Cockpit Conversation Reignited

The Cockpit Country conversation has been reignited following a recent Town Hall meeting held in Trelawny at the Webb Memorial Baptist Church.

Residents and Environmentalists expressed their grievances, reiterating their opposition to mining in or around the Cockpit Country.

The town hall meeting was held under the theme “This house would declare the Cockpit Country a special protected area with its own legal framework’.

In 2017 the protected area was declared and in 2018 Noranda was granted Special Mining Lease 173 – an area adjoining the boundary.

This invoked wide spread condemnation on the Government’s part and sparked an island-wide debate.

Coordinator at the Sustainable Development Unit at UWI Mona, Dr David Smith, highlights that the existing Mining Act of 1947 is “in desperate need of being brought into the 21st century.”

He adds that the law needs written regulations and suggested that these designated protected areas be transformed into National Parks.

The question was asked recently in parliament, will the Government revoke Special Mining Lease 173… The Minister with Portfolio for mining reiterated the government’s stance of not withdrawing the lease.

The Cockpit saga continues.