The Jamaica Environment Trust, JET is calling on the government to declare the remaining 32- percent hectares of the Cockpit Country a protected area. This follows the prime minister’s announcement that the work to declare 78- thousand and 24 hectares of the Cockpit Country a protected area is complete.
However, JET CEO Dr. Theresa Rodriguez- Moodie says the cockpit country stake holder group boundary was initially proposed at 116-thousand hectares. After the prime minister announced there will be no mining in the cockpit country protected area, Jamaica Environment Trust, JET Dr. Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, is calling on the government for further protection of the area.
Dr rodriguez moodie shares what was generally proposed as the cockpit country protected area is different from what was gazetted recently. She says the announcement shows signs of progress, however there is a thirty two percent reduction than what was initially proposed to be protected. Dr. Rodriguez- Moodie says if the remaining thirty two percent cannot be added to the protected area, it should be added to the buffer zone which would limit some human activities in the area, allowing some form of protection.
She adds the excluded area shares similar characteristics as the protected area, hence it requires equal protection. Meanwhile, the CEO is raising concerns on how the protected area will be managed, adding proper management is critical for effective preservation.
