Some protected areas still being destroyed
Dear Editor,
Your Environmental Watch supplement of October 27 carried two stories that clearly demonstrate why Jamaica’s natural environment continues to be destroyed, year after year.
The first was on the Protected Areas Master Plan, said to be almost ready after “three or four years of work”. In fact, efforts to get a completed protected areas plan go back at least 20 years — this is only the most recent effort. And it bears repeating that despite these efforts, areas that have been protected are still being destroyed with the blessing of the National Environment and Planning Agency — the Palisadoes strip being only the most recent and egregious example.
The second story concerned a statement by Patrick Wong of the National Works Agency that the NWA is “open to suggestions” re the work in the Palisadoes/Port Royal Protected Area. It is far too late for this — the section of semi-desert between Harbour View and Gunboat Beach has already been cleared of virtually every living thing.
Bottom line — both NEPA and the NWA treated the Palisadoes as if it were a worthless bank of sand — despite its protected status.
Diana McCaulay
Jamaica Environment Trust
11 Waterloo Road
Kingston 10
