United Nations Development Programme Jamaica

According to international seismic expert, Dr. Eric Calais, “Jamaica must prepare for large earthquakes”. Dr. Eric Calais is an international seismic expert who visited Jamaica to conduct a Seismic Exploratory Mission from 25th - 28th of March 2013. Dr. Calais’ Mission was fully supported by the UNDP through its Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (RBLAC) under the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Reduction (BCPR) portfolio, and coordinated and facilitated by the local team at the Jamaica Country Office.

[Discussions at the Earthquake Unit, University of the West Indies, Mona. L-R: Ms. Sasha Shirley and Dr. Elsie Laurence-Chounoune of UNDP; Mr. Rafi Ahmad, Geography and Geology Department, Dr. Parris Lyew-Ayee of Mona Geoinforamtics , Dr. Eric Calais and Dr. Lyndon Brown, Head of the Earthquake Unit]

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Jamaica Country Office and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in Jamaica, came together on Thursday 21 March 2013 in celebration of International Day of Forests and the Tree, to plant fruit trees on the compound shared by both these agencies.

[Arun Kashyap, UN RC/UNDP RR; Elsie Laurence-Chounoune, UNDP DRR a.i., along with staff members' children planting & watering trees]

It is true that we are able to achieve much greater impact when we pool our efforts and work together on joint programmes as one United Nations System operating in Jamaica. Congratulatory messages flooded in from all corners (including the Planning Institute of Jamaica) for the successful high profile dissemination of the UN’s key messages for International Women’s Day 2013 via various media on Friday, 8th of March. Joan French of UN Women thanked UNDP and the other partners for “holding hands together across the UN System to strengthen (development) efforts for Jamaica”.

[Joan French, UN Women]

Sadly, crime and violence within homes, schools and communities are among the most pressing social issues currently affecting Jamaica. There have been numerous challenges in achieving and sustaining good governance at the community level. The inability to properly articulate local needs with national institutional responses, have hampered efforts to achieve the desired levels of community safety in Jamaica. The UNDP-supported nationally implemented project, “Enhancing Civil Society Participation in Local Governance for Community Safety”, which is being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development, takes a citizen security approach to developing sustainable long-term strategies that focus on improved partnerships between civil society, local authorities, and central state agencies to prevent and mitigate the effects of crime and violence level.

[Attendees at the launch of the St. Catherine Parish Safety & Security Committee]