THE SCIENTIFIC Research Council (SRC) and the Shipping Association of Jamaica are collaborating to develop a Waste Reception Facility for the Port of Kingston and its immediate environs.
"The facility will seek to manage the treatment of oily and solid waste from ships entering the port and waste from the local industrial and commercial sectors. It will also separate hazardous from non-hazardous waste, and in general, reduce pollution levels at the Kingston Harbour and its environs," Roslyn Fisher, Public Education Manager at the SRC, said.
Both entities, she explained, would work closely with stakeholders, with the SRC facilitating the necessary training of the facility's technical staff through its Integrated Wastewater Manage-ment Project.
Miss Fisher noted that the facility would also act as a catalyst for improved management of the national solid waste programme.
The initial phase of the project, which included the writing of a project proposal, had a September 2000 completion date, and Senior Expert Services, a German voluntary group, would assist with the preparation of the proposal.
"The project is scheduled for completion in the year 2002 and will enhance the competitiveness of Kingston as the Caribbean's port of choice," Miss Fisher added.
The facility would also contribute to the creation of long-term economic benefits through income generation and employment opportunities. Involvement in environmentally-friendly activities would protect marine life, make Jamaica's port more attractive to investors and cruise ship operators, and contribute to national growth and development, she said.
Miss Fisher said the "project comes at an opportune time as the Jamaican government has to meet its obligations as signatory to key regional and international agreements, such as the Law of the Sea Convention."
