Ministry of Land & Environment

		PRINT THIS			SEND TO A FRIEND

Minister of Land and Environment, Dean Peart (right) and Canadian High Commissioner, Claudio Valle sign a memorandum of understanding for the extension of the government of Jamaica/Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Environment Action (ENACT) Programme until March 2007.The signing took place at the Ministry's offices on Half-Way-Tree Road on February 16.

The Ministry of Land and Environment and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) today (Feb.16) signed a memorandum of understanding to extend until 2007, provisions under the Environment Action Programme (ENACT).

Initially established in 1994 with funding of CDN$15 million from the governments of Canada and Jamaica, ENACT is geared towards strengthening the ability of the government, the private sector and other stakeholders to identify and address environmental problems in a sustainable manner.

The new agreement, which was signed at the Half-Way-Tree Road office of the Land and Environment Ministry, will see CDN$940,000 being spent over the next two years, to undertake activities aimed at sustaining the natural environment.

Land and Environment Minister, Dean Peart, explained that the new aspect of the project "would look at environmental education, sustainable development, the greening of the government and private sector, sustainable development planning at the local and national levels, environmental management for the private sector and the modernisation of critical systems and procedures within the National Environment and Planning Agency."

Meanwhile, Canadian High Commissioner, Claudio Valle noted that the signing of the agreement "gives an important signal to our communities of the importance of the environment and the need to have a sustainable economic and social framework to guide our activities."

High Commissioner Valle said that CIDA was pleased with the progress of the project, adding that the agency was also happy with the work of the Jamaicans, who were employed as project managers.

Noting that the 11-year old programme had been a success, Mr. Valle informed that it had enabled some 200 communities across the island to undertake "individual projects of a sustainable environmental reach, and the project has also provided direction and studies".

"From our standpoint, it has put the Ministry in the right sort of path (and) it will be able to take over and manage the environmental agenda a lot better as a result of our activities," the High Commissioner stated.

		PRINT THIS			SEND TO A FRIEND