Dr Peter Phillips is demanding a review of the boundaries of the Cockpit Country as the area, regarded as Jamaica’s largest remaining contiguous rainforest, becomes embroiled in a fresh controversy.

Phillips — who is now campaigning to retain his position as People’s National Party (PNP) president and opposition leader due to a challenge by PNP parliamentarian Peter Bunting — made the call Saturday night in an address to Comrades at a rally at the Greenvale playing field, just outside Mandeville, following the party’s Manchester North Western constituency conference.

“Two years ago the prime minister said he declared a protected area for the Cockpit Country. The citizens down there have come to see me, dem talk publicly. the stakeholders dem say they don’t agree with the boundaries that have been set out, because those boundaries that they have set out as the protected areas exclude places that have always believed, for hundreds of years, that they are in the Cockpit Country,” Phillips told supporters.

He said the boundaries exclude the Maroon settlements of Accompong and Maroon Town.

“So, in this matter we are with the people. Let us review those boundaries,” Phillips declared in an obvious response to Prime Minister Holness’s August 6 address at the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show in Clarendon.

Holness, in that address, said that the Cockpit Country is an environmental, cultural and historical asset which the Government of Jamaica values greatly.

He said his Administration is sensitive to the environmental concerns about the Cockpit Country and is moving to ensure that it is protected.

“We agreed upon a boundary for the Cockpit Country; that boundary will be enshrined in law. and within that boundary there will be no mining, and within that boundary as well certain agricultural practices will be banned, such as slash and burn and the use of dangerous chemicals. It will be a regulated space to protect a water bank of Jamaica, to protect the forest that grows in the Cockpit Country, and to generally protect that area as a national ecological park for Jamaica,” the prime minister said.

He explained that the Government examined the area’s unique geomorphological feature and took into consideration the hydrology of the area examined, the water that flows in and out of the area, along with the sinkholes, caves and other areas through which water seeps underground to create the largest water bank for the island.

Intermittent controversy over bauxite mining in the Cockpit Country re-emerged a few weeks ago when PNP Deputy General Secretary Basil Waite urged demonstrations against Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners as he raised the issue of mining in the protected area.

“We also need to stage a demonstration against Noranda and plot a strategy to damage them in the international media…our strategy has to be multi-pronged community demonstrations — NGO community, private sector…demonstrate at Noranda’s local office, get diaspora involved to demonstrate at their HQ in the US, etc,” Waite tweeted on July 30.

In response, Noranda’s Director of Strategic Projects David Wong Ken characterised the statement as “reckless” and argued that it would have far-reaching repercussions for the company.

“We have customers that are concerned when they see something like that…our financiers get jittery when they see something like that,” he said in a statement.

He disputed claims that Noranda was mining in the Cockpit Country, saying: “How on Earth are we to go into an area where the Government says we shouldn’t go? Our licence is dependent on our observing the terms and conditions that mining is granted to us on.”

On Saturday night Dr Phillips said he wanted to make it clear that the Opposition is not against the bauxite and alumina industry. However, “We are for the preservation of the Cockpit Country, because it is part of the natural and social heritage of Jamaica, and we will never give it up,” he declared.

“This area produce 40 per cent of the fresh water weh wi drink and use; this area has the most diverse plants that you can think of, plants weh deh deh and no deh no way else inna Massa God Earth.

“This area represents a vital part of our heritage; the first freedom fighters went into those hills and set up dem derricks. we are not going to sacrifice it and leave just a hole in the ground for some people jus’ come dig it up and destroy what God has given us and generations before have handed down to us,” he insisted.

“So we are asking for a review, and mek it plain that we are saying that the citizens in the communities must have the lead voice in determining the future of that area,” he added.

Phillips argued that bauxite was not the only future for those areas, as the plants found there have medicinal benefits. “We want the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry there; we want people fi come and watch bird and stay inna Airbnb up there; we want to develop high-grade industries using the plants and flowers and things that grow there,” he said.

“We have a vision of a different economy; not just one weh foreigner come and tek step wid our country, like weh a happen in some parts of the tourism industry now. Because weh wi si a gwaan inna tourism, foreigner all a come do gardening, foreigner a come come lay tile, foreigner a come drive bus and operate bus company. What place is there for the Jamaican people?” he asked.

“Tell dem seh we are for Jamaica first! We, the People’s National Party, stand up fi Jamaica first,” Phillips declared, using that argument to push his ‘One PNP’ campaign for a united Opposition.

“So that’s why wi need a strong PNP; that’s why wi need a powerful PNP; that’s why wi need a PNP that is true to its historic philosophy, vision; that’s why we need a PNP that don’t depart from the principles or disrespect the traditions of democratic socialism,” he said to loud cheers.

“Wi nuh come fi tek weh nobody bank, wi nuh come fi tek weh nobody factory, wi nuh come fi tek weh nobody hotel — but we will forever live and die in the service of the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalised in Jamaica,” he said.

“God forbid that there should ever be a Jamaica without the authentic People’s National Party committed to the service and the upliftment of the poor in this country,” he added.

In an apparent jab at Bunting’s ‘Rise United’ team, which has been accused of trying to influence delegates with promises of reward for their vote in the September 7 presidential election, Phillips appealed to his audience, making reference to the party’s former presidents Norman Manley, his son Michael Manley, PJ Patterson and Portia Simpson Miller.

“So, Comrades, remember, the People’s National Party is the real birthright of our country. It can never be for sale. Don’t do like Esau and sell it fi a plate a food… Comrades, protect weh Daddy Manley pass on to yuh, protect weh Michael pass on to yuh, protect weh PJ pass on to yuh, protect weh Portia pass on to yuh, and protect the party that I am managing for you. We are powerful together. One PNP,” he said.