“Bauxite mining is already happening in Cockpit Country communities in St Ann which have been left out of the protected area and is expanding west into Cockpit Country communities which are closer to the boundary in Trelawny,” said Lauren Creary, JET Project Coordinator. “It is so important for Jamaicans to understand the impact bauxite mining has on residents and what this means for Cockpit Country’s protection,” she continued.
Since Prime Minister Holness’s November 2017 announcement of the designated CCPA boundary, new mining leases have been granted by the Jamaican Government which will allow bauxite companies to mine right up to the edge of the CCPA boundary. The Cockpit Country Protected Area has not yet been protected under Jamaican law or closed to mining by the government.
“June 5 is World Environment Day, so the release of this episode is timely, as across the world we consider the importance of our natural environmental and the impacts humans are having on the planet,” said Creary. “Cockpit Country supports our largest remaining natural forest, rural farming communities, and is vital for our water supply - it must be protected for future generations.”
Through its ‘Advancing the Protection of Jamaica’s Cockpit Country’ project, JET and other civil society groups including Cockpit Country community leaders are advocating for an expedited ground-truthing of the CCPA boundary, establishment of buffer zones which are also closed to mining around the protected area, and the involvement of civil society and local communities in management planning for the CCPA.
For more information, visit JET’s booth at Green Expo this weekend at the National Arena (June 7 – 9) which will highlight the Save Cockpit Country campaign, or log on to www.savecockpitcountry.org.
Watch the third episode of the Save Cockpit Country series here: https://youtu.be/RBtwY2lp_cM
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