LocationsRemarks by Mr. Richard Kelly
UNDP Officer in Charge/Programme Specialist
ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme Country Transfer of Assets Session
MGD’s Training Room, MGD
Hope Complex, Mona, Kingston
21st March 2019 at 10:00a.m.
Greetings
- Dr. Oral Rainford, Principal Director, for Hon. Robert Montague, M.P., Minister of Transport and Mining
- Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska, Head of Delegation of European Union,
- Mr. Roy Nicholson, Commissioner of Mines, MGD
- Professor Simon Mitchell, Head of Geography and Geology Department, Earthquake Unit, UWI Mona Mr. Leighton Williams, Deputy Commissioner of Mines
- Members of the Media
- Other colleagues, Ladies and gentlemen
A very pleasant morning to you.
We are once again on the soil of the Mines and Geology Division. It is like stepping into a geological era. I am happy to represent UNDP at this Transfer of Assets Session. Not every day one gets the opportunity to transfer assets to a deserving beneficiary. Hence, this is a momentous occasion and it signifies the strong partnership between UNDP and the Government of Jamaica through the Ministry of Transport and Mining and of course, the Mines and Geology Division (MGD). The Ministry and MGD are important partners,
Today is a significant marker as it is the second time that the Minerals Sector is receiving assets from UNDP and the EU, after a hiatus of 30 years when the last programme transferred assets in the Dimension Stone sector.
The proceedings today are timely at this development juncture for the MGD. The assets being transferred, procured under the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme, augment efforts to strengthen the technological capacity of the MGD as it transforms to a leading-edge institution, positioning itself to facilitate significant and rapid development of the Minerals sector in Jamaica.
The assets enable the utilization of a versatile range of tools and techniques for capturing, analyzing and leveraging spatial information. In this case, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. By implementing robust GIS software applications, professionals can capture and visualize valuable geospatial intelligence. The use of drones, GPS (Global Positioning Systems). Computer Servers and a sophisticated wireless internet service with faster speeds and greater capabilities are no longer desires but is now mandatory for us to create a Vision 2030 landscape.
The ACP- EU UNDP Development Minerals Programme facilitated training, grant disbursements, and cash transfers at a value of approximately US$90,000. The procurement of technology represents 35% of the programme’s budget for enhanced technical knowledge, capacity and co-ordination of public institutions and the improvement of access to geo-data in the development minerals sector. Institutional strengthening to facilitate “leaving no one behind” in line with the SDGs is essential to UNDP’s work of work of reducing poverty and catalyzing wealth creation and inclusive development.
We welcome this collaboration between MGD and UNDP as we partner to advance the use of technology.
I again extend appreciation to the European Union, the financier of this programme, our main partners, Mines and Geology Division and the Ministry of Transport and Mining, the Government of Jamaica and all other related partners.
I anticipate that there will be several opportunities like this to agree on strategies to enhance and work with sector players, for continued collaboration to achieve the goals of Vision 2030 Jamaica.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you.
