KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Ruel Reid says the Forestry Department is undertaking work to verify the estimated boundary of the Cockpit Country.

Reid made the disclosure during today’s post-Cabinet press briefing held at Jamaica House where he noted that the estimated area to be protected as the Cockpit Country is 219 kilometres.

“The verification exercise commenced at the start of the financial year on the eastern side of the proposed boundary and will continue until the on-the-ground data is collected for all of the component parts,” Reid said.

He added that the process is projected to be completed in the next financial year and is being supported through funding received under the European Union Budgetary Support Programme.

The information minister said that approximately five meetings will be held over the next few months in order to keep members of the various communities in and around the boundary abreast of the verification exercise.

“This will give persons from approximately 31 communities in the environs of the area to be protected as the Cockpit Country the opportunity to pose questions to the agency on the process,” Reid said.