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Fate of Jamaica’s Goat Islands
Dear friends,
ELAW is working with partners in Jamaica to protect key marine ecosystems.
The Goat Islands, adjoining mangroves, and at least one fish sanctuary in the Portland Bight Protected Area may be destroyed to make way for a mega trans-shipment port, proposed by the international contractor China Harbour Engineering Company.
Diana McCaulay, CEO of the Jamaica Environment Trust, writes:
“ELAW is helping us with legal research to build the arguments for our Access to Information case, to get critical information on the benefits of this proposal to Jamaica. This is like having a large legal department to rely on. ELAW’s help really extends and improves what we are able to do.”
The Supreme Court will hear the case in October.
In an opinion piece last week for CNN, Wendy Townsend interviewed Diana. Here’s an excerpt:
“McCaulay says developing Goat Islands extends the global crisis of unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. ‘Jamaica is a small island,’ she says, ‘but this is happening all over the world, relentless pressure for high impact development that doesn’t benefit local populations, particularly those who use the resources. Although global climate change is a clear danger to island nations, we are still building on the coast and taking out natural protections like mangroves. Our regulatory agencies simply cannot cope, especially with players like China who have huge financial resources and care little about the environment.'”
We will keep you informed of our progress protecting the Goat Islands in the Portland Bight Protected Area.
Best regards,
Maggie Keenan
Communications Director
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide