Negril, Westmoreland, Jamaica

Government of Jamaica, Government of the United States of America, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Coastal Water Quality Improvement Project. Partners include: Western Parks and Markets (WPM), Westmoreland Health Department, Westmoreland Parish Council and the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO), Negril Chamber of Commerce and Greening of Negril Steering Committee.

Negril is the centre of tourism in the parish of Westmoreland. The Jamaican tourism industry and the town of Negril are facing increasing concerns from the tour operators about the “greenness” of the community. This is a result of the suffering condition of the destination over the years from on-going infrastructure work and increased litter and garbage strewn throughout the resort town. Solid waste management is a major environmental, social and economic concern to the town of Negril. Consequently the community is calling for greener
operations and proper solid waste management accompanied by the improvement of public spaces. In this regard, a broad-based Steering Committee under the leadership of the Negril Chamber of Commerce has been created to direct the “Greening of Negril Solid Waste Management Project.”
The objectives of the “Greening of Negril Project” are to:
• Provide the Negril Community with a reliable and effective garbage collection system;
• Establish a recycling centre to reduce the materials going to the disposal site;
• Develop and implement an environmental education programme;
• Work with selected schools on a solid waste management programme;
• Clean up selected public areas;
• Develop an environmental awareness within the community;
• Disseminate the experience from the pilot to other communities;
• Demonstrate the use of the Environmental Management System approach as an effective tool for implementing environmental projects at the community level.

This project addresses the thematic focus area of waste management
under Chapter III of the Barbados Programme of Action.

To date, the project is successfully launched on all levels. A community programme using drama called “Clean up Your Act” has been introduced in several communities. Six schools started a programme of solid waste collection, and a competition for the Best Kept Zone has begun. In addition, successful negotiation with the Ministry of Local Government and Western Parks and Markets to expand the garbage collection programme in Negril has been met and an agreement from
the Ministry of Water & Housing for land to open the Recycling centre was secured.

Community involvement from project conception to implementation
is critical to the success of the project. The participatory approach is essential for effective community based projects although it requires a greater investment in time and capacity building within communities. Strategic partnerships with governance bodies play an important part for successful project implementation.

Ms. Denise Forrest
Environmental Management Systems Specialist
Coastal Water Quality Improvement Project (CWIP)
5 Oxford Park Avenue
Kingston 5
Jamaica, West Indies
Tel.: (876) 754-3910-2
Fax: (876) 754-3913
E-mail:ard@cwjamaica.com; denfor@cwjaimaica.com

Mr. Franklin McDonald
Chief Executive Officer
National Environment & Planning Agency
10 Caledonia Avenue
Kingston 5
Jamaica, West Indies
Tel.: (876) 754-7526
E-mail: fmcdonald@igc.org

Mrs. Jean Jackson
Manager
Negril Chamber of Commerce (NCC)
West End Road
P.O. Box 3055
Negril P.O. Westmoreland
Jamaica, West Indies
Tel.: (876) 957-4067
Fax: (876) 957-4591
E-mail: negrilchamber@cwjamaica.com,
negrilchamberofcommerce@ cw jamaica.com