KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Audley Shaw says the launch of the Hazardous Regulatory Authority (HSRA) is a step in the right direction for Jamaica.

Shaw said that the authority will ensure the management and use of ionizing radiation and nuclear technology locally and will significantly benefit stakeholders.

He added that with the promulgation of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act 2015, establishment of the HSRA, and the approval of HSRA Regulations 2019, Jamaica can now confidently forge ahead with engaging nuclear science and technology in all aspects of national development and wealth creation strategies.

“Having now fully established the framework and regulations to guide the discharge of your duties, the task is now yours to ensure Jamaica and Jamaicans remain safe while we leverage the benefits of the ionising radiation and nuclear technology,” the minister said.

“Already we have seen the benefits of nuclear technology under the Mango Irradiation Programme that saw Jamaican mangoes exported to the United States, last year for the first time in over 20 years,” he added.

Addressing the official launch of the HSRA at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on October 29, Shaw commended the work of the authority since its inception in 2016.

“The Government of Jamaica had the forethought to establish the entity in 2016 and we approved the regulations to allow the Authority to carry out its mandate. The country will benefit and has been benefitting tremendously from the works of the HSRA,” he said.

According to Shaw, the University Hospital of the West Indies is in the process of installing a state-of-the-art nuclear medicine facility.

He said that the benefits and the use of this form of technology are many, but there is the need to regulate and manage it carefully.

Meanwhile, State Minister in the ministry, Dr Norman Dunn, also lauded the work of the authority, and for being the first national regulatory body in the English-speaking Caribbean in this area of work.

“As Jamaica accelerates its engagement with nuclear science, particularly in the field of human health, you have played a pivotal role in ensuring the effective implementation of national projects and the safe application of nuclear technologies,” Dunn said.

Director General of the HSRA, Maxine Russell, said that as a new entity, the primary objective of the authority is to build a robust regulatory framework, which will promote the safe use of advanced nuclear technology for development in medicine, industry, agriculture, education and research.