Environmental Protection Critical to Sustainable Tourism – PM Holness
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government remains committed to environmental protection while promoting sustainable development and growth.
The Prime Minister said Jamaica is taking a holistic approach to planned development, particularly in the tourism sector.
“Sustainability is a core feature of Jamaica’s growth agenda; we must find the right balance so that we have growth but not at the expense of the environment,” said the prime minister.
He was speaking yesterday (September 25) at the official opening of Breathless Resort and Spa, in Montego Bay.
Against the background of natural disasters such as Hurricanes Irma and Maria which earlier this month devastated several Caribbean islands, Prime Minister Holness called on Caribbean leaders to take the necessary steps to ensure that the region’s tourism industry is sustainable.
He says Jamaica and the Caribbean must factor in disaster resilience, recovery and adaptation in a systematic and institutional way given the changing realities.
“Tourism is one of the very few industries in which the Caribbean region has both Global competitive and comparative advantage and we must do all we can to make this sustainable,” stated the prime minister.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Holness has called on world leaders to recognize the devastating effects of climate change globally.
“The world has been forced to acknowledge that there is an urgent need for responsibility, adaptation and resilience as we recognize our changing realities. Climate change is real and it will disproportionately affect those of us who are least prepared to respond,” stated Mr Holness.