IN a move to protect its wetlands and the vast biological diversity they support, Jamaica is to formulate a wetlands policy that is, among other things, to determine how such sites are managed.

While it is still early days, the national policy is expected to have teeth, and should impact future developments, including hotels and housing settlements on the island.

"It is important to note that wetlands have values beyond the values for their removal and replacement with hotels, housing and farms. Studies have shown that when the full value of a wetland is calculated, it is worth about four times more than the value of converting the wetland," the Ministry of Local Government and Environment said in response to inquiries from the Observer.

"This speaks to the need for good information on which to make decisions about wetlands, and the use of other natural resources, in order for the goal of sustainable development to be realised in the medium to longer-term," the ministry added.
In the meantime, a wetland concept note, a precursor to a draft policy, is being worked on, and is to be completed by the end of the 2007/2008 financial year.

"There exists already four draft documents that will provide some of the issues, identification and analysis necessary for the concept note. The documents relate to mangroves, seagrass beds, wetlands, and mariculture," according to the Ministry of Local Government and Environment.

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) as well as members of the National Ramsar Committee, which is comprised of government and non-government interests, are among the partners in the process.
The public, the ministry made clear, would will be invited to consult on the concept note and any subsequent draft policy and final policy documents.

The partners in the process, it added, would function as sources of information, while they review draft documents and give recommendations to resolve issues that may arise.
According to the local government and environment ministry, a variety of factors, prompted the move to set up the policy document for Jamaica's wetlands. Among them was the loss of valuable wetlands, which has impacted Jamaicans and their livelihoods.

The ministry said the Great Morass, which protects the parish of St Thomas against wave action during hurricanes and is home and feeding ground for several important species of flora and fauna, was a case in point.

Sections of the St Thomas mangroves, said the ministry, were being denuded through human activity, such as coal burning. There were also plans to build a hotel in the area, but which have been opposed by the World African Re-unification and Solidarity Association (WARSA).

The ministry also cited the importance of the Portland Bight wetlands and cays, designated last year as a Ramsar site of international importance. That site is spread over 24,542 hectares and is located on the island's south coast. It includes 8,000 hectares of coastal mangroves, a salt marsh, several rivers, offshore cays, and seagrass beds. It is also a feeding and breeding ground for such species as the cave frog and the Jamaican boa.

But the ministry said pollution and loss of fish nurseries were affecting the wetlands.
It said that in addition to the management of the wetland sites, identifying and classifying such sites were among the issues to be addressed by the policy. It will also seek to address:
. the value and current status of wetlands to Jamaica;
. the uses being made of them now and possibilities for the future; and

. the impact of wetlands loss and how it affects people.
It was unclear how much the policy would cost at this stage, but the ministry said it could include staff time, a consultant (and) consultations.
The government, it said, would fund the salary of staff, while the work would be put to tender if funding by means other than salaries was required.

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