The Government is showing no sign of backing down from its intention to allow mining outside the approximately 74,000 hectares of the Cockpit Country Protected Area (CCPA).

Parliamentary secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Senator Robert Morgan told the Senate last Friday that once the Forestry Department has completed its 250-kilometre “ground truthing” exercise, specific legislation will be promulgated to protect the designated protected area from interference.

According to Senator Morgan, the Forestry Department has completed almost 60 per cent of the over 250 kilometres “ground truthing” exercise, after which Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte will be asked to advise the Government on legislation to be promulgated to ensure “that there is statutory protection of this important area for not only this generation, but future generations”.

He said that after more than two decades of pondering how to define the area, during which numerous studies and consultations were done, it has been the current Administration “which has taken the important step” of creating the protected area.

He said that once the CCPA was declared in 2017, all existing Special Exploration Prospecting Licences and Special Mining Leases (SMLs) were considered regressed to the boundary line.

“To be perfectly clear, in support of the no-mine area, no mining instrument will overlap the protected area. The area to be protected includes forest reserves, important hydrological and ecological features, cultural and heritage sites,” he explained.

“We in 2017, in this Parliament, declared the proposed Cockpit Country Protected Area,” he said to applause from Government senators.  

He said that the Government was now in the process of ensuring the protection of over 74,000 hectares of Jamaica as the CCPA.

“This is seven per cent of Jamaica’s land mass, and represents one of the most significant actions in protecting the environment, not only in Jamaica, but the region,” he stated.

Last November, responding to questions tabled by Opposition Member of Parliament Ronald Thwaites, Transport and Mining Minister Robert Montague informed the House of Representatives that the Government would not revoke Special Mining Lease (SML) 173, the latest one granted to Noranda Bauxite Jamaica to mine in the area. Noranda already has SML 165 and 172 for the purpose of mining in sections of the Cockpit Country.

However, he said that proposals to amend the boundaries were being considered, and would be implemented.

“The Government of Jamaica reserves the right to modify or revoke any mining lease it deems necessary, and in the national interest,” he added.

The Cockpit Country is Jamaica’s largest remaining contiguous rainforest. As of April 2013, public consultations began on the definition of a boundary to protect a portion of the area from being infiltrated by developers. However, this has been opposed by some residents, despite the creation of a protected area which will be covered by legislation.