Environmental programme gets boost

THE ST. ANN Environment Protection Association (STAEPA) has received a grant of $2.2 million for the design and implementation of a comprehensive environmental education programme.

This sum has been made available under the Natural Resources Conservation Authority/United States Agency for International Development (NRCA/USAID) Coastal Water Improvement Project (CWIP).

The six-month programme will target members of staff of the St. Ann Parish Council and North-Eastern Parks and Markets, as well as non-governmental organisations, fishermen, water sports personnel, and craft traders who are members of the Ocho Rios Environment Advisory Group.

The presentation was made to the director of STAEPA by Jan Auman of CWIP, at the association's recent annual general meeting, held at Club Jamaica Resort, Ocho Rios.

Mr. Auman said the local environment protection organisation was one of a number of "strong and capable" local groups that had been mandated to spearhead environmental initiatives, for improved coastal water quality.

He said the environmental education programme was expected to stimulate public awareness, and mobilise community action towards sustainable coastal resource management practices.

STAEPA was founded in 1989 as a non-profit, non-governmental organisation, to raise environmental awareness and encourage citizens to get involved in activities to protect the country's natural heritage, through public education.

CWIP is a five-year bilateral initiative between the Government of Jamaica and the USAID. It promotes the formation of partnerships for sustained water quality monitoring, and encourages community interventions to address sources of pollutants, among other objectives.

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