PERMANENT MISSION OF JAMAICA
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
REMARKS BY
SENATOR THE HON. KAMINA JOHNSON SMITH
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS & FOREIGN TRADE
JAMAICA
TO THE
PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE: ADDRESSING MARINE POLLUTION
AT THE
UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE TO SUPPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 14: CONSERVE AND SUSTAINABLY USE THE
OCEANS, SEAS AND MARINE RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
5th JUNE 2017
UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK
Co-chairs, Excellencies,
Given Jamaica’s archipelagic status, with a maritime area approximately 22 times our land mass,
marine pollution, by agricultural run-off, plastics and water discharge, presents a clear and
present danger to our developmental aspirations. We have felt the effects of invasive alien
species, the bleaching of our coral reefs and the exponential increase in sargassum. Forging new
partnerships and strengthening existing ones for the protection and preservation of our maritime
space are responsibilities we take seriously.
One of those partnerships sees Jamaica as a Lead Partner Country under the Global Ballast
Water Management Project (GloBallast) and a Lead Pilot Country under the Global Maritime
Energy Efficiency Partnerships Project (GloMEEP). These transformational initiatives are
jointly undertaken with the IMO, the UNDP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), with
private sector collaboration. They address the threat of invasive organisms to marine and coastal
ecosystems and serve to minimise the shipping industry’s contribution to greenhouse gas
emissions, which in turn contribute to ocean acidification.
As a Lead Partner Country, Jamaica will therefore “twin” with other countries in the region to
provide legal and policy related assistance to enable those States to accede to the Ballast Water
Management Convention. The importance of such support and partnership to the region is clear.
In another useful partnership initiative, the National Water Commission (NWC) has been
implementing a pilot project in Jamaica funded by the GEF, UNEP and the Caribbean Regional
Fund for Sustainable Financing of Wastewater Management (CReW). Funding has been
provided for the development of the policy and legislative framework needed to institutionalize a
Credit Enhancing Funding mechanism for wastewater treatment systems in Jamaica.
Also underway, but in collaboration with the Government of Japan and UNEP, is a three year
project which is intended to enhance the legislative framework in Jamaica, while fostering
community and private sectors’ engagement to reduce plastic marine litter from land-based
activities.
We are also addressing land based sources of pollution from the agricultural sector. With the
support of UNEP and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific
Affairs, we have commenced a two year project to demonstrate effective small-scale wastewater
and agricultural management solutions for nutrient discharge.
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Co-Chairs,
These are but a few of the joint initiatives being undertaken by Jamaica. We believe that they
are indicative of the levels and types of partnership that are required if SDG14 is to be
successfully implemented. They do, however, need to be complemented by effective data
collection and sound technical management systems which are recurrent gaps and deficiencies
for many SIDS. As the Secretary-General said this morning, “we cannot improve what we
cannot measure”.
We are also cognisant that such partnerships are best able to endure with the requisite political
will and with stable and secure financing streams. Jamaica is committed to reducing marine
litter and looks forward to working with you all to build enduring partnerships to this end.
I thank you.
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