Franfield

J$15m

877

8 months

20

Construct relift station and commission pipeline from Prospect to Kendal, construct service reservoir Install relift stations, transmission and distribution pipeline and storage reservoir at CarrisBrook

Green Island Cauldwell

J$53.6m

3,904

12 months

21

Maggotty - St. Elizabeth, North West MP - J.C. Hutchinson

Lacovia

J$120m

7,111

18 months

63

RURAL WATER SUPPLY LTD.

LIST OF PROJECTS, COST ESTIMATE, POPULATION & DURATION

No.

PROJECT

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ELECTORAL DIVISION Dry Harbour

COST ESTIMATE J$108m

POPULATION

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD 18 months

22

Queenhythe - St. Ann, North West MP- Dayton Campbell

Develop and equip well, install transmission and distribution pipelines, construct storage reservoir

6,926

23

John's Groyne - St. Catherine, North Western MP - Robert Pickersgill

Extend spring source by Treadways installing pipeline to serve Palms, Treadways and McGrath High School

J$17m

4,802

3 months

Note: Three additional projects are to be added to the list based on water supply needs

64

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