Proposed $5 million fine for environmental breaches
Published:Thursday | March 21, 2024 | 5:00 PM
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government will be seeking amendments to the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) Act and the Wild Life Protection Act to increase fines for breaches to $5 million.
Holness, who was making his presentation in the 2024/25 Budget Debate, which began last week, said the current fines under both Acts “do not function as sufficient deterrent to polluters, and in some cases rogue developers.”
He said the Government will be tabling for debate, amendments to raise the fines in both legislations from a $50,000 ceiling under the NRCA Act and a $1.5million ceiling under the Wild Life Protection Act to a $5 million ceiling in both Acts.
However, he said a $10-million fine is being proposed for bodies corporate.
Added to that, Holness noted the relationship between sound environmental management and the health and resilience of Jamaica's water supply.
He said Jamaica's new watershed policy (white paper) has been tabled.
- Kimone Francis
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