THIRTY managers of public and private sector organisations and agencies in St Ann have benefited from an Environment Management System (EMS) workshop, organised by the St Ann branch of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).

The workshop, held recently at the Anglican Church Hall in Claremont, was attended by managers from the Social Development Commission (SDC), 4-H Clubs, Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Forestry Department, the Coffee Industry Board and college and high school principals among others.

EMS, a voluntary tool that can be used by businesses and organisations alike to improve environmental performance through preventing and reducing the impact of their activities on the environment, is being encouraged by the Jamaican government.

The government’s environment agency, The National Environmental and Planning Agency (NEPA) recently held consultation meetings with business representatives on a Green Paper “Towards a National Strategy and Policy on EMS”. The paper will not be revised, tabled in Parliament and re-issued as official government policy (White Paper).

RADA’s parish manager, Vivian Kildare said the main objective of the seminar was to allow the managers from both private and public sector organisations to be aware of EMS in their organisations and develop strategic plans to manage the workplace environment “as a way forward in approaching the problems of environmental management in the parish”.

Kildare said that at the end of the seminar each participant should be equipped to go back and make a review of his/her organisation’s management standard.

Denise Forest, consultant at the Coastal Water Quality Improvement project (CWIP), which sponsored the workshop, noted that EMS was being used globally for the “efficient production of raw material and energy waste, to improve public image and market competition and achieve sustainable development and increased volumes”.

She highlighted some international agencies such as the Green Globe and the Eco-Audit and Management System (EMAS) in Europe, which worked to improve environmental standards in industries.

Other seminars on environmental issues will be organised in St Ann, with the aim of implementing a major environmental project for the parish.