“It Haffi Legal” Public Education Campaign

Minister of Land and the Environment, Hon. Dean Peart will officially launch a new public Education Campaign entitled “It Haffi Legal” on World Environment Day, Thursday June 5, 2003, at a function to be held at Emancipation Park, New Kingston, starting at 10:00 a.m.

Aimed at promoting greater understanding of and compliance with environmental and planning laws in Jamaica, the campaign incorporates several strategies including a radio jingle, music video and a series of posters produced by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) under the Ridge to Reef Watershed (R2RW) Project. A compliance and Enforcement Pocket Guide, produced by the Ridge to Reef Watershed Project in conjunction with the Environmental Action (ENACT) programme, also form part of the public education campaign. The Ridge to Reef Watershed Project is a joint venture of the government of Jamaica (GOJ) and the government of the United States through its Agency for International Development (USAID). The Environmental Action (ENACT) programme is a joint project of the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

The “It Haffi Legal” campaign highlights messages relevant to the Beach Control Act, Watershed Protection Act, Wildlife Protection Act and the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act administered by NEPA. Messages related to The National Solid Waste Management Authority Control Act, Mines and Quarries Act, County Fires Act and the Public Health Act are also included in the campaign, which targets the general public.