NEWS RELEASE
December 5, 2003

For immediate release

Environment Ministry Increases Coastal Zone Rehabilitation Efforts.

.injection of US$0.5 million by the Inter-American Bank to bolster plans

The Government of Jamaica recently secured a grant of US$0.5 million to aid its development of appropriate institutional arrangements to effectively manage the Kingston Harbour .

The project which is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank will run for twenty-four months and will end in July 2006.

The focus of the project is to develop the Habour as a common property resource and to deal with industrial waste from entities cited around the Harbour.

Leonie Barnaby, Senior Director in the Ministry of Land and Environment (MLE) recently made this announcement on behalf of Land and Environment Minister, Dean Peart.

The occasion was the official opening and rededication of the Jacob Taylor Beach at Silver Sands in Duncans, Trelawny.

The event marked the first in a number of beaches to be divested by the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA), as part of an effort to increase public access to beaches across Jamaica .

In addressing the audience, Ms Barnaby indicated that the NRCA recently earmarked funds for a beach rehabilitation programme.

She said that, as part of the project, the Fort Charles Beach in St. Elizabeth and Boston Beach in Portland were recently advertised for lease.

Ms Barnaby emphasized that, maintenance of the resources is critical and used the opportunity to invite users of the beaches to treat them well so that they may remain in good condition for a long time.

A monument in honour of Jacob Taylor was also unveiled, at the event, by his widow Ruby Taylor and mayor of Trelawny, His Worship Councillor Jonathan Bartley.

Althea Johnson, Director in the Ministry of Industry and Tourism brought greetings on behalf of Tourism Minister Aloun Ndombet Assamba and Andre Kong of the Fisheries Division in the Ministry of Agriculture brought greetings on behalf of the Ministry.

Others in attendance included: James Rawle, Chairman of the NRCA, Prem Chadeesingh of the Caribbean Customs Vacation Limited, who will manage the beach, Mark Lindsay, President of the Craft Vendors Association and Reverend Father Alwyn Hall of the St. Barnabas Anglican Church.

Franklin McDonald, Chief Executive Officer of NEPA, emceed the function.

The Jacob Taylor Beach at Silver Sands was renamed in honour of former civil servant Jacob Taylor, who dedicated thirty-nine years of public service to the development and administration of the Beach Control Act of 1956.

He worked with the Beach Control Authority and its successors the Natural Resources Conservation Division (NRCD) and the NRCA.