ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Residents of the Cockpit Country (Elderslie, Niagara Mocho, Maroon Town, Flagstaff and Point) have expressed strong opposition to any plans for bauxite mining in the area, according to reports from the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET).

JET said that following a series of public meetings organised by the University of the West Indies in 2013 to gather input into the decision to declare a boundary for Cockpit Country, residents remain unsure of what will be the official boundary for the proposed protected area and if mining will be prohibited within that boundary.

“As the residents await answers from the government on these pressing issues, they voiced their overwhelming opposition to plans for bauxite mining and expressed a wish to see the area closed to mining at a recently held community meeting.”

Cockpit Country is reputed to be a source for 40 per cent of Jamaica’s water supply, home to many Maroons and a habitat for rare Jamaican animals including 95 per cent of the wild population of Jamaican black-billed parrot, and at least 66 plants found nowhere else in the world.

“We do not support mining in Cockpit Country. We would prefer to see more interest in eco-tourism for the area”, Principal of the Elderslie Primary and Junior High School Clavie Johnson said.

“There are people living here for years and for them to come in to mine our lands the people would have to leave and they don’t have anywhere else to farm” added Enis Wallace, a resident of Niagara community.

Calvin Shirley of the South West Cockpit Country Local Forest Management Committee insisted that “It [mining] will damage our health, farms, watershed and livelihood.”

“No to bauxite mining as it will damage our heritage sites,” argued Michael Shaw of the South West Cockpit Country Local Forest Management Committee.