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Wednesday, August 28, 2013 | 7:13 PMKINGSTON, Jamaica — Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister (MIIC) Anthony Hylton says that no decision has been made by Cabinet with regard to Chinese investors’ proposal to develop a port facility and logistics and industrial park in the vicinity of Goat Island.Government is in the process of striking a deal with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to construct a trans-shipment port in the Portland Bight/Goat Island area.Hylton, in a release Wednesday evening said that while his ministry continued to lead the Logistic Hub initiative, the MIIC team works closely with other government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), including the Ministries of Transport, Works and Housing; and Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, and Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.He said that the Goat Island investment would only be one component of the government’s priority Logistics Hub Initiative, which includes other ports, airports and special economic zones.Environmentalists earlier this week vowed to take the government to court over the proposed development.They argued that the Portland Bight area, because of its coral reefs and mangroves, has been declared a protected area under the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act (NRCA), and two fish sanctuaries have been declared under the Fisheries Industry Act to protect the fish nursery there.Thousands of fishers would be deprived of their livelihoods, and the eco-tourism potential of the area, unique in Jamaica because of its biodiversity, would be wiped out if the port is allowed, the environmentalists said.They also contend that government has not demonstrated any exercise of due diligence or consultation with the public and has not shown any consideration of alternatives.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver
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No decision on Goat Island development — Hylton
