JET questions permits for wetland removal, development along Falmouth coast

Lobby group Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) is taking “serious” issue with permits it claims were issued for wetland removal and development along a five-kilometre stretch of the north coast road in Falmouth, Trelawny.

The permits were reportedly issued by the regulatory body, the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA).

In a public statement on Tuesday, JET said it identified six permits – issued to five private companies – that were “associated” with five sites in the area.

Citing the Town and Country Planning (Trelawny Parish) Development Order 2013, the environment lobby group asserted that the areas associated with the permits are zoned for conservation.

“How can we designate areas for conservation and then permit development in those same areas? What is the point of having Development Orders if we are going to ignore them?” questioned Dr Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, chief executive officer of JET.

The lobby group says it has requested copies of the permits and has written to the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) seeking information and documentation related to the permits.

JET noted, too, that it was unable to access copies of the permits through NEPA’s online permit/application tracking system.

Among the information being sought are the environmental and technical assessments that were undertaken, whether the conservation zoning was considered, whether cumulative impacts were assessed, what mitigation or restoration measures were required and whether comments or objections were received from other government entities.

“The Government has recognised that wetlands are an investment in Jamaica’s resilience. The question is whether our permitting decisions reflect that recognition,” said Rodriguez-Moodie.

JET says its concerns come at a time when the Government has underscored the importance of wetlands to Jamaica’s development and resilience.

It cited, as an example, comments made earlier this year by Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Matthew Samuda, that wetlands play a direct role in advancing several of Jamaica’s national outcomes under Vision 2030.

These include climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, water security and biodiversity conservation.

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