KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – Jamaica is now head of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), which has a 40-country membership and a population of over three billion people.

Making the disclosure, Chairman of the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), Professor Winston Davidson, said the INBAR Council at its recent meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, selected Jamaica as the new Chair of the organisation, signifying its confidence in the country’s institutions to be always standards driven.

“We have earned every vote that we got to lead this organisation. This is the outcome of a relentless process, and we must be proud when we are given this honour,” he said, while addressing a bamboo forum in St Mary recently.

Professor Davidson noted that leadership of 40 sovereign Governments that are members of the intergovernmental organisation is an achievement that will enable Jamaica to develop its own bamboo industry, as INBAR has demonstrated how the industry can protect the environment, while providing an income for the people.

“The INBAR countries have done a great job in demonstrating the use of bamboo in mitigating climate change, through the ability of bamboo to sequester carbon,” he said. “With information from INBAR, we are developing a new standards-led market driven bamboo industry, and as we develop our new value chains, Jamaica will be seeking to grow managed bamboo plantations as our contribution to arresting climate change,” he added.

Professor Davidson used the forum to announce that a project “to enhance our tourism product through new bamboo products and agro-parks” will be demonstrated at the four-kilometre stretch of Holland Bamboo Avenue in St Elizabeth.

 “The renewable nature of the new bamboo plantations, along with the existing 47,000 hectares of common bamboo, will be adequate to provide sustainability in our poverty alleviation strategy, and development agenda,” he said.

The Professor commended former State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Michael Stern, for the work he did to highlight the importance of the bamboo industry.

“We need to understand that wherever good products or good initiatives are developed, they deserve the support of all Jamaica,” he said.