2021-06-28T13:52:57Z
Senate of Jamaica (2016) Matthew Samuda Ban on Plastic transcript, Jamaica.pdf
Willie 10:35 07.10.16
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. SAMUDA: Mtr. President, I
crave leave to speak from a seat which is not
mine.
The PRESIDENT: Yes, very well,
Mr. Samuda.
it’s our intention today to proceed with the
motion standing in the name of Senator
Samuda as Number 1 in respect of matters
which concern our environment.
If you please, Mr. President.
(Applause)
Mr. SAMUDA: Mtr. President, I
now deal with item listed at Number 1, an
order of business.
Mr. President, I noted your opening
remarks, but if it pleases you I would also
like to extend welcome to the members
present from Generation 2000, specifically
my Office Manager Miss Tricia Walters. I
would also like to extend welcome to the
members of the Jamaica Environment Trust.
If it pleases you I would also like to
extend welcome to members of the Private
Sector who are here from Red Stripe.
Mr. President, I rise fully humbled at
the chance to debate what I have put
forward. I am eager to articulate what |
believe are the reasons why such action is
required. I’m a firm believer in the domino
effect, Mr. President, and as such, know that
each positive step we take here today will
lead to another one. I’m also fully cognisant
that every action taken here will have far-
reaching implications.
McFarlane 07.10.16
10:50 1
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. SAMUDA: As_ such, Mr.
President, I would also like to put on notice
that we will make a minor amendment to the
motion al the appropriate time.
Mr. President, on July 1, I tabled a
Private Member's Motion in this Noble
House, one that serves a cause T am deeply
committed to, a cause which is in line with
one that - with the Government's Agenda to
create sustainable development and growth
to protect the future of this country we all so
deeply care about.
I note this Motion has received
significant public attention, and stakeholders
across society have made their opinions
known, both privately and in the Press.
I wish to also state at the outset that
this Motion was not tabled in isolation.
Consultations with stukeholders in
manufacturing, the Environmental
Protection Agencies and_ organisations,
dlony with academics who are well versed in
the subject matter, were held.
As a pretext, my interest in matters
of environmental sustainability was first
stirred while | was in high school - not that
long ago - as a member of Campion's Key
Club. This first exposed me to the impact
that we, as humans, arc having on our
environment, primarily in Jamaica. Through
this club I was exposed to tree-planting
initiatives, beach clean-ups, among other
civic projects. These projccts ccrtainly
sparked my curiosity to learn about these
topics. I continued further these elean-ups
and tree-planting projects through G2K, an
organisation which I am proud to lead.
And, Mr. President, on a side note,
we should all be aware that today is National
I'rec-Planting Day. And though today's
session may not allow our Members the time
to participate, I would encourage them to do
so over the weekend.
Mr. President, this keen interest has
led me to places as far as China, to do
courses on the impact of climate change to
developing countries such as our own. It
even prompted one of my business ventures
in my younger youth days - which was a
recycling company, which handled plastics
and cardboard - before selling my stake, or
rather, disposing of my stake - pun intended
- in that operation.
Mr. President, there is no doubt that
Jamaica has a waste management problem,
we don't need an impending disaster to see
that. A drive pass any of Kingston's main
gullies will show you that. A trip to any of
the nation's major trading areas in each of
our towns makes that abundantly clear.
However, interest is certainly heightened
when the threat of flooding from blocked
drains becomes a clear and impending
danper.
The recent storm preparations,
though well handled, have further
strengthened my resolve to see this Motion
through, and to work with our partners in
Government, in the private sector and in
civil suciely to play our part in finding and
implementing the necessary solutions.
There are many underlying factors
which contribute to vur wasle management
problems. Mainly, I believe these include
bad social practices and norms, weak and
inadequate infrastructure for collection, and
in some cases, poor town planning. For
cxample, | understand that in excess of
eleven thousand homes are within fifty fect
of a gully in Kingston and St. Andrew, Mr.
President, accordiny to Mona GIS. Made
McFarlane 07.10.16 10:50
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
worse, entire communities right behind these
houses on the gully banks add to the weight.
Many of these communities are unplanned
settlements which have made the provision
of basic services by the State more
challenging and expensive. This includes
solid waste management.
Most garbage trucks just can't go
lane to lane to collect from each household,
and in most cases for these communities a
workable system doesn't exist for collection
or central deposit. Even where garbage
receptacles have been placed by the State,
Mr. President, many have been hijacked for
other uses, especially in times of drought
they are taken to store water. This is one of
the major reasons we have in excess of three
hundred thousand tonnes of solid waste
improperly disposed of each year in
Jamaica.
The fact that a problem exists, I don't
believe would cause much debate in this
House. As we are politicians, no doubt the
debate would be more around solutions and
even unfortunately, who are to blame for a
majority of the problems.
Mr. President, the Motion before us
seeks to address a small part of our waste
management problem, it does not seek to
address the collection or storage of our solid
waste. It is not the silver bullet which will
solve all of our waste management
problems. It is specifically worded to
address two materials which impact our
waste stream significantly.
There is no doubt that a dramatic
transformation in the composition of our
waste stream has taken place as
vunsumption patterns have changed.
Packaging options for food and beverage
have trended towards cheaper alternatives.
In Jamaica this transformation was
heightened and increased, starting in the
nineteen nineties. No longer do we use glass
bottles instead of plastic bottles, no longer
do we use cardboard boxes at lunch time,
instead we use Styrofoam; and no longer do
we commonly use reusable market bags my
grandmother used to carry when shopping,
instead, we use "scandal bags", this with a
few exceptions.
The two items targeted by the
Motion, Mr. President, are plastic bags
below a_ fifty-gallon capacity, and all
finished goods made from Styrofoam. These
items pose unique challenges, mainly for the
following reasons, biodegradability. These
items are estimated to take in excess of five
hundred years before they degrade, and with
that timeline it makes it impossible for
scientists to say the total impact that this will
indeed have during that process of
biodegrading, on us as humans and in the
environment, but generally, it is accepted to
be negative.
Mr. President, it also poses unique
challenges because of the lack of
recyclability of the materials in question.
Members, I have had the opportunity to run
a recycling company. I can say with a fair
degree of certainty that the items in question
are virtually unrecyclable, Mr. President. It
is too expensive to manage these items. It is
also unrecyclable because of contamination
because of the use of these items, Mr.
President. These items in many cases are
used to store food, and in the case of the
single-use plastic bags, are used to store
rubbish, as well. The sterilisation required
tor these items virtually moves them out of
the category of recyclable materials.
Value after being processed as well,
Mr. President, is a problem. Quite simply,
McFarlane 07.10.16
10:50 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
the cost associated with the recycling
process for these materials, even excluding
the collection, storage and transportation
cost, far outstrip the potential revenue from
resale, making it impossible for any entity to
take up the recycling process.
Mr. President, it is important to
understand the scale of the problem being
discussed. Thirty per cent of our waste is
non-organic, and of that thirty per cent just
under fifty per cent is plastic or Styrofoam.
The NSWMaA estimates that each Jamaican
produces approximately one kilogram of
waste daily, meaning approximately four
hundred thousand kilograms of plastic and
some Styrofoam waste is created each day.
As plastic bottles no doubt account for the
lion's share of that quantity, the question
may be asked why this Motion doesn't
consider those items, and this is because of
the very reasons outlined.
Unlike Styrofoam and _ single-use
plastic bags, Mr. President, plastic bottles
are commercially viable for a recycling
process, and in many cases are reusable.
Styrofoam and to a lesser extent single-use
plastic bags, have very little redeeming
value.
Mr. President, Members, we are not
alone in this deliberation. Indeed, many
countries and municipalities are considering
similar measures to treat with these same
items of concern. For international context,
many have either banned or taxed the
materials in question. In CARICOM,
Guyana has imposed a similar ban on
Styrofoam, in Barbados they have
implemented a Returnable Containers Act
aimed at plastic bottles. On the African
Continent, South Africa, Uganda and
Rwanda have banned the use of single-use
plastic bags. All across Europe taxes have
been levied against single-use plastic bags,
with many local municipalities, including
Paris, banning the use totally.
In the UK they have implemented a
much-reported five pence charge for the use
of each plastic bag, which they estimated cut
and reduced usage by eighty per cent.
Twenty seven municipalities in the
Philippines have outright banned the use of
Styrofoam, Mr. President. In the United
States several cities, States and Local
Authorities have banned Styrofoam, with
only one being overturned in the New York
State Supreme Court, Mr. President; the rest
have been accepted and continue as is.
The international list is indeed
exhaustive. The list of private companies
which have decided to ban the use of
Styrofoam and plastic bags grow daily, both
locally and abroad.
Mr. President, we have local
companies who have banned the use of
Styrofoam, including Red Stripe, who have
joined us here today. Furthermore, to
address the problems associated with
biodegradability, companies like National
Bakery only use biodegradable bags for their
products.
I am advised through consultation,
that the nation's largest producer of
Styrofoam, Wisynco, is actually pursuing a
path of ensuring their items are produced
with the enzyme that makes their Styrofoam
products biodegradable.
Mr. President, my specific proposal
as outlined in the Motion, calls for Jamaica
to ban the importation of plastic bags below
fifty-gallon capacity, and all finished goods
made from Styrofoam. And that we further
curtail the production of said items in
McFarlane 07.10.16
10:50 4
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Additionally, Mr. President, we
should note that there is a cess on plastic
bottles as it exists, and we have not seen any
reduction from that cess being implemented
on plastic bottles. In fact, whal we have seen
is an explosion of consumption of products
in plastic bottles.
Mr. President, it is not beyond
Jamaicans to use reusable bags when we go
to the supermarket or wholesale. It is not
beyond us to ensure when we use Styrofoam
it is biodegradable or to consider other
options by way of cardboard material, Mr.
President. Companies like PriceSmart, KFC
and Island Grill, are examples where similar
approaches have worked in this market, Mr
President.
Indeed, the first and probably most
regular question I have been asked since this
Motion became public is, what are the
alternatives to the use of these materials?
Well, as it relates to non-biodegradable
single-use plastic bags, the alternatives
include paper bags, usually made from
recycled cardboard, or multi-use sturdy
bags, which are either made from different
synthetics or even plastics.
A concern about how homes will
collect waste, has been raised, Mr. President.
This would be handled either with the use of
the biodegradable options or through the use
of larger bins above the fifty-gallon
capacity, Mr. President.
Jamaica, unless they include that enzyme
which makes them biodegradable. Just a
reminder that the core of this Motion is the
goal of reducing non-biodegradable material
entering our waste stream all together.
The rationale for banning imports is
simple. It would be difficult, dare I say
virtually impossible for us at the ports of
entry to identify, separate with any degree of
certainty the imports of Styrofoam and
plastic bags being biodegradable. Whereas,
enforcement, Mr. President, is however,
doable through agencies like the Bureau of
Standards, with local manufacturers, so we
would be able to ensure that these
manufacturers produce goods that contain
the enzyme that makes them biodegradable.
Mr. President, our target cannot be a
simple reduction of these items in the waste
stream by way of the non-biodegradable
ones, it should be a total cutting of these
items entering our waste stream all together.
That, Mr. President, is one of the major
reasons why the taxation option has not
been considered.
I am not proposing an instant ban
where you snap your fingers and you create
havoc within the economy, Mr. President.
The devil is always in the details, and these
details would have to consider particular
realities and phased implementation. It also
has to consider particular realities, that over
two hundred and fifty persons in onc factory
alone earn their living from the production
of Styrofoam. It has to consider that the
material being produced today, whether
locally or internationally, will not have a
place in the world in the near future. We
have a duty to consider these factors and
others when this rises to the level of
Legislation and regulation.
Additionally, we must consider
alternatives to these items. The Government
will indeed need to establish a Committee
for the implementation of this Motion, Mr.
President, and we would expect that that
would be housed within the portfolio
Ministry for environment.
McFarlane 07.10.16 10:50
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
With regard to alternatives to non-
biodegradable Styrofoam, the options exist
to make these items biodegradable, as well
as introducing cardboard alternatives, which
are present in many stores, Mr. President.
The argument against most of the
alternatives presented is usually based in
cost. But I posit today that the long-term
cost of not removing these items from our
waste stream is far greater. It impacts
generations today and generations to come.
Members, I appeal for consensus, not
appealing for reckless abandon of your duty
to do due diligence, but consensus that all of
the available science tells us that these items
represent problems to our environment and
to world sustainability.
As a small island developing State,
Mr. President, we are at greater risk than
larger nations with the ability to weather the
effects of climate change and manage the
impact of pollution. We have a duty to act
today. We have a duty to take further action
as it relates to the other issues that we are
well aware of in the near future.
Mr. President, thank you.
(Applause)
Maloney Samuels
07.10.16 11:05 l
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: Mr
President.
The PRESIDENT: Senator Frazer-
Binns. (Applause)
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: Mr.
President, though our population and
consumption has increased over the past 50
years or so, the reality is that our response
and our ability to manage our waste disposal
have been lagging behind, and Senator
Samuda spoke to some of these.
We on this side, and I speak for my
colleague when I say, that we recognise the
urgency with which the environment must
be - issues relating to the environment must
be addressed.
The fact you see, Mr. President, is
that Jamaica generates an eslimaled amount
of 1.7 million kilogram of municipal waste
each year, and if one were to break that
down, it translates somewhere to about five
pounds per household each day, and an
annual figure on or about a tonne of waste
each year.
In 2015, there was a_ waste
characterization study completed by the
National Solid Waste Management
Authority and it revealed, among other
things, that at least 15 per cent of the
garbage or the waste is made up of plastic,
and so it is in that light that I rise today to
lend my support to the spirit and the intent
of the motion as advanced by Senator
Samuda.
The latest Human Resource
Development Report reminds us that
nothing that—I am quoting—jeopardizes the
environment sustainability of the planet can
be regarded as progress, or as some would
say, prosperity. There is absolutely no
doubt in my mind that we face a waste
management crisis in Jamaica.
In fact, Vision 2030, the National
Development Plan states that, when looking
at Jamaica having a healthy human
environment it highlights improper
management of waste as one of the several
challenges to us realising this goal, and we
know the reality because just about three
weeks or so ago, we had some rain and I
think we are all appalled when we saw the
photos, and certainly when we listened to
news and saw the images of what happened
at Marcus Garvey. It is my information and
I do verily believe that approximately
US$15 Million represents the total amount
of loss to equipment, to goods and to
personal property.
In fact, lest we forget what happened
few weeks ago, only this week, and I am
staying home, only this week Monday, and I
can attest to it because | was driving at the
time when we had that downpour, we saw
the eftects of poor waste management.
Where after 25 minutes, give and take, of
rainfall, communities were flooded, our
drains were hlocked, roads were flooded,
and that is the reality we face, and I belicve
it is some of those realities that would have
prompted Senator Samuda, notwithstanding
his other experience, to table this very
timely motion. And for that I must extend
my own congratulations to Senator Samuda
tor this. (Applause)
I must also extend congratulations
and commendations to other civil society
groups who have been charging this fight for
a long time. We have the Jamaica
Environmental Trust, we have — the
Jamaica—J-FLAG, we have the Jamaica
Civil Society forum that have continuously
spoken about the environment and the need
to protect the environment.
Maloney Samuels
07.10.16 11:05 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
I am hoping that, and I do believe
that perhaps it's part of your thinking,
Senator Samuda. That at the end of this
debate, the country will become even more
aware of the importance of taking charge of
the environment but more so of the use or
the lack thereof of plastic, Styrofoam or
anything that will negatively impact the
environment.
As you correctly said, Styrofoam
takes an approximate 500 years to
decompose, and this in and of itself poses a
challenge, but what we should also consider
is that apart from the environmental effect
the use of Styrofoam also poses a health
consideration, and apart from the minor
health challenges such as skin irritation to
others which may include kidney challenges,
the International Agency for Research on
Cancer posits that Styrofoam is a possible
human carcinogenic ingredient, and I think
this is something for us to pay keen attention
to.
So, having said that let me reiterate
my support for the spirit and the intent of the
Motion. But I have to confess, I do have at
little discomfiture with the wording, and it is
in that light, Senator, that I shall make some
recommendations and I will share with you
my thoughts, which I hope you will find
agreeable and we can have consensus for the
benefit of Jamaica.
The first thing I wish for us to
consider, which you spoke to a little and I
shall go in some detail, is the impact of this
ban on the productive sector. And I know
you spoke generally and you cited two—
well, one main company, Wisynco, but I
want to take it down notch and speak to the
effect on small and medium _ sized
entreprencurs. Because you see there are
two very indisputable facts: One is that over
70 per cent of Styrofoam is produced
locally, the second indisputable fact is that
the majority of the retailers are small
businesses and so we have to consider how
this ban will affect those persons. And part
of the consideration will necessitate the
Government advancing incentives to help
with any possible financial challenges that
may result. (Applause by Opposition
Members) And I want to use the example of
George.
George is a little man—
Mr. SKEFFERY: Or Matthew
Miss FRAZER-BINNS Or
Matthew.
(Laughter)
Mr. BROWN: Matthew, no, not
Matthew!
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: Mark,
Mary, Sophia, Sue, but let me use George
because George I can talk about.
Mr. BROWN: Yes, George is not
as dangerous.
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: George is
a little small businessman with his cook
shop, not even a proper cook shop because
he docs the cooking somewhere and has his
trailer that he takes the warm food in.
Mr. SKEFFERY: George in
Balaclava.
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: But the
thing aboul George is thal George services
the offices in the nearby New Kingston; and
the primary container that he packs these
lunches and breakfasts in, you guessed it, it's
Styrofoam. One therefore has to consider
how the ban or the introduction of this new
enzyme. will affect the cost of production for
George, and in considering that there are
Maloney Samuels
07.10.16 11:05 93
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
certain germane questions that we must ask
ourselves as a country, as leaders.
One of which is, has a cost study
been done? There is a need for cost study.
What is the likely increase per unit cost for
either the ban or the introduction of this
biodegradable enzyme? Have we done what
in my time, we used to call a SWOT
analysis? And I find those questions critical,
because if we look at the example of what
happens across the world, you will see that
the experience speaks for itself.
So, in New York, for example, a
study was done in 2012 on how the ban on
Styrofoam would affect the economy, and
what that study revealed is that, the
introduction of alternate containers would
cost in increase of 94 per cent. In other
words, whereas a Styrofoam cup would cost
a $1 the alternate, and let me just add that
this is the minimum because there are
different grades of alternate containers of
products but this is the minimum alternate
product. The alternate product would cost
$1.94 effectively doubling the cost of
business. A cost you and I know is going to
be passed on to the consumer. So you think
is New York alone? No, it's not New York.
So let me share with you what obtained in
California.
In California the study showed that
the impact of the ban would cost
approximately $1.4 Billion in output. It
further showed, Senator Ruel Reid, that it
would result in a loss of 335 million, some
8000 jobs, and the food service product
would have an increase of $378 Million per
year, and these studies are within the last
three to four years.
Therefore, therefore, Senator Reid,
and J'm quite sure you would appreciate that
the study is an indication; and it underpins
the argument that before one can go to ban
or lobby for the introduction of the enzyme,
that we have to do a cost analysis. It stands
to reason. Therefore, whereas we are in
agreement with the idea with the spirit of the
Motion, there are certain realities that are
not unique to Jamaica but must be given
pride of place because of our economy and
because of the role that our small and
medium sized entrepreneurs play in our
economy.
The second matter that I shall share
with this Senate, and Senator Samuda spoke
about it but I will share with you some more
details, is what I call a phased introduction,
and I think it is important for emphasis, I
repeat, that because 70 per cent of our
Styrofoam is produced locally, and,
therefore, an immediate ban, whenever that
takes place, whether it takes place in 2016,
2017 or 2019, a one-stop ban could have
deleterious effect on the economy, and I am
therefore proposing that a _ reasonable
timeline perhaps could be five years.
Clemmings 10.07:2016
11:20 l
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Ms. FRAZER-BINNS: I believe
also that once a Joint Select Committee of
Parliament is established, and we bring in all
the experts then maybe a timeline that is
perhaps more considered could be proposed.
(Applause)
Mr. President, the truth is that any
attempt to resolve this problem, and it is a
monster of a problem, is going to call for
across the aisle consensus, but also
partnership, public and private partnership
with all stakeholders. (Applause) And you
know, we talk about Guyana and I agree
Guyana has done something good and they
are promoting the green economy and I
support them, because as someone who
supports the environment, I have to support
what is being done in Guyana. But let us
look at some of the best practices and some
of the challenges that they have.
One of the things that they did in
Guyana, one of the things they did in
Guyana, is that it was not an immediate ban.
The notice did not, or the proclamation did
not say tomorrow you will you have a ban; it
took a minimum ofa year. But more so what
transpired in Guyana was there was a wide-
based consensus - I mean, consultation. So
you find that the importers had a say, the
retailers had a say, the small businesses had
a say and families and communities also had
a say and I believe that that is a best practice
that can be adopted and should be adopted in
Jamaica. (Applause)
I don't believe, Senator Samuda, J
don't believe that your thoughts are in
conflict with mine in that regard. And, in
considering the phased programme, [ shall
also recommend for consideration, that the
Government of the day, whichever
Government it is, consider incentivizing this
action. (Applause) Listen man,
encouragement sweetens labour; and for
reasons I have mentioned before, I believe
that some form of incentive would be an
added impetus in getting the work done.
And you see, again we talk about
Guyana, and I have to reference Guyana.
Because in Guyana that is something that
they have given much thought to and action;
so presently I note that they are considering
some form of tax incentives for businesses
who are interested in importing alternatives
to styrofoam, and that is something that we
can do.
Further, one of the things that they
are doing in Guyana as well, is that
biodegradable containers are tax free. And
so I think that those are things that any
Government, serious about the environment
and encouraging environmental friendly
practices should consider and implement.
(Applause)
But you see, Mr. President, I can
come with all these recommendations and
Senator Samuda can come with his well-
researched paper and the other Members of
the Senate will make their inputs. But
notwithstanding the many nights and hours
and consultations that Senator Samuda
would have put into this Motion, or
notwithstanding the fact that I had to get up
at 5 o’clock this morning because Nathan
Charles decided that he is not going to give
me a chance, yesterday to read over my
papers, so I had to get up at 5:00 to go
through.
(Sotto voce comments by a Member)
Miss. FRAZER-BINNS: None of
that matters, if we don’t - Nathan Charles is
my son. (Applause)
Clemmings 10.07:2016
None of that, Mr. President,
Members, matter if persons do not know.
You know, when I was in high school I had
a teacher and she always say this little thing,
“A little knowledge can do a lot”. The
truth Members is that, nothing at all matters
if we do not have knowledge, knowledge is
power. And so key to any action, any plan at
all has to be an on-going public education
programme, undoubtedly. And this
programme has to be one where the citizens
are encouraged to be a part of the
preservation of the environment. It cannot
be the normal run of the mill public
education programme; it has to he one that
we take to the hills and to the valleys, to the
gullies and to the riverside, to the river bank
where we talk to our people, so they can
understand the importance of what we are
doing.
I remember as a little girl going to
school, and I am quite sure you may all
remember prep school, primary school,
kindergarten. There is a little song that we
normally sing; “Pick up papcr, pick up
paper, lying on the ground”. Am I the
only one?
A Member: Makes the place untidy
(Sotto voce comments by Members)
A Member: In your days.
Miss. FRAZER-BINNS: Okay, in
my days, which is just five years ago.
(Laughter) Bul seriously though, Members,
to this very day that song sticks with me; so
I remember, going to Westwood, I
remember you were taught as ladies you do
not litter, so you take your garbage with you
and then you dispose of it in the correct
receptacle. That is the kind of public
education you arc - it is such that your
11:20 2
whole conscious level is changed, your
consciousness is changed and that is the type
of public education that we need to
undertake. The kind of public education that
is personal. So when you have an ad out
there or when you talk to John Brown or
Mary Stokes, you help him or her to
understand that, listen man, when you use
the styrofoam and then you dispose of it on
the street then it goes into our waterway, it
blocks our drains. When our drains are
blocked, then what happens when it rains?
There is no way for the water to run off so
you are going to have flood. When you have
a flood then what happens is that your house
can be damaged, you or your families can
lose their lives, that is the kind of public
education that we have to undertake.
(Applause) This highfalutin public education
is not working, we have to take it to the
persons so they understand the implication
of what this means, because environmental
protection is not just legislators problem it is
a problem, for every single Jamaican.
(Applause)
And so, Mr. President, | commend
those recommendations for consideration.
And in wrapping up, I share further
recommendations, the less detailed, which
are not exclusive to styrofoam or plastic, but
I believe that any consideration about the
protection of the environment has to be
holistic. And I hear the arguments Senator
Samuda why you sought to focus on plastic
and styrofoam. But I believe that we cannot,
as a country in 2016, continue wilh a
piecemeal approach, we have to...
(Applause) ... I know you would love that,
I know you would love that. That was just
for you Senator Kavan.
Mr. GAYLE: I sat in that seat
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Clemmings 10.07:2016
11:20 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Miss. FRAZER-BINNS: I know
you would love that. I shall not use that
phrase again.
But seriously, Members, we cannot,
we have to consider the protection of the
environment in a very holistic and_all-
encompassing way. And so...
(Sotto voce comments by a Member)
Miss. FRAZER-BINNS: And it is
so. And so, in both during the Motion and
the effort of Senator Samuda, I believe that
we should recommend and note what I am
about to say, the expansion of the Waste
Separation Programme. Because, we already
know that there is a partnership ongoing
between JSIF and the National Solid Waste
Management Authority where an experiment
or a pilot project is being done in 30
communities across the island; and there are
some lessons that have been learnt and that
we continue to learn. I believe that we can
use those lessons and expand the Waste
Separation Programme island wide to hasten
the efforts to protect the environment, and
this is not a new phenomenon.
I remember living in the UK and we
were given three or four different containers,
and you had to ensure that the correct item
goes in the particular coded — colour-coded
container. And we know if that is not done,
the implications of it. And many Jamaicans
have left Jamaica, live overseas and have
conformed. And IJ do believe it is something
that through public education we can do and
I commend it for serious national
implementation.
The other recommendation I have is
for an incrcase in the recycling operations
and garbage receptacles. The truth is that,
we do have yarbaye receptacles, bul
somehow they are either far - you know,
they are far and in-between. And whereas it
ought not to be an excuse for persons to
litter, the fact of the matter is persons
generally think it is easier to dump their
garbage once they are finished rather than
walk with it. And if we can ensure that
receptacles are placed in strategic locations
in our towns, in our communities...
(Applause) ...in our districts then I believe
that a lot of benefits can be had and we
would have gone miles ahead in our quest to
protect the environment.
Somewhat of, and I will admit that it
perhaps is a little controversial, but I am
convinced that there are merits to this other
proposal and it has to do with a deposit, and
special charge legislation. And this
legislation would allow for two specific
things, among others which the experts can
advise us.
One is that, it will allow for a special
charge on single-use plastic bags. Senator
Samuda spoke about single-use plastic bags,
which we Jamaica call “scandal bag” but I
think that the problem may not to ban it,
because if you ban it, then there are
consequences. He spoke about Pricesmart,
listen, how many of us really can afford to
go to Pricesmart, uuh? That is something we
need to consider.
The other thing is, I know the
inconvenience of going to Pricesmart and
don’t have a bag because I forget my Price
Mart bay. So - and for those of us who go lo
Pricesmart, not all of us drive. So we need to
- we need to make our proposals reflect the
reality. And the reality of it is, a lot of us
particularly those of us who may live below
Torrington Bridge or who may live outside
of Mandela Highway don’t have a
Pricesmart. And so, there should be a policy
Clemmings 10.07:2016
11:20 4
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
that engages all persons and affects all
persons. And so I believe that, until we get
to the place where persons no longer use our
single-use plastic bags or our scandals, then
there perhaps should be that charge. And
this is different from the environmental level
which I will not speak to.
The other thing that this Legislation
would do is, it would allow for a special fee
or a charge on - I know the Motion does not
go into that detail on bottles. Again, once
you return that bottle or that plastic
container then the fund is returned to you,
and this not something new.
I was sharing with Senator Lambert
because he is Kingstonian and | am country,
that in St. Ann one of the things that we
normally do, particularly in Christmas is, we
would collect our D&G because those of us
who remember D&G, collect our D&G
bottles and we would take it to the depot and
we would get our crate for Christmas. So it
is not new phenomena, I think it is just
somcthing that we necd to encourage in a
strategic and standardized way.
There also is the need and I
recommend it for consideration, for there to
be the strengthening and the development of
our legal and regulatory framework. And
this will allow for imatlers such as the
conversion of waste to energy, and also the
regulations necessary for anti-litter and this
has nothing to do with fines because I don't
know if fines will be the answer to our
dilemma at this moment. And countries,
again, that have utilized this have seen the
benefit. Countries such as United States,
Puerto Rico, Australia and they have their
own environmental protection campaign
such as, “Keep America Beautiful” or “Keep
Australia Beautiful” campaign and I think
that we have a lot that we can learn from
these countries who have enjoyed the
success.
And as I mentioned before, there has
to be serious coordinated support and
incentives for our small and medium-sized
entrepreneurs.
But 1 appreciate, that my
recommendations and the Motion put
forward by Senator Samuda will take some
time particularly if we are serious about
participation, accountability, responsibility,
consultation.
And so, I don't think that we should
wait until we have completed that process to
do some things, but there are some things
that we can do in the now. And as such, my
sixth recommendation has to be that there
must be support, additional budgetary
support for the work of the National Solid
Waste Management Authority. (Applause)
The fact of the matter is that between
2011 and 2014, The National Solid Waste
Management Authority received funds that
only allowed it to allocate $2.34 per person
for garbage disposal, wholly inadequate; but
I believe that in terms of our priority and our
commitment to the environment, and our
commitment to waste management that
more can be done in the short-term, until we
have realized the objectives as outlined in
the Motion.
Stewart 07.10.16
11:35
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: Mr.
President, the protection of the environment
and its proper use is everybody's business
and as leaders we can make the first step. In
our own daily lives, we can seek to reduce
the use of styrofoam perhaps we will start
walking with our containers; perhaps we
will ensure that when we go to Price Rite we
buy the Price Rite bags and you take it to
whether it is to Lee's or to Hi-Lo or to
General Foods and utilize it instead of
utilizing the single-use bags. All of us have
to play a role. We cannot continue as
business as usual. We cannot continue to do
the same thing expecting a different result.
You know what they say about persons who
do that and I believe that time come; not
thirty minutes as yet, but time come for us to
make a change and to be proactive in our
protection of the environment. The state of
affairs impresses on us the urgency with
which we must act and undertake these
reforms.
We must do everything in our power
for our children, their children and their
children's children to protect and preserve
the environment. It cannot be business as
usual. The onus, therefore, is on me; it is on
you; it is on all of us to play our part to
make a commitment so that we protect the
environment and ensure that every Jamaican
in every parish, in every town, in every
community, in every single household can
enjoy the right as enshrined in section 13 of
the Charter of Fundamental Rights and
Freedom, that right of a healthy and
productive environment.
And with that, Mr. President, I shall
wish to share with Senator Samuda my
proposals for amendments. The first two
paragraphs in the preamble I am not—I have
made some proposals for those, but the
bulk—
The PRESIDENT: (Gavels) The
speaker's time has expired.
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Mr.
President, may I ask that the speaker's time
be extended to allow her to finish her
presentation.
The PRESIDENT: The question is
that the speaker be permitted adequate time
to complete her presentation.
Put to the Senate and agreed to
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: Thank you,
thank you Minister. Thank you, Senator.
The bulk of my proposal comes at
the prayer where—the first prayer:
“BE IT RESOLVED _ that
Jamaica...”
I have recommended a change, so it reads:
BE IT RESOLVED that Jamaica
curtails:
a) the production of
Styrofoam containers
unless they include
the enzyme that
makes them
biodegradable; and
b) that the ban on the
importation of plastic
bags and all finished
goods be made from
styrofoam...
Then we continuc—
on a graduated
phase basis with a
view to completely
Stewart 07.10.16
11:35 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
banning the use of
styrofoam and plastic
bags within five
years.
The second prayer:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that—and this is all in the
insertion—
a) the Government put
in place incentives to
encourage the use of
biodegradable
alternatives;
b) implements
programmes and
projects including
financial assistance to
small and medium-
sized entrepreneurs
who will be affected
by this change;
c) undertakes a nation-
wide ongoing public
education programme
on environmental
protection including
the proper disposal of
garbage and all forms
of waste; and
d) implements a national
garbage — separation
system at homes and
work place;
I trust Senator Samuda, Members of this
Senate that these recommendations will find
consensus, because as I said at the end of the
day the issue of the environment is
everybody’s business. It is not divided along
any lines or any colour and so I crave that
we will all play our part in ensuring that we
nuh dutty up Jamaica any more.
Thank you, Mr.
(Applause)
President
The PRESIDENT: Thank you,
Senator Frazer-Binns. May I just remind
Members that in the future that if you have
proposed amendment that you could make
several copies rather than the one for
Members.
Miss LONGMORE: Mr. President.
(Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Go ahead,
Senator. Thank you.
Dr. LONGMORE: Let me add my
welcome to our guests today. I recognize
that this is an issue that all Jamaica takes
keen interest in and I particularly appreciate
the presence of the persons who are here
with us today.
Mr. President, I rise to recognize
Senator Samuda’s Private Member’s
Motion. It is no doubt that the environment
and the protection thereof is of paramount
import to all of us in these Hallowed Halls.
It is quite ironic that my colleague on the
other side and J are wearing the same colour
today and | hope that is a subconscious
recognition that we are united for Jamaica in
this cause. (Applause)
(Crosstalk)
That’s going green.
We, here, are reflection of the
Jamaican society at large and in like manner
the populace of Jamaica, in my opinion, is
increasing their concern with and wanting to
Stewart 07.10.16
11:35 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
actively protect our country. Jamaica’s
legacy as an island paradise that we
endevour to preserve is under grave threat.
As it is globally, we are quickly realizing the
unfortunate impact human activity has had
on this world we share. Unfortunately, the
fervour that drives economic pursuits often
times does not consider our innocent
environment as a casualty. This is changing.
Countries far and wide are recognizing and
acting on this very critical subject. Jamaica,
land of wood and water should be no
different.
We, Mr. President, have a lot at stake
if we do not heed to this concern and act.
Our reality is that we have an economy that
is delicately in the middle income level and
we are gradually inching our way out of
significant debt, but we are also a country
that has approximately 82 per cent of our
population living along the coastline—
within five kilometres of the coast and are,
therefore, heavily impacted by coastal
processes. Our environment is the livelihood
of our people in a number of ways. We have
to strive to achieve and maintain that very
delicate balance between economic
prosperity and environmental protection.
And I agree, Senator, that we do
need a cost basis analysis in terms of how
much it would cost to make this move; what
it would do to our economy and how best
we can offset that to the benefit of our
people. As a Small Island Developing State,
Jamaica is particularly vulnerable to the
impacts of climate change particularly sea
level rise and extreme weather. For example,
climate change projections suggest that
precipitation in Jamaica will be reduced by
40 per cent by 2018. We have to take this
matter of our environment serious. If we
don’t, we may not have an economy to think
about.
Ladies and gentlemen to achieve the
balance prosperity and the protection of our
country, we first have to come to accept that
both are of equal weight and accordingly act
to correct what has already gone wrong. We
are laking that approach economically. We
must now do so environmentally.
The Motion brought by Senator
Samuda to ban the importation of plastic
bags below fifty gallons and all finished
goods made from styrofoam and, Senator,
we recognize—I think I may speak on
Senator Samuda’s part—that we recognize
your recommendations for amendment and
they are worthy. It was things that we were
considering ourselves, particularly the
phased implementation and the fact that this
is no quick-fix scenario. I also hasten to add
that a significant public education
programme must be embarked on
particularly encouraging persons to dispose
of their waste properly. I recommend the
Jamaica Environmental Trust for their Nuh
Dutty Up Jamaica campaign. It is something
that I, myself, have bought into and
encouraging that campaign amongst those
who I connect with.
I doubt there is any Jamaican who
does not know a scandal bag or a Styrofoam
box. Not only are these staples in our
everyday lives, there are also in my mind
unfortunate markers for the damage that is
unwittingly done by persons, such as myself,
as we go about our business of shopping and
having a box lunch. It only requires a little
thought and a glance of the eye to see the
damage done by the presence of these items
in our environment. Our rivers, seas, reefs,
flora and fauna are littered by items that will
be there long, long after our great, great,
great, great grandchildren have inherited our
beloved Jamaica.
Stewart
07.10.16
11:35
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
With each Jamaican producing
approximately one kilogram of waste per
day, 30 per cent of it being organic and 70
per cent that is not organic of which 46 per
cent is plastic, we here in this Chamber
should be gravely concerned for the land we
are charged to govern and protect. I take
particular interest because of the health
impact that this could have in our society.
Physically, there are cancers too numerous
to mention that have been linked to a lot of
the chemicals in these plastics. Respiratory
conditions, we have crisis situation with
asthma as we have seen when the fire
unfortunately happened at the Riverton
Dump. Infectious diseases, chronic lifestyle
diseases, childhood illnesses a lot of these
environmental pollutants have been linked
to possible neurodevelopmental disorders
such as autism, ADHD.
Bryan 07.10.16
11:50 1
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Dr. LONGMORE: Our community
and our environment that our people live in;
all would be impacted by this ban in a
positive way. The large majority of plastics
and Styrofoam used are non-biodegradable
and will be in our eco systems for thousands
of years to come. Let me be one of the first
to recognise that there is no quick-fix
situation and with the aforementioned
delicate balance needed, we have to be
strategic in how we proceed to enable the
safety of our environment. However, we
have to start somewhere and I think this
Motion brought before us today is a very
good place to do so. Let us join the global
movement that is awakening to the realities
of the need to protect our world. It is not
only happening in faraway places but right
here within our Caribbean community.
Mr. President, for the health and
well-being of our future generations, for
ourselves and paramount for our Jamaica
land of wood and water, land that we all
love, I rise to support this Motion. Thank
you. (Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Senator Dr
Brown Burke. (Applause)
Dr. BROWN BURKE: Thank you
very much, Mr. President.
Mr. President, I rise to add my voice
in supporting the spirit and intent of the
motion moved by Senator Matthew Samuda.
There is no doubt that we define
sustainability in these days around three
issues: social cohesion, economic progress
and environmental sustainability. The
motion therefore speaks to the third,
environmental sustainability. So I want to
thank Senator Samuda for bringing this
Motion forward and therefore giving us an
opportunity to place some of the issues that
we are doing today on the table. Quite
frankly, if we needed a reminder another
Matthew not so long ago reminded us quite
eloquently of the need - another Matthew,
quite eloquently of the need to protect our
environment and to look at some of our
lifestyle choices.
Although the motion speaks to non-
biodegradable waste and in particular plastic
bags and Styrofoam, I want to also go a little
bit further and talk about the concern that
really has us here, which is really the
concern about protecting our environment
and making sure we have an environment
worthy of being bequeathed to our children
and our grandchildren. So we know that
plastic products whether they are plastic
bags or water bottles, tins, cans, tyres, metal
products and clectronics like computers and
all of these kinds of non-biodegradable
products create an impact in terms of how
they are disposed of and whether or not they
can be reused or recycled. And the truth is
that as technology improves and as
economies across the world develop, there is
likely to be more and more non-
biodegradable products which can withstand
extreme temperatures which are durable and
are easy to use. I don't think any of us in
here can deny the convenience of the plastic
bags themselves, synthetic and even
Styrofoam, but it is true that we are at a
point, having understood the dangers that
they pose to the environment, for us to be
called to action. This concern for the
environment is important and one that I
want to spend a little bit more time on.
In a long, long, long ago world
where - not in my time, even before that, we
were known as hunter-gatherers and as
hunter-gathers, we had an appreciation for
how our actions affected our environment.
In fact, our very survival was bound up with
Bryan 07.10.16 11:50
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
protecting the environment. We learnt that
we could not overfish an area because if we
did we would not be able to feed our
families. Most of you might be aware that
Native American Indians traditionally are
known to respect the earth and they
recognise a certain spirituality in Mother
Earth. I have always found their respect for
Mother Earth fascinating. And if you permit
me, Mr. President and colleagues, I would
like to share a little of that with you. I do so
in making the connection with our concern
for the environment and the impact that can
be created depending on how we use, reuse
or recycle non-biodegradable products. I do
so as well clear in my mind that part of the
solution must include looking at the values
we bequeathed to our children and the
underlying values that we display by our
own actions or inactions. And it gocs a long
way in the public education that Senator
Sophia Frazer-Binns spoke about, but I want
to take it beyond a public education concern
for our present adult population.
In 1996 at the Gathering of Native
American Men in Colorado, USA, the
meeting defined seven basic philosophies
that could help them preserve the values of
their culture. I am not going to talk about all
seven philosophies. We spoke to the role of
women, the role of children, family,
community, the Creator und self | really
want to talk about the one that is about earth.
And so they said that, "Our Mother Earth is
the source of all life, whether it be the
plants, the two legged, four legged, winged
ones or human beings. Mother earth is the
greatest teacher if we listen, observe and
respect her. When we live in harmony with
Mother Earth she will recycle the things we
consume and make them available to our
children and to their children." They agreed
then that it was important to teach their
children to care tor Mother Earth so she is
preserved for future generations. And so
from then on, they agreed that each one
would realise that the earth is our mother
and that they would treat her with honour
and respect, that Mother Earth is a living
entity that maintains life and that they would
speak out in a good way whenever they see
someone abusing the earth; just as thcy
would protect their own mother so would
they protect the earth and they would ensure
that the land, water and air will be intact for
their children and their children's children,
even those unborn.
Mr. President, the point | am making
here is a very simple one. We must begin to
teach our children the sacredness of our
environment (Applause) and have them
understand and appreciate the
interconnectedness of human activity on the
degradation of the environment and the
possible negative impact on our own
survival. Yes, I know that we cannot teach
what we ourselves do not know and
therefore public education is important. A
former Prime Minister, I think it was Prime
Minister P.J. Patterson, once introduced a
Values and Attitude Campaign. Since then
there have been several stops and starts
under different names. My call in support of
this Motion before us is not just to look at
the health implications which are important
or the economic possibilities, but to
undergird all of what we are doing with a
deeper understanding and appreciation for
how totally bound up we are with the fate of
our environment,
And here I want to quote another
Native American saying: "Treat the earth
and all her aspects as your mother. Show
deep respect for the mineral world and the
plant world and the animal world. Do
nothing to pollute our mother. Rise up with
wisdom to defend her." And I believe that
Bryan 07.10.16
11:50 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
the motion before us is an attempt to rise up
with wisdom and defend Mother Earth.
A couple days ago as I did my own
tours throughout the Corporate Area I was
struck by the many drains that were blocked,
and it is true that they were some that were
blocked because they have just become too
small to carry the volume of water that we
had, and there were some that were full of
silt, but there were several others that were
overflowing with plastic bottles, with old
fridge, with old stoves, tyres and so on. And
the one that caught my attention it wasn’t
(George's) Cook Shop, it was another cook
shop. And as I looked in the drain beside
that cook shop it was filled with Styrofoam
containers and with plastic bottles. I turned
to the owner and | said to him, we have to
do a little better than this. And he said to
me, but, see, I have a drum, a container right
there, which he did. The container was
almost empty and right beside that container
were heaps and heaps and heaps of
Styrofoam boxes and plastic bottles. And
what that says to me is that it's about civic
pride, but it is also about a deeper value that
we have not instilled in our children who
have become adults. (Applause) And
therefore, I would like to ask Senator
Samuda to also include in the motion that
need for public education and the need to
instill the values from our infants of
appreciating nature. And I say that because
I want to be comprehensive and not
piecemeal, because it would also cover our
single-use plastic bags and our Styrofoam
containers. But for me it is absolutely
essential that we begin to inculcate and this
is a good word in this sense, to inculcate that
appreciation for our environment and how
all our actions are interconnected and how
they impact the environment which then in
turn impacts us.
Today we are not talking about
plastic bottles, but I believe that that is also
another discussion that we need to have.
We need to have that discussion, because we
need to make sure that as Government when
there are policies and regulations that are
made that they do not negatively impact
those individuals who are already in the
industry. And often when we move to do -
when we move as government, we do not
consider how our actions will impact those
who are already in the industry. And so the
fact that a large percentage of our Styrofoam
containers are made locally, I want to
support wholeheartedly the notion of
providing some kind of incentive so that
individuals who are already making
Styrofoam containers can be incentivized to
get into the production of alternate material
because I believe it is important. I am sure
Senator Samuda appreciates inasmuch as we
were once talking about a 5% growth
agenda, I think I heard somewhere a little
revision downward, that we cannot afford to
slip any further and so it is going to be
important to ensure that individuals who are
in the business, in particular, Styrofoam
containers, that they are given an incentive
to join the movement, yes, of protecting
Mother Earth, as I like to call it.
Senator Sophia Frazer-Binns spoke
about the small business person, and I think
she did so quite eloquently, so I really want
to talk more so about the consumer and
many of the individuals who actually use
these single-use plastic bags. As an
individual who shops every now and again
at PriceSmart, I do every now and again, I
don't always remember to take a bag but
because...
Mr. MORRIS: I shop at Hi-Lo
Bryan 07.10.16 11:50
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Dr. BROWN BURKE: . . . no,
because I have a vehicle I can in fact put
what I bought in the back of my car. There
are many individuals who don't shop at
PriceSmart. There are many individuals
who buy from the corner shop, who buy
from a market, as we have several across the
island, who buy certainly from our markets
downtown or our wholesale...
(Softo voce remarks by Government
Senator)
Dr. BROWN BURKE: Or in the
countryside, I said that, shops all over in our
neighbourhoods and districts and they are
going to need something to take that grocery
back home in. And so we have to look at
what that alternative is going to be and we
have to be concerned about the price point
for that alternative and what that impact may
mean on the consumer.
Kertt 07.10.16
12:05 1
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Dr. BROWN BURKE: For those of
us who travel from time to time, you will
know that your paper bags are more
expensive than your plastic bags, yes; and
thal in many jurisdictions where there is an
option, persons can't afford to actually buy
the more expensive alternative. And
therefore, in Jamaica, I believe that that study
in terms of the impact on cost, and how that
will be passed through, is an absolute
necessity for us to determine the timeline as
well as how we approach any substitution
and any ban.
And so, the idea of a ban is one that I
support eventually, but I believe that getting
there is extremely important and we cannot...
(Satta vace comment)
Dr. BROWN BURKE: The process -
absolutely - and we cannot lose sight of that.
As I close, Mr. President, I want to
add my voice to the others who say that
protecting our environment is not something
that is Government's responsibility. It is a
responsibility that we all have to share, and
that we all have to look at, in terms of - as
individuals, as Government, as private sector,
and as community-based organizations,
because I believe we all have a role to play.
Again, I reiterate that the public
education is important, but for me, the one
that I really want to emphasize is the one of
creating that principle, that value system that
gets our children, and therefore our adults, to
understand how their actions affect the
environment.
And I know we begin first with
compliance, and that's how we think of a
ban, but what I would want to see us create is
an environment and culture of commitment
that can only be done through education and
the acceptance of that value system.
Thank you. (Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Scnator Webhy.
Mr. WEBHY: Thank you very
much, Mr. President.
Mr. President, I rise to respond to the
motion made by Senator Samuda, and I must
really commend him, as a young Jamaican,
with so much passion and commitment for
such an important subject. (Applause)
I also, Mr. President, want to
congratulate the standard and the level of the
previous presenters, because it is really
consistent in terms of my own thoughts, and
I think Senator Frazer-Binns did a
well-researched Paper, and | want to
recognize you for that.
Mr. President, this Motion addresses
the critical issue of our collective
responsibility for the environment.
Jamaica’s current poor waste management
practices pose a threat to our environment.
The garbage that caused the Shoemaker
Gully to overflow just recently, is a painful
reminder of our failure to find a workable
solution to our waste problem.
Mr. President, United Nations
Environment Programme estimates that 5.2
trillion - trillion with a ¢, Mr. President -
pieces of plastic are floating in our oceans. In
an exercise that I was recently involved in on
our International Coastal Cleanup Day -
which was actually on September 17 of this
Kerr 07.10.16
12:05 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
year - 521 pounds of plastic were collected
along the Harbour, and I am speaking an area
of just a quarter mile stretch - 521 pounds.
This garbage would most likely have floated
out to sea and contributed to the 5.2 trillion
pieces referred to by the UN.
Mr. President, I commend Senator
Samuda for his focus on the critical issue of
plastic bags and Styrofoam, The United
Nations again, has indicated - and I agree -
that the amount of wasle thal gels into our
ocean, globally, is largely dependent on the
extent and effectiveness of our solid waste
collection and management.
I believe, therefore, that a
comprehensive approach has to be taken to
address our waste management issues. Our
long-term approach must be twofold. We
must first put the necessary legislation and
infrastructure in place to establish a First
World waste management programme with a
robust recycling component. Secondly, and
perhaps even more importantly, persons have
to be educated about better waste
management practices.
Mr. President, the Motion calls for a
ban on the importation of plastic buys below
50 gallons, and I do understand very clearly
the rationale behind this approach. However,
Mr. President, we have to remember that this
ban, as you heard earlier from all of the
various presenters, include the common
supermarket bags. And these bags are used
to serve ordinary Jamaicans, and they use
them to actually clean up their households.
We need to think through very carefully what
will be the replacement for these bags.
The common alternative being plastic
bags and metal drums, are more costly and
are also prone to theft. We would need to be
at a stage where all communities have
adequate and accessible metal skips and
garbage collections in a timely manner. If we
had a total ban of plastic bags below 50
gallons without any improvement in our
current waste management system, we could
end up worsening the problem that we are
trying to fix. (Applause)
Having said that, Mr. President, I
wanl lo supporl, again, Senator Samuda and
Senator Frazer-Binns about a _ phased
implementation of the programme.
A short-term initiative which can be
employed, and which would have the effect
of immediately reducing the use of plastic
bags, is to have retailers charge consumers a
small fee for the bags.
As Senator Samuda pointed out,
when England introduced a charge on single
use plastic bags last year, they recorded an
impressive 85 per cent drop in usage in the
first six months. It caused a change in
behaviour - and I think that's where Senator
Brown was going - and person convert it in
reusable cloth or paper bags, and even
brought buck the reusable plastic bags.
I am proposing, Mr. President, that if
we decide to go that route, that the proceeds
generated from the fees collected, be used to
fund environmental programmes, or other
good causes, similar to the UK model.
Local retailers - and I have done my
back of the envelope calculation - could also
give a discount for the goods purchased, for
the customers using environmentally friendly
alternatives. The point that I um making, Mr.
President, can be a win-win for businesses,
Kerr 07.10.16
12:05 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
consumers, and all Jamaicans on a whole to
go that way. (Applause)
Mr. President, we do not have to
look as far as the UK, we have a large local
retailer who successfully implemented this
model of reusable bags, despite some push
backs - and I will not call the name of that
large retailer. They were able to overcome
the initial resistance to the introduction of
this green alternative which, of course, came
with a cost, and that's why the discussion
about a cost benefit analysis is so important.
They did so by launching a _ targeted
educational campaign on the negative effects
of plastic on the global environment. Other
local retailers have also successfully
introduced similar programmes which
provide yrealer, greener, alternatives to their
consumers.
This approach, Mr. President, should
be encouraged, but we have to recognize that
it will provide an upfront cost for the retailer
as well as the consumer, but in the long run
the benefits will far outweigh the initial price
increase, and as I said earlier, this can be a
win-win for all Jamaicans.
With respect to Senator Samuda's call
for the ban on importation of Styrofoam, we
all know - and we have heard it from
everyone - the harmful effect it has, both on
our environment - on our environment, both
on land and at sea, and human beings, and
therefore, alternatives must be aggressively
pursued.
The timing of the implementation of
the ban is critical as we gave to be cognizant
that there is heavy demand for the product
and pulling it from the market with one go,
could be very disruptive. And I am not going
to use that small shop alternative example for
George. Again, it is important that it be
thought through very carefully, in terms of a
cost benefit analysis.
Mr. Speaker, we can look for
solutions successfully implemented
elsewhere. Other countries have phased in
Styrofoam restrictions over time. Hardship
exemptions have also been provided in some
instances where small businesses, for good
reason, are unable to comply. If such an
approach is adopted in Jamaica in the short-
term, this would have to be coupled with a
long-term plan to innovate and create cost
effective alternatives to Styrofoam, so as to
reduce the harmful effects it has on our
environment, both on land and sea.
Along with looking at international
best practices closer to home, our local
manufactures have been exploring
technology that would enable them to
manufacture green alternatives, including
biodegradable Styrofoam. I believe that these
actions should be encouraged, and
incentivized.
Mr. President, the scale of the
environmental issues raised here, requires, in
my opinion, all hands on deck. Let us look at
another local initiative, launched just two
years aga which has heen quite successful.
Recycling Partners of Jamaica has collected
over 1.5 million pounds of plastic, and is an
excellent example of public-private sector
partnership that has been making a
difference. Recycling Partners of Jamaica is
a nonprofit public-private partnership which
was launched in May 2014, under the theme
Recycle Now, Jamaica.
The Government and several leaders
in the manufacturing industry, came together
Kerr 07.10.16 12:05 4
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
to fund this partnership. The Recycle finally, Mr. President, that a Committee be
Jamaica partnership must be provided with set up to give all stakeholders a voice in this
the support needed to expand the scope of very, very important Debate.
their collection programme, and to expand
the processing facilities. This would allow Thank you very much, Mr. President.
them to increase their recycling programme (Applause)
in order to further reduce Jamaica's carbon
footprint.
Mr. President, as has been aired
before by both Senator Samuda, and other
Senators, a national education programme
which has buy-in from all relevant
stakeholders will have to be developed and
deployed. Recycle Jamaica, if properly
funded, could lead the charge in raising
public awareness of the need to recycle and
engage in sustainable waste management
practices. Continuous environmental
education is key and must be implemented in
order to change our actions and culture as it
relates to waste management.
As has been said by Senator Brown, I
would especially encourage us to support
environmental education for our children in
order to influence a generational change in
behavior.
So, in closing, Mr. President, T have
made some notes on the presentation, and I
want to support Senator Samuda's Motion -
Private Member Motion - and I'd ask that the
following be considered: First, Mr. President,
is a phased implementation of the proposed
ban with the allowance for a hardship
exemption. This would allow a more smooth
transition to all stakeholders; that local
manufacturers are incentivized to develop
biodegradable alternatives supported by the
necessary recycling infrastructure; three, that
a national environmental education
programme be developed and deployed. And,
Willie 12:20
07.10.16 1
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
The PRESIDENT: Senator Sloley
I’m sorry, Senator Gayle, Senator Golding.
certain items is not something I could
support in that form because I don’t know
who would be impacted and in what way by
this and we’ve heard in the course of the
debate this morning references to the fact
that 70%, for example of Styrofoam usage in
this country is locally produced. Obviously,
therefore, it has capital that has been
invested in that and it has employees who
are involved in all aspects of that activity
from production through the rest of the
supply chain, so a ban on that is something
which would have to be very carefully
considered and how we would introduce it
to what — and the process by which we
arrive at that decision is very important.
And similarly, when it comes to
importation, as Senator Wehby has
mentioned, the prolific use of small plastic
bags in our retail system and which then are
used in people’s homes as a way of
collecting garbage and how that is disposed
of and so on. This thing warrants some
serious thought and _ consideration,
consultation and a participatory approach
towards identifying a timeframe for taking
action and what action needs to be taken.
Mr. GOLDING: Mr. President, |
intend to be brief. As it’s been said, the idea
— spirit behind this motion of seeking to
improve Jamaica’s record when it comes to
solid waste disposal is one which I think
everybody will support and it is clear that
we have a big problem with solid waste
disposal. It’s a problem that impacts on our
infrastructure and also the quality of life in
many of our communities and it’s a broad
problem to do with the funding of the
agency that is responsible for solid waste,
the nature of our infrastructure and its
capacity to cope with the volume of water —
storm water in particular that arises and how
we treat the aquifers, how we protect our
aquifers and so on. So it’s the protection of
Mother Earth that Senator Brown Burke
stressed is really at the core for the
sustainability of our planet and our society
and therefore, this a very serious matter and
one which is worth spending some time on.
Having said that, sir, ’'m very wary
of any kind of motion brought to the Senate
that it attempts to be prescriptive on the
response to what the problem is because the
ramifications of a particular course of action
need to be fully ventilated and considered,
there needs to be fulsome consultation with
all persons who are involved and in fact
would be impacted by the new rules around
it so that their points of view can be taken
into account and not overlooked.
So the idea of the Senate calling for a
ban on importation or a ban on production of
So what I would say is that if we can
find an alternative formulation for the prayer
that takes into account that those aspects or
that approach to the resolution of the issue,
it would have my support and I don’t — I’m
not proposing anything specific, I will leave
it to others to — who are looking at the
specifics to take that on board.
Willie
12:20
07.10.16 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
from an early age and then they can make
the difference as they grow up and they can
even teach and exhort their parents and other
adults to adapt a more responsible way or
approach towards handling waste. So I’ll
just say to the Minister who is here that I
would really like to see environmental
education, especially around attitudes and
treatment of waste in very practical ways be
reinforced and drilled into our children so
that the next generation will have a very
different attitude towards this issue than the
ones that now prevail.
Mr. President, apart from that, Pll
just reiterate that we support the spirit of this
motion; congratulate Senator Samuda for
bringing to the Senate and I’m sure we can
find a suitable prayer that would shape the
consensus around the final motion in its
final form.
(Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Thank you,
Senator Skeffery, for yielding, Thank you,
Senator Golding. Madam Leader.
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Thank
you, Mr. President.
The other point I wish to make
concerns education - and Minister Reid is
here in the Senate — I happen to have
occasion to visit Costa Rica recently, and the
environmental protection in that country is
at a level way above where we have
reached. I mean it was heartening and just
sad to drive over river after river which
looks so much like the Jamaican rivers, but
they all had constantly flowing water. The
concept of dry river beds and so on wasn’t
something that they had to deal with and
when I spoke to the person I was travelling
with, he too was a local person, he said to
me, “Well, we focus on the children and the
school system.’ Teaching environmental
education, the importance of protecting
Mother Earth, respecting Mother Earth and
getting the children to buy into the idea that
you don’t throw away garbage in a
particular way; separate garbage, things that
are bio-degradable, ef cetera, all of the
wholesome aspects of dealing with waste is
something that has to be inculcated in a very
methodical and deliberate way from an early
age and so what I would like to see is that
the education system and the curriculum
reinforce that going forward becuuse we do
always have such a critical problem in our
attitudes towards waste. I mean the casual
way in which people just throw something
out of their car when they’re driving or just
dump things on the ground which then ends
up in a gully or blocking a drain. That
behaviour — it’s going to be difficult to
change the behaviour of adults if necessary,
but it’s much easier to get the necessary
values and attitudes instilled in children
Vhank you.
I want to join my colleague in
congratulating Senator Samuda in having
raised, through this Motion this morning, the
very important issue of the imperative of
how we currently treat with the management
of non-biodegradable waste and I want to
add my voice to the support expressed by
ather Members in respect of the intention of
Willie 12:20
07.10.16 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
the motion and to assure Members that
Senator Samuda will propose amendments
that I’m positive will meet the support of all
Members present on both sides.
In the context of assuring Members
present about the holistic approach of the
Government to these environmental
concerns and in the context of my recent
attendance at the Third Our Ocean
Conference in Washington DC just two
weeks ago, which emphasized the
importance of ensuring the sustainability of
our oceans and seas and how important that
is to Maritime nations such as ourselves, to
small island developing state like Jamaica
with a Maritime arca of approximately 24
times the size of our terrestrial space.
The importance of oceans and seas
and their health becomes of particular
importance and why I raised that issue is
because of Senator Samuda’s statement at
the outset of his presentation, which is that
the motion is intended not to be a silver
bullet in respect of all our waste
management issues, but to address the issue
of what is introduced into our waste stream.
Senator Wehby raised the issue of —
raised a figure in respect of the amount of
plastic in our ocean and I’m aware also of
studies that have found that an estimated 14
billion pounds of trash is dumped in the
world’s ocean every year and that the
majority of that garbage, that trash is plastic.
So what enters our stream - our waste
stream, what crowds our gullies, what
requires our waste management and — both
i M.a_RNMN—GNGD0Go—™—
from a collection perspective and from an
educational perspective is very, very
important to Jamaica.
At last year’s Our Ocean Conference
held in Chile, the government of the United
States and the UN _ Environmental
Programme, the Caribbean Environmental
Programme within the — along with a new
partnership called The Trash Free Waters
Initiative, which involved countries in the
wider Caribbean region with a view to
reducing marine litter in their respective
countries. Jamaica, along with Panama, was
selected as a pilot country to participate in
this initiative and it is my pleasure to
announce that in keeping with our
commitment back then, the Jamaican
Government officially launched, through
NEPA, the Trash Free Waters Initiative for
Jamaica on the 18" of August 2016.
We are in the process of establishing
a National commillee comprised of
stakeholders from the Government, private
sector, academia and civil society to ensure
the operationalization of the initiative. And
what may be of particular interest to
Members present is the fact that among the
projects to be developed will be a robust
public education campaign that outlines the
effective management of solid waste and the
reduction and eventual elimination of use of
plastic as one of its main components.
(Applause)
I want to ensure also that we — well
assure Members present, as a matter of fact,
that we are committed as a Government to
Willie 12:20 07.10.16 4
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
SSS SSS SSS
ensuring that we secure the environment for Thank you.
present and future generations. It’s a task for
all of us that has been said earlier, no one
agency can do it because there are elements
of central and local government; there are
elements of the environment, health and
education sectors which all must be brought
in. Non-governmental and governmental
agents must be part of the change process;
changing the views of our children, which
we can do in our homes, in our families and
in our communities as well as ensuring that
(Applause)
we change our own practices, as we address
the legislative and policy components.
So I wanted to simply raise the
approach which is taken from an
international perspective in that the
Jamaican Government has an_ initiative
which was recently launched which will
address waste management. Senator Samuda
will speak later in his closing about other
aspects which are being embraced in the
amendments he will put forward and I want
to just add my own personal commitment to
the behavioural changes that are necessary.
When we speak about the amount of plastic
we use in our supermarkets, the amount of
Styrofoam we use in our cook shops, it is
clear that behavioural change will be at the
heart of this and must be - the human
element must be a part of the considerations
taken into consideration. When we weigh
the cost of keeping things the same against
urgent action, I think it is indisputable and
requires no study to say that as Senator
mentioned, time come, full time comc, we
musl take action now.
McFarlane 07.10.16
12:35 1
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. SKEFFERY: Mr. President.
The PRESIDENT: Senator
Skeffery.
Mr. SKEFFERY: Yeah. I just rise
to make a brief intervention and...
The PRESIDENT: I beg your
pardon?
Mr. SKEFFERY: _ I rise to make
a brief intervention and propose a way
forward.
I support the intent and spirit of the
Motion so moved by Senator Matthew
Samuda. And many of the issues that were
laid on the Table here are quite indeed
relevant.
I am going to make a specific
proposal, but I want to reinforce the issue of
public education, and I heard many persons
speak about it. And once we have issues like
public education, the objective of it is
always to change behaviour or mindset. And
I think the best way to start in any formal
way is at our early childhood level. Many
times we speak about public education even
in the schools, and we start at primary or
secondary. But a _ formal _ structured
mechanism that is in the curriculum at the
early childhood level is often placed on the
buck burner. And if we are going to change
the mindset we have to understand that that
mindset won't change overnight with
creating a new generation with a new
thinking, and the best way to start is at that
tender age. So that's one thing we need to
put in.
There is also the environmental clubs
that are in our schools, and I think a lot of
them need greater strengthening and
support. They do very well and we need to
ensure that.
And the private sector needs to come
on board. Just this morning when I was
coming on the way in, I heard Lasco having
a particular programme where they have
activity to support — environmental
programmes in terms of tree planting, school
gardening, and things like those. And we
need other private sector entities to support
the schools in that initiative, because that is
how we are going to get the greater
appreciation from the youngsters and the
wider community.
I know, for example, the Tourism
Enhancement Fund, they have invested a lot
of funds towards creating a change of
behaviour where the environment is
concerned. So I think those are very critical
issues. And public education has to drive
that change of behaviour which will give us
a re-culture of a people and a new paradigm,
going forward.
And because I think that this Motion
is so absolutely relevant J don't think just
debating it, reshape the prayer and vote yea
or nay will really achieve the true intent of
the Motion by Senator Samuda.
And I know in the last sitting of the
Senate I remember former Senator Duncan
Price brought a Motion on the Road Traftic
issues. And because il was such a national
issue - and I think this Motion bears similar
resemblance.
I want to proposc, Mr. President -
and you will remember that we set up a
Special Select Committee of the Senate,
Members of both sides, and we have the
critical stakeholders in this particular issue
coming to that Committee, and we are able
McFarlane 07.10.16
12:35 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
to flesh out - because the approach in
supporting the Motion, there are those
against and there are those that are
somewhere in the middle. And I think if
they could come and put their issues, and we
have a clear recommendation and a clear
Report coming from that Committee re-
tabled in the Senate, debated and passed as a
Report from the Senate, and sent to the
Government for policy formulation and
hopefully Legislative changes where
necessary, I think that would be more
effective in terms of getting the public out
there understanding that the Senate of the
land is seeing this issue as a critical one, and
is not just voting on the Motion for going
through a "Motion", but want to make
serious policy changes. Because this Motion
is going to require policy changes, it's going
to require funding, in terms of how we
move, going forward. And more
importantly, it's going to require
enforcement of those Acts that are currently
in place and any new ones. Because if we
don't enforce them it goes back to where
We...
So, I support the intent and spirit.
And other Members have some issues in
terms of rewording the prayer. But I don't
want us to leave it here today. I want this to
continue to be an Agenda item from the
Parliament, where we have the stakeholders
coming to us and we flesh it out and move
forward as we seek to get our environment
the way we want it, if not for us but for
future generation .
Thank you, Mr. President.
(Applause)
Mr. GAYLE: Mr. President.
The PRESIDENT: Senator Gayle.
Mr. GAYLE: Mr. President, permit
me to participate in the debate of this very
important Motion put forward by Senator
Matthew Samuda.
Before I do so, though, I want to -
because I think it's important that today we
are speaking of environment - that we
recognize the tremendous work that has
been done by the environmentalist group.
And we urge them to conlinue to the action
that they have done over the years.
(Applause)
Senator Samuda, you have brought
forward a very thought-provoking,
penetrating Motion with a lot of exuberance,
and I commend you for it. You are a very
brave man. You have brought forward a
Motion that I don't expect that if we agree
today this should be the end-all and be-all of
it. Work needs to be done continuously if we
are going to protect our environment. And
so, wherever we land, wherever the
agreement ought to be, it is going to require
a culture shift steeped with cducation,
discipline, alternatives and support. And,
you know, the various debaters have spoken
about the public education that is required,
the sensitization that is required for the
public at large, the wider population and in
schools.
But I want to suggest clinically, that
for the agencies and entities that operate in
terms of waste management, the workforce
that carry out that waste management ought
to be educated fully on this Motion.
(Applause)
You know, Senator Lambert Brown,
the global labour movement speaks about
green jobs, so you can't divorce yourself
from green jobs.
McFarlane 07.10.16 12:35 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
(Laughter/Applause) But Mr. President, the enforcing of
And based on the extent of this debate it
appears in my mind that Jamaica is
embracing an agenda of going green.
(Laughter/applause)
But green jobs are those that help
reduce negative environment impact,
ultimately leading to environmentally,
economically and _ socially sustainable
enterprise and economics. More precisely,
green jobs are decent jobs that reduce
consumption on energy and raw materials,
and minimize waste and pollution that
protect and restore the ecosystems.
And whilst we are not on waste
management today, Mr. President, I am
somewhat compelled to advance the
following. And we spoke about the cleaning
of gullies and drains, and we saw over the
recent days the impact. But our authorities
must establish a regular cleaning of gullies
and drains on precise schedules. We must
establish the frequency of collection of
garbage in communities and townships with
an established, publicized garbage-collection
schedule that is essentially important.
Mr. President, we have to resolve
this long-standing issue with clarity as to
who is responsible for cleaning the gullies
and the drains. And, you know, we seem to
be focusing on that crime in this country is
only limited to murder, robbery, theft,
scamming, corruption.
anti-dumping laws should be dramatically
elevated with increased fines, harsher
penalties.
(Applause)
And, Senator Frazer-Binns, you
spoke of the "Nuh dutty up Jamaica"
campaign. But that needs to be embraced
and promoted as a mantra that the entire
population focuses towards it.
(Applause)
And I remember the days in school
when on a Friday, Senator Lambert Brown,
my friends and I at school used to save up
and that was the day when we bought the
box lunch, in the box. But you know, the
box lunch, once you move from point 'A' to
point 'B' with it, everything mix up. And so
you now came with the Styrofoam
So, Mr. President, countries are
developing policies and implementing
strategies to improve waste management,
and Jamaica must positively enhance its
approach towards waste management.
Now, we are coming from a
situation, you know, where we are speaking
of the scandal bags and the Styrofoam. But,
Senator Wehby, I remember before we got
to those plastic bags - because they were -
you referred to them as single-use plastic
bags. But they are not really single-use, you
know, because we use them over and over
and over again.
(Sotto voce comment from Mr
Brown)
But I remember before we had the plastic
bags that why the name "scandal" was
attached to it was because it really
scandalized the contents at a time. And so
they changed it to the "black scandal bags"
so that you can't see through it. But I
remember, Senator Wehby, the Grace paper
bags that were durable and could carry a lot.
McFarlane 07.10.16
12:35 4
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
But I am suggesting that we have to
find alternatives, we have to find options.
This is not a situation where we can simply
abolish or abandon these materials, as they
are an integral part of human existence. But
we certainly can cut down the usage. And so
the presentations and the debate calls for a
partnership, it calls for consensus. And when
it comes to the environment and protecting
the environment, there can be no divide.
(Applause)
So, as a country, our goal must be to
foster partnership that will enhance our
economy using environmental improvement
that creates cleaner, safer environment.
You know, I like to sometimes quote
Franklin D, Roosevelt. And he said:
So, Senator Samuda, we have to find
some consensus. I understand the extent to
which you have placed forward your Motion
and the intent. But I would simply and
humbly recommend that if we are going to
embark on this shift of culture, this change
in behaviour, then we have to find a
reservoir that sccks collaboration and
consensus. And coming out of this Debate, I
would agree with any concept that interfaces
the participation of stakeholders.
Thank you very much.
containers that separated. But the other
presenters spoke about the effects of that.
As a society, Mr. President, we must
be committed to working with businesses,
community groups and our neighbours, to
improve the place we live in and do
business, by implementing projects that
benefit our communities socially and
economically.
Mr. President, the mission of this
Government must be to create safer
neighbourhoods in which we all live, by
working together with the people to improve
and sustain the environmental quality. And
so that is what it means by the collaboration,
the support, the working together.
We have a duty to protect our
environment for the next generation. As a
society, we all must accept that heavy
responsibility of the current situation, and
we must act to repair, Mr. President, what
can he repaired, and protect what can be
protected,
“A nation that destroys its soils
destroys itself Forests are lungs of
our land, purifying the air and giving
fresh strength to our people.”
Mr. President, what is happening in
the Caribbean right now, in terms of another
Matthew, another Matthew that we really
want to stay away and to be disposed of, this
environment in which we live already has to
fight with ravages of disaster, and so we
must - we must not add to it. And if we don't
promote, prescribe and support proper waste
management systems, then we are adding to
the decay of our environment.
And, with that in mind, Mr.
President, I support the objectives of the
Motion.
Maloney Samuels
07.10.16 12:50 I
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. BROWN: Mr. President
The PRESIDENT: Senator Brown,
your brief remarks.
Mr. BROWN: Very brief, very
briefly.
Mr. President, the Motion is well-
intentioned and it has earned the support in
principle of this side. I wish to make it clear
that the proliferation of plastics is but part of
the progress made by mankind globally and
locally. It's part of the progress, it's part of
the price we pay for competitiveness; for
being able to compete in a global economy.
It's the price we pay for research and
development. So, as we address the issue of
plastic and its negative impact on the
economy, let us not fail to recognise that it
came as part of the modernisation of life,
and of society. So we shouldn't run from it,
we should seek to control it. We should
seek to manage it, and just as others found
way to take us forward in the past, so too the
vlobe und us here must find ways lo luke us
beyond the problems of plastic while
embracing the potential of plastic. So I start
with that.
I could go through and tell you that
the deposit policy benefitted a lot of small
people who used to go out and buy the pint
bottles and the quart bottles. My
grandfather did that, and I have gone on the
donkey cart through the hills of St. Andrew
with him, and then down Hagley Park Road
to liqufruita; to Diamonds and Kelly's; to
Jureidini's further down Spanish Town
Road; to Canada Dry and Diamond, and
D&G.
So, when we had that deposit on
glass bottles there was an industry that many
small Jamaicans participated in. They were
wiped out when you got to the plastic. They
are like the white working class in Ohio and
Pennsylvania who have been impacted by
progress. Gladly ours weren't complaining,
they took it in stride but it meant for a
company, you said Red Stripe, it meant they
no longer had to be employing people to
collect the bottles, to wash them, the capital
maintenance cost of the washing machine to
push through the bottles and to have people
on the line looking for impurities in the
bottle. That went. So the bottom line
improved. So I make the point. There are
people who suffered but there are businesses
who benefitted from this course. So, it's
important for us to note. Profit improved,
competitiveness improved, unemployment
resulted.
So, also the progress we made and
the difficulties we face when we never
listened to the environmentalist. We didn't
put in place the necessary safeguards to
protect the country from the dysfunction, the
side effect of the plastic proliferation.
I recall when I represented the
workers at D&G, and D&G then was
producing mainly in bottles, glass bottles,
having a discussion with Noel DaCosta and
saying to Noel, "Noel, how long are you
going to continue in glass?" Because the Pet
bottles were dominating everywhere else.
Noel's answer to me then was, "There is an
environmental levy coming and that will
take care of plastic. The rest is history.
Plastic remain king and became as
destructive as hurricane Matthew.
In a sense, when I look at the
Motion, Senator Matthew Samuda, I got the
feeling that the Prayer banning this, banning
that, was Senator Gayle. I wrote this long
ago, about two weeks, three weeks ago, so
it's not in response to your green jobs. I'll
deal with the green jobs. But what I wrote
was this. "Reading the Prayer at the Motion
Maloney Samuels
07.10.16 12:50 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
the call seems to say, turn them back. Turn
them back to the old days." It also says,
"Stop the progress as no alternative, no
alternative to the plastic was really
proposed." What you saying, let's go back
to the high costs cardboard box?
(Inaudible comment by Mr. Ruel
Reid)
Mr. BROWN: I listened to the
speech, it is as implicit as some others things
I won't go into today. Suffice it to say that,
we can't just turn it back. We can't just turn
it back. We can't just stop the progress.
And in the Motion and in the discussion on
the Motion thus far, while we have
recognised the danger of Styrofoam and
plastics we have not paid attention to the
possibilities and the efforts that have been
made thus far to deal with the dangers of
plastic.
In 2014, former Prime Minister
opened with a recycling plant on Spanish
Town Road employing 100 people, aimed at
encouraging cntreprencurship and sccing a
problem trying to find a solution to the
problem. Because it's easy for us to be
caught in the problem and not think locally
and globally what is the solution to it. So I
know that efforts have been made. Senator
Noel Sloley, head of TEF, encouraged
through TEF public education in the
schools. Much have been said about public
education, Mr. President, I don't need to
repeat it but this can't go forward without
public education.
I think it's important for us to
recognise that there are opportunities, there
are opportunities arising from the problem
of plastic and styrofoam. Just recently in
September, different type of foam, albeit,
but a Jamaican company started exporting
wastc foam to China and carning moncy. So
we mustn't see the solution as just limited to
this little piece of the rock. We are part of a
global economy. There are people in the
world now looking to turn these plastics into
fuel. A big industry will arise. Ours
shouldn't be going down the Shoemaker
Gully, it should be going in containers from
the Port to fuel the plastic to fuel industry.
Let's think big. Let's not be trapped in the
difficulties of now, but let us expand our
vision to the possibilities of cooperation in
the world.
So Jamaica Foam exports its waste to
China. This is what is reported in the
Gleaner of September 7, 2016. The
Managing Director made the point that we
manufacture EPS foam and we generate
scrap. Rather than sending that off to the
dump we are finding ways to preserve the
environment while making cash doing it.
Then he went on further addressing
Styrofoam. He said, "The foam maker is
now'—it is reported—"The foam maker is
now pointing to a possible business
opportunity in the recycling of Styrofoam
plates, cups and other containers, saying
agencies like the Solid Waste Authority or
an entrepreneur should explore the
possibilities."" "There is a way...", he is
quoted as saying "...to deal with that, which
involves a separate operation where we
would wash them to take out the grease and
then the machine will liquefy that form by
melting and then prepare for export by
making ropes or coils. In other words, the
motion sees the problem. We have
pronounced on the problem but every
problem carries an opportunity.
Adversity provides not just
opportunity to cry doom but provides
opportunity to find positive solutions that
enhances mankind. I didn't quote that from
anybody, I made it up. So you can quote me
in future.
Maloney Samuels 07.10.16 12:50
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
(Laughter by Opposition Members)
You see, in other words, we can be trapped,
Senator Wehby, through you Mr. President,
in the problems, the problems, and as a
union man I find that every time I talk to
workers who come to me with problem,
problem, and when you try to point them to
a solution them come back to the problem.
To the problem. Some business people are
like that too.
So, let's look to see—if we could get
these plastic bottles, Styrofoam into business
opportunity. Maybe new, not just looking at
the Jamaican market but to export so we can
earn cash, we can earn foreign exchange,
and hopefully hold down the movement of
the dollar. I'm so happy, Mr. President—
so, we look to the future, there are
opportunities.
Mr. President, I'm happy that
Senator Matthew Samuda spoke to, taxation
not an option to be considered, but that runs
contrary to what is written in the letter of
intent on the 30" of August this year, by
Minister Audley Shaw to the IMF in which
he made it clear that the Government is
exploring environmental taxation, and I
would hope that as the Motion says, we need
to consider well thought out solution, that
this environmental taxation is also well
thought out, if it's going to go forward. Who
is going to bear the burden of that taxation?
The business people? George? And there
are thousands of the Georges and
Miss Adassa throughout the country, in
every parish, in every town, in every district
who rely on the takeout food business.
Thousands of them, all throughout the
country.
Clemmings 10.07:2016
1:05
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. BROWN: So, will they be the
ones paying the taxes? Will it be the
consumers who pay the taxes? And J think,
Senator Samuda, almost everybody has
agreed that a cost benefit analysis needs to
be done, T think that is a consensus we have
arrived at there.
So, who is going to pay the taxes?
And, Mr. President, I am worried because
that environment taxation that is proposed is
on top of $16 Billion more to come. It is all
in the Letter of Intent. It is on top of the
increase in Property Tax, all in the Letter of
Intent and that is why IJ am careful about this
Motion. It seems we are agreeing, Senator
Samuda that taxation is not such a good
thing and the people in this.
It brings me, finally, Mr. Speaker, so
that we can get to the point where ...
(Sotto voce comments by a Member)
Mr. BROWN: Don't bet on that. But
it brings me to the issue of the role of
Parliament. Senator Skeffery has pointed
out the tool used in the past with Private
Members Motion. How do we get it to the
Cabinet, how do we get it to Cabinet? How
do we get the focus of the nation on it? And
he pointed out the Motion and traffic issues
brought by former Senator Imani Duncan
Price, debated, Senate Gayle you will recall.
I don't know if Senator Reid was around at
the time might have been...
(Sotto voce comments by a Member)
Mr. BROWN: The Senate Leader
would be aware of it, debated, we set up a
select committee, we heard the
representations, went to the Cabinet and it is
informed in the Road Traffic Bill that is to
come. That to me is the proper approach to
be adopted. I will suggest to you my friend,
Senator Samuda that it will be a waste of
Parliamentary time for you to bring this
Motion here and then Parliament outsource
it. This is not one to be outsourced, and in
not outsourcing it, it does not exclude the
multi-stakeholders because they come here,
and we would reason with them, we would
question them, we would look at the pros
and the cons, and we would learn a lot from
them coming to the sovereign Parliament.
And then the report is sent to the Cabinet,
the Parliament that you are a part of,
becomes owner of the product of the
stakeholders. Instead, it seems to me to be
the reverse that the stakeholders who have
no direct access and for whom the Cabinet
may or may not respond. But once it comes
from the Parliament the Cabinet has a duty
to response to it and to address the
submissions from Parliament. So if the
mission we want is to get action on this
thing, and if the mission is to include the
stakeholders, I say, it can be achieved. It can
be achieved by a Select Committee, of the
Senate that meets and look at it. I have no
problem with that, but consider that route.
You see, Mr. President, how
consistent it is, how compatible it is with the
Standing Orders that guide us, and I make
the point it will not exclude the
stakeholders; and it will give the Committee,
the power of national concern. No higher
body than the Parliament is paying attention
to this. Don’t let your Motion be devalued,
don't let it depreciated, don't let it be
belittled. You have brought people here
today, lift up your Motion, lift up your
Motion, lift up your Motion and lift up
yourself. Not like, the other Matthew
because you will still be grounded in the fact
that you have moved a Motion that has
compelled the Opposition’s support.
Clemmings 10.07:2016
(Applause) And I hope that my own Motion
will find similar favour. (Laughter)
So lift it up
A Member: It is on the Order Paper.
Mr. BROWN: I know it is on Order
Paper that is why I am not going there. So
lift it up.
So, Mr. President, the Motion, the
intent has our support. The method is where
we have difficulty. And may I urge the
Leader to consider not closing the issue
today, but to give thought to all that has
been said. Don’t - the stuff that we are not
going to the parliamentary route. You have
gotten consensus use it; don’t tell us that
what we say is not worthy of further
consideration because you have closed the
gate.
Mr. President, with that position I
thank you for allowing me the little latitude
beyond brevity. (Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Senator Charles.
(Applause)
Mr. CHARLES: Mr. President, I
rise to join with my colleague Scnators, in
lifting up, the submission made by Senator
Samuda...
A Member: Lift up Jamaica.
Mr. CHARLES: And, I not only
support it in spirit, but the substance and in
it being an initiator of a very relevant
discussion, one which touches and concerns
the interest of our people.
Mr. President, I will just very briefly
say this, I believe that what we have
1:05 2
demonstrated today particularly through
Senator Samuda is a focus, and a common
interest in increasing the quality of life of
our people; and in doing what is necessary,
to connect the dots. This submission, speaks
not only to environmental protection, waste
management and all of the things that we
have heard today, but it is also concerning
our national security. And I dear say, Mr.
President, that within our national security
policy, environmental degradation and
climate change are actually defined as tier
two non-tradiional threats lo our country.
And so, it is very important for me to lend
my voice in support. And I will
acknowledge Senator Gayle reiterated the
importance of us focusing also on
enforcement of our legislation; and we
spoke a lot but about education which is
critical. But the bottom line, Mr. President,
is that protection of life and the protection of
our resources is paramount. And I believe
that that is the objective that we are all
trying to achieve. And any effort, any effort
to mitigate the risk and the impact of
disaster, flooding, environmental
degradation and anything of that sort must
be supported.
Iam so pleased, Mr. President, to see
that today we have shown Jamaica that
regardless of where we sit, in this Upper
House thal we have a consensus. And in a
large part, I am very pleased for the reason
and the relevant deliberations that we have
exhibited today. And like my colleague
Senator Wehby, I think il is important to
acknowledge it, and I believe that this is
going to be and hopefully, will be reflected
in all of our future deliberations. (Applause)
Mr. President, I think we have said it
all and I will just say this. Every action - I
remember as a student of Science, Mr.
President, before Law, I used to do
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Clemmings 10.07:2016
Environmental Impact Assessment and our
Representatives from JET will understand
what I am speaking about. This is where you
go out, and you actually go through
formulas to make assessments. The
objective is to ensure that we are protecting
our resources. And what we learnt there as
students of the University of the West
Indies; in the Pure and Applied Science
Faculty is that every action has a
consequence, and also every inaction. When
we do not do, it is as dangerous as when we
do things that are deleterious to our
environment. And so, this is such a critical
discussion for us to have had, and I rise to
support it. I commend my colleague Senator,
because today, as he said, in his opening
remarks, he does not seek to identify silver
bullet, or to achieve 100 per cent solution,
but without Scnator Samuda’s Motion being
placed before this House, we would not have
the discussion about education programmes,
about strengthening our environmental
associations, about the impact on security,
and the impact on our people.
And so, we must commend it, we
must encourage it, and again, Mr. President,
I really hope that in our future deliberations,
the interest of our people will be paramount
as we seek not to fear but to be bold enough
to stretch across the aisle through consensus.
I thank you, Mr. President
(Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Senator Samuda.
Mr. SAMUDA: Mr. President, do I
have to again, take leave to speak from a
seat that is not my own?
The PRESIDENT: Okay
1:05 3
Mr. SAMUDA: _ Just checking.
What has come out today, for sure is that
urgency for this matter to be attended to is
recognized by the sides.
It has been said by both sides that the
time is now. Ban Ki-Moon says,
“Saving our planet, lifting people
out of poverty, advancing
economic growth, these are one
and the same fight.”
We must connect the dots between
climate change, water scarcity, energy
shortages, global health, food security and
women’s empowerment. Solutions to one
problem must be solutions for all.
{ am indeed, happy that | believe we
have reached consensus on a number of the
issues discussed today. We have
disagreements admittedly on some of the
points of implementation, but we have all
agreed about the spirit of the motion and
where we want to get to.
stewart 07.10.16
01:20
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. SAMUDA: — Senator Brown,
you need not worry. We’re not turning back
the progress, rather ushering in sustainable
prosperity. (Applause)
A Government Senator: Quite so.
Mr. SAMUDA: No turning back.
However, finding a better way forward.
(Applause) I wish to thank all the Members
for their contributions today. I wish to thank
all of the teachers who inspire, teach our
young people the right way and socialize
them to not “Dutty up Jamaica”. I wish to
thank all of the environmental advocates and
workers in the environmental agency that
tire every single day to protect the Jamaican
requirement.
Mr. REID: Hear, hear!
Mr. SAMUDA: They need not
worry, as Senator Brown needs not worry.
This will not fall into category of a talk shop
and our Government isn't piecemeal
government, so there won't be piecemeal
solutions. (Applause)
GOVERNMENT SENATOR:
Quite so.
Mr. SAMUDA: But it is precisely
because the time is now and because we feel
action must be taken now that the major
point of disagreement is that we go to a
multi-stakeholder committee under the
Ministry with responsibility for the
environment rather than going through the
parliamentary time. Not to say we are
ignoring parliamentary parlivipalion,
because we will be asking for all
stakeholders including the Opposition to
participate in the Committee. The nation
can also be assured that the Minister with
responsibility will keep them apprised of the
progress as we seek to create this framework
of how we go forward. But what is clear is
that .
(The President gavels)
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Mr.
President, the time being 1:20, I ask for the
suspension of Standing Orders and_ that
Senate be allowed to sit beyond 1:30 to
complete the business of day.
The PRESIDENT: The question is
that the Standing Orders be suspended to
allow the Senate to sit beyond 1:30 to
complete the business of the day.
Put to the Senate and agreed to.
(The President Gavels)
Mr. SAMUDA: Thank you, Mr.
President. We have also taken note that
every person's every Member of this
Senate's contribution has spoken the
importance of public education and the
nation also need not worry as they would
have seen the strength of our communication
and public education in recent happenings as
we prepared for what could have been a
disaster and that will certainly form a part of
the Committee's work going forward. But I
wish to read—
(Inaudible comment by Mr. Brown)
The last time I checked green was a colour
in the flag of Jamaica so I don't think it's a
worry and I notice that you are sitting in
yreen Chuirs so it can't that big of a problem.
(Inaudible comment by Mr. Brown)
Mr. SAMUDA: But I would like to
read the motion with amendments as agreed
Stewart
07.10.16
01:20 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
to show that we have, indeed, engaged in
consultation and found consensus:
WHEREAS Jamaica has a waste
management problem due to poor
habits and inadequate resources
and much of the items that enter
our waste stream are non-
biodegradable;
AND WHEREAS these items
pose their own __ individual
challenges to our waste
management conundrum and
offer very little opportunities by
way of recycling and reuse;
AND WHEREAS as a Small
Island Developing State, Jamaica
is particularly susceptible to the
efforts of climate change as a
result of poor environmental
management by the use of these
materials;
AND WHEREAS $action is
required to significantly reduce
unrecyclable material entering
our waste stream while
simultaneously creating
production opportunities for local
manufacturers for alternate
packaging materials;
AND WHEREAS no single
action will solve our problems in
this area, but rather a series of
well-considered policies over the
short term,
BE IT RESOLVED that. this
Honourable Senate call on the
Government of Jamaica to take
such steps as may be necessary to
reduce non-biodegradable
material from Jamaica’s waste
stream; and that in so doing, it
accordingly establishes a multi-
stakeholder committee within the
Ministry responsible for the
environment charged with
recommending to the
Government of Jamaica:
a) a framework for the
banning on a phased
basis of single-use
plastic bags below
fifty gallon capacity
and all finished goods
made from styrofoam;
b) a framework to curtail
the production in
Jamaica of said items
unless they include
the enzyme that
makes them
biodegradable.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that this multi-stakeholder
committee encourage the input
and participation of entities and
individuals who may wish to
make representation on the issues
and who may not be members of
the committee in establishing the
framework mentioned above.
I ask, Mr President, that the Motion be
approved.
The PRESIDENT: I have deal with
the amendments first.
Mr. SAMUDA: Sorry
Stewart
07.10.16
01:20 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
The PRESIDENT: Are there any
comments on the amendments? They were
as a result of some consensus, I understand.
Mr. GOLDING: The only
comments on the amendment is as has been
stated, we think the proper place to have this
review done would be in a parliamentary
committee not some multi-stakeholder
committee outside of Parliament. That’s a
big point for us, but it hasn’t been accepted
by the other side.
The PRESIDENT: So, can I put the
amendments as presented by Senator
Samuda.
I put the amendments as suggested
by Senator Samuda and read into the record.
Put to the Senate and agreed to
I now put the Motion as amended.
Put to the Senate and agreed to
The Motion is carried. (Applause)
Minister, may I just say before you
rise to the Members who contributed: those
who are presently in the Chamber and those
who left, I thank you very much for the
manner in which the debate was conducted
and I think that we did accomplish
something.
Leader Golding—may I see you
Leader (Speaking to Mrs. Johnson Smith)
and Leader Golding in my Chambers
immediately after we adjourn.
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Mr.
President, it is not intended to do any further
business today. IJ ask that the Senate be
adjourned for a date to be fixed.
The PRESIDENT: The question is
that the—
MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT
Mr. BROWN: Mr. President, on the
motion for adjournment, I didn’t raise with
you. It has come to our attention that the
death toll in Haiti has been significant—
much more than what we thought earlier and
I’m wondering whether or not Senate sitting
would be minded to ask that a letter be sent
to the Haitian Ambassador here expressing
the condolences of the Senate given the
magnitude of the loss. My apologies for
raising it outside of...
The PRESIDENT: It’s not a
problem.
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Just to
say there is no Haitian Ambassador resident
here, but I would concur that the Senate be
asked to issue a letter to the Government of
Haiti .... the appropriate mechanism.
The PRESIDENT: And I would
really say the Government who have been
affected, because you were pointing out that
we didn’t speak about St. Vincent earlier, so.
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Indeed.
To the four countries which have been
primarily affected within the Caribbean
region.
ADJOURNMENT
The PRESIDENT: Thank you. The
question is that the Senate be adjourned to a
date to be determined.
Put to the Senate and agreed to
The Senate now stands adjourned
Stewart 07.10.16 01:20
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
The Senate accordingly adjourned at
approximately 1:29 pm.
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. SAMUDA: Mtr. President, I
crave leave to speak from a seat which is not
mine.
The PRESIDENT: Yes, very well,
Mr. Samuda.
it’s our intention today to proceed with the
motion standing in the name of Senator
Samuda as Number 1 in respect of matters
which concern our environment.
If you please, Mr. President.
(Applause)
Mr. SAMUDA: Mtr. President, I
now deal with item listed at Number 1, an
order of business.
Mr. President, I noted your opening
remarks, but if it pleases you I would also
like to extend welcome to the members
present from Generation 2000, specifically
my Office Manager Miss Tricia Walters. I
would also like to extend welcome to the
members of the Jamaica Environment Trust.
If it pleases you I would also like to
extend welcome to members of the Private
Sector who are here from Red Stripe.
Mr. President, I rise fully humbled at
the chance to debate what I have put
forward. I am eager to articulate what |
believe are the reasons why such action is
required. I’m a firm believer in the domino
effect, Mr. President, and as such, know that
each positive step we take here today will
lead to another one. I’m also fully cognisant
that every action taken here will have far-
reaching implications.
McFarlane 07.10.16
10:50 1
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. SAMUDA: As_ such, Mr.
President, I would also like to put on notice
that we will make a minor amendment to the
motion al the appropriate time.
Mr. President, on July 1, I tabled a
Private Member's Motion in this Noble
House, one that serves a cause T am deeply
committed to, a cause which is in line with
one that - with the Government's Agenda to
create sustainable development and growth
to protect the future of this country we all so
deeply care about.
I note this Motion has received
significant public attention, and stakeholders
across society have made their opinions
known, both privately and in the Press.
I wish to also state at the outset that
this Motion was not tabled in isolation.
Consultations with stukeholders in
manufacturing, the Environmental
Protection Agencies and_ organisations,
dlony with academics who are well versed in
the subject matter, were held.
As a pretext, my interest in matters
of environmental sustainability was first
stirred while | was in high school - not that
long ago - as a member of Campion's Key
Club. This first exposed me to the impact
that we, as humans, arc having on our
environment, primarily in Jamaica. Through
this club I was exposed to tree-planting
initiatives, beach clean-ups, among other
civic projects. These projccts ccrtainly
sparked my curiosity to learn about these
topics. I continued further these elean-ups
and tree-planting projects through G2K, an
organisation which I am proud to lead.
And, Mr. President, on a side note,
we should all be aware that today is National
I'rec-Planting Day. And though today's
session may not allow our Members the time
to participate, I would encourage them to do
so over the weekend.
Mr. President, this keen interest has
led me to places as far as China, to do
courses on the impact of climate change to
developing countries such as our own. It
even prompted one of my business ventures
in my younger youth days - which was a
recycling company, which handled plastics
and cardboard - before selling my stake, or
rather, disposing of my stake - pun intended
- in that operation.
Mr. President, there is no doubt that
Jamaica has a waste management problem,
we don't need an impending disaster to see
that. A drive pass any of Kingston's main
gullies will show you that. A trip to any of
the nation's major trading areas in each of
our towns makes that abundantly clear.
However, interest is certainly heightened
when the threat of flooding from blocked
drains becomes a clear and impending
danper.
The recent storm preparations,
though well handled, have further
strengthened my resolve to see this Motion
through, and to work with our partners in
Government, in the private sector and in
civil suciely to play our part in finding and
implementing the necessary solutions.
There are many underlying factors
which contribute to vur wasle management
problems. Mainly, I believe these include
bad social practices and norms, weak and
inadequate infrastructure for collection, and
in some cases, poor town planning. For
cxample, | understand that in excess of
eleven thousand homes are within fifty fect
of a gully in Kingston and St. Andrew, Mr.
President, accordiny to Mona GIS. Made
McFarlane 07.10.16 10:50
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
worse, entire communities right behind these
houses on the gully banks add to the weight.
Many of these communities are unplanned
settlements which have made the provision
of basic services by the State more
challenging and expensive. This includes
solid waste management.
Most garbage trucks just can't go
lane to lane to collect from each household,
and in most cases for these communities a
workable system doesn't exist for collection
or central deposit. Even where garbage
receptacles have been placed by the State,
Mr. President, many have been hijacked for
other uses, especially in times of drought
they are taken to store water. This is one of
the major reasons we have in excess of three
hundred thousand tonnes of solid waste
improperly disposed of each year in
Jamaica.
The fact that a problem exists, I don't
believe would cause much debate in this
House. As we are politicians, no doubt the
debate would be more around solutions and
even unfortunately, who are to blame for a
majority of the problems.
Mr. President, the Motion before us
seeks to address a small part of our waste
management problem, it does not seek to
address the collection or storage of our solid
waste. It is not the silver bullet which will
solve all of our waste management
problems. It is specifically worded to
address two materials which impact our
waste stream significantly.
There is no doubt that a dramatic
transformation in the composition of our
waste stream has taken place as
vunsumption patterns have changed.
Packaging options for food and beverage
have trended towards cheaper alternatives.
In Jamaica this transformation was
heightened and increased, starting in the
nineteen nineties. No longer do we use glass
bottles instead of plastic bottles, no longer
do we use cardboard boxes at lunch time,
instead we use Styrofoam; and no longer do
we commonly use reusable market bags my
grandmother used to carry when shopping,
instead, we use "scandal bags", this with a
few exceptions.
The two items targeted by the
Motion, Mr. President, are plastic bags
below a_ fifty-gallon capacity, and all
finished goods made from Styrofoam. These
items pose unique challenges, mainly for the
following reasons, biodegradability. These
items are estimated to take in excess of five
hundred years before they degrade, and with
that timeline it makes it impossible for
scientists to say the total impact that this will
indeed have during that process of
biodegrading, on us as humans and in the
environment, but generally, it is accepted to
be negative.
Mr. President, it also poses unique
challenges because of the lack of
recyclability of the materials in question.
Members, I have had the opportunity to run
a recycling company. I can say with a fair
degree of certainty that the items in question
are virtually unrecyclable, Mr. President. It
is too expensive to manage these items. It is
also unrecyclable because of contamination
because of the use of these items, Mr.
President. These items in many cases are
used to store food, and in the case of the
single-use plastic bags, are used to store
rubbish, as well. The sterilisation required
tor these items virtually moves them out of
the category of recyclable materials.
Value after being processed as well,
Mr. President, is a problem. Quite simply,
McFarlane 07.10.16
10:50 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
the cost associated with the recycling
process for these materials, even excluding
the collection, storage and transportation
cost, far outstrip the potential revenue from
resale, making it impossible for any entity to
take up the recycling process.
Mr. President, it is important to
understand the scale of the problem being
discussed. Thirty per cent of our waste is
non-organic, and of that thirty per cent just
under fifty per cent is plastic or Styrofoam.
The NSWMaA estimates that each Jamaican
produces approximately one kilogram of
waste daily, meaning approximately four
hundred thousand kilograms of plastic and
some Styrofoam waste is created each day.
As plastic bottles no doubt account for the
lion's share of that quantity, the question
may be asked why this Motion doesn't
consider those items, and this is because of
the very reasons outlined.
Unlike Styrofoam and _ single-use
plastic bags, Mr. President, plastic bottles
are commercially viable for a recycling
process, and in many cases are reusable.
Styrofoam and to a lesser extent single-use
plastic bags, have very little redeeming
value.
Mr. President, Members, we are not
alone in this deliberation. Indeed, many
countries and municipalities are considering
similar measures to treat with these same
items of concern. For international context,
many have either banned or taxed the
materials in question. In CARICOM,
Guyana has imposed a similar ban on
Styrofoam, in Barbados they have
implemented a Returnable Containers Act
aimed at plastic bottles. On the African
Continent, South Africa, Uganda and
Rwanda have banned the use of single-use
plastic bags. All across Europe taxes have
been levied against single-use plastic bags,
with many local municipalities, including
Paris, banning the use totally.
In the UK they have implemented a
much-reported five pence charge for the use
of each plastic bag, which they estimated cut
and reduced usage by eighty per cent.
Twenty seven municipalities in the
Philippines have outright banned the use of
Styrofoam, Mr. President. In the United
States several cities, States and Local
Authorities have banned Styrofoam, with
only one being overturned in the New York
State Supreme Court, Mr. President; the rest
have been accepted and continue as is.
The international list is indeed
exhaustive. The list of private companies
which have decided to ban the use of
Styrofoam and plastic bags grow daily, both
locally and abroad.
Mr. President, we have local
companies who have banned the use of
Styrofoam, including Red Stripe, who have
joined us here today. Furthermore, to
address the problems associated with
biodegradability, companies like National
Bakery only use biodegradable bags for their
products.
I am advised through consultation,
that the nation's largest producer of
Styrofoam, Wisynco, is actually pursuing a
path of ensuring their items are produced
with the enzyme that makes their Styrofoam
products biodegradable.
Mr. President, my specific proposal
as outlined in the Motion, calls for Jamaica
to ban the importation of plastic bags below
fifty-gallon capacity, and all finished goods
made from Styrofoam. And that we further
curtail the production of said items in
McFarlane 07.10.16
10:50 4
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Additionally, Mr. President, we
should note that there is a cess on plastic
bottles as it exists, and we have not seen any
reduction from that cess being implemented
on plastic bottles. In fact, whal we have seen
is an explosion of consumption of products
in plastic bottles.
Mr. President, it is not beyond
Jamaicans to use reusable bags when we go
to the supermarket or wholesale. It is not
beyond us to ensure when we use Styrofoam
it is biodegradable or to consider other
options by way of cardboard material, Mr.
President. Companies like PriceSmart, KFC
and Island Grill, are examples where similar
approaches have worked in this market, Mr
President.
Indeed, the first and probably most
regular question I have been asked since this
Motion became public is, what are the
alternatives to the use of these materials?
Well, as it relates to non-biodegradable
single-use plastic bags, the alternatives
include paper bags, usually made from
recycled cardboard, or multi-use sturdy
bags, which are either made from different
synthetics or even plastics.
A concern about how homes will
collect waste, has been raised, Mr. President.
This would be handled either with the use of
the biodegradable options or through the use
of larger bins above the fifty-gallon
capacity, Mr. President.
Jamaica, unless they include that enzyme
which makes them biodegradable. Just a
reminder that the core of this Motion is the
goal of reducing non-biodegradable material
entering our waste stream all together.
The rationale for banning imports is
simple. It would be difficult, dare I say
virtually impossible for us at the ports of
entry to identify, separate with any degree of
certainty the imports of Styrofoam and
plastic bags being biodegradable. Whereas,
enforcement, Mr. President, is however,
doable through agencies like the Bureau of
Standards, with local manufacturers, so we
would be able to ensure that these
manufacturers produce goods that contain
the enzyme that makes them biodegradable.
Mr. President, our target cannot be a
simple reduction of these items in the waste
stream by way of the non-biodegradable
ones, it should be a total cutting of these
items entering our waste stream all together.
That, Mr. President, is one of the major
reasons why the taxation option has not
been considered.
I am not proposing an instant ban
where you snap your fingers and you create
havoc within the economy, Mr. President.
The devil is always in the details, and these
details would have to consider particular
realities and phased implementation. It also
has to consider particular realities, that over
two hundred and fifty persons in onc factory
alone earn their living from the production
of Styrofoam. It has to consider that the
material being produced today, whether
locally or internationally, will not have a
place in the world in the near future. We
have a duty to consider these factors and
others when this rises to the level of
Legislation and regulation.
Additionally, we must consider
alternatives to these items. The Government
will indeed need to establish a Committee
for the implementation of this Motion, Mr.
President, and we would expect that that
would be housed within the portfolio
Ministry for environment.
McFarlane 07.10.16 10:50
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
With regard to alternatives to non-
biodegradable Styrofoam, the options exist
to make these items biodegradable, as well
as introducing cardboard alternatives, which
are present in many stores, Mr. President.
The argument against most of the
alternatives presented is usually based in
cost. But I posit today that the long-term
cost of not removing these items from our
waste stream is far greater. It impacts
generations today and generations to come.
Members, I appeal for consensus, not
appealing for reckless abandon of your duty
to do due diligence, but consensus that all of
the available science tells us that these items
represent problems to our environment and
to world sustainability.
As a small island developing State,
Mr. President, we are at greater risk than
larger nations with the ability to weather the
effects of climate change and manage the
impact of pollution. We have a duty to act
today. We have a duty to take further action
as it relates to the other issues that we are
well aware of in the near future.
Mr. President, thank you.
(Applause)
Maloney Samuels
07.10.16 11:05 l
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: Mr
President.
The PRESIDENT: Senator Frazer-
Binns. (Applause)
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: Mr.
President, though our population and
consumption has increased over the past 50
years or so, the reality is that our response
and our ability to manage our waste disposal
have been lagging behind, and Senator
Samuda spoke to some of these.
We on this side, and I speak for my
colleague when I say, that we recognise the
urgency with which the environment must
be - issues relating to the environment must
be addressed.
The fact you see, Mr. President, is
that Jamaica generates an eslimaled amount
of 1.7 million kilogram of municipal waste
each year, and if one were to break that
down, it translates somewhere to about five
pounds per household each day, and an
annual figure on or about a tonne of waste
each year.
In 2015, there was a_ waste
characterization study completed by the
National Solid Waste Management
Authority and it revealed, among other
things, that at least 15 per cent of the
garbage or the waste is made up of plastic,
and so it is in that light that I rise today to
lend my support to the spirit and the intent
of the motion as advanced by Senator
Samuda.
The latest Human Resource
Development Report reminds us that
nothing that—I am quoting—jeopardizes the
environment sustainability of the planet can
be regarded as progress, or as some would
say, prosperity. There is absolutely no
doubt in my mind that we face a waste
management crisis in Jamaica.
In fact, Vision 2030, the National
Development Plan states that, when looking
at Jamaica having a healthy human
environment it highlights improper
management of waste as one of the several
challenges to us realising this goal, and we
know the reality because just about three
weeks or so ago, we had some rain and I
think we are all appalled when we saw the
photos, and certainly when we listened to
news and saw the images of what happened
at Marcus Garvey. It is my information and
I do verily believe that approximately
US$15 Million represents the total amount
of loss to equipment, to goods and to
personal property.
In fact, lest we forget what happened
few weeks ago, only this week, and I am
staying home, only this week Monday, and I
can attest to it because | was driving at the
time when we had that downpour, we saw
the eftects of poor waste management.
Where after 25 minutes, give and take, of
rainfall, communities were flooded, our
drains were hlocked, roads were flooded,
and that is the reality we face, and I belicve
it is some of those realities that would have
prompted Senator Samuda, notwithstanding
his other experience, to table this very
timely motion. And for that I must extend
my own congratulations to Senator Samuda
tor this. (Applause)
I must also extend congratulations
and commendations to other civil society
groups who have been charging this fight for
a long time. We have the Jamaica
Environmental Trust, we have — the
Jamaica—J-FLAG, we have the Jamaica
Civil Society forum that have continuously
spoken about the environment and the need
to protect the environment.
Maloney Samuels
07.10.16 11:05 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
I am hoping that, and I do believe
that perhaps it's part of your thinking,
Senator Samuda. That at the end of this
debate, the country will become even more
aware of the importance of taking charge of
the environment but more so of the use or
the lack thereof of plastic, Styrofoam or
anything that will negatively impact the
environment.
As you correctly said, Styrofoam
takes an approximate 500 years to
decompose, and this in and of itself poses a
challenge, but what we should also consider
is that apart from the environmental effect
the use of Styrofoam also poses a health
consideration, and apart from the minor
health challenges such as skin irritation to
others which may include kidney challenges,
the International Agency for Research on
Cancer posits that Styrofoam is a possible
human carcinogenic ingredient, and I think
this is something for us to pay keen attention
to.
So, having said that let me reiterate
my support for the spirit and the intent of the
Motion. But I have to confess, I do have at
little discomfiture with the wording, and it is
in that light, Senator, that I shall make some
recommendations and I will share with you
my thoughts, which I hope you will find
agreeable and we can have consensus for the
benefit of Jamaica.
The first thing I wish for us to
consider, which you spoke to a little and I
shall go in some detail, is the impact of this
ban on the productive sector. And I know
you spoke generally and you cited two—
well, one main company, Wisynco, but I
want to take it down notch and speak to the
effect on small and medium _ sized
entreprencurs. Because you see there are
two very indisputable facts: One is that over
70 per cent of Styrofoam is produced
locally, the second indisputable fact is that
the majority of the retailers are small
businesses and so we have to consider how
this ban will affect those persons. And part
of the consideration will necessitate the
Government advancing incentives to help
with any possible financial challenges that
may result. (Applause by Opposition
Members) And I want to use the example of
George.
George is a little man—
Mr. SKEFFERY: Or Matthew
Miss FRAZER-BINNS Or
Matthew.
(Laughter)
Mr. BROWN: Matthew, no, not
Matthew!
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: Mark,
Mary, Sophia, Sue, but let me use George
because George I can talk about.
Mr. BROWN: Yes, George is not
as dangerous.
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: George is
a little small businessman with his cook
shop, not even a proper cook shop because
he docs the cooking somewhere and has his
trailer that he takes the warm food in.
Mr. SKEFFERY: George in
Balaclava.
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: But the
thing aboul George is thal George services
the offices in the nearby New Kingston; and
the primary container that he packs these
lunches and breakfasts in, you guessed it, it's
Styrofoam. One therefore has to consider
how the ban or the introduction of this new
enzyme. will affect the cost of production for
George, and in considering that there are
Maloney Samuels
07.10.16 11:05 93
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
certain germane questions that we must ask
ourselves as a country, as leaders.
One of which is, has a cost study
been done? There is a need for cost study.
What is the likely increase per unit cost for
either the ban or the introduction of this
biodegradable enzyme? Have we done what
in my time, we used to call a SWOT
analysis? And I find those questions critical,
because if we look at the example of what
happens across the world, you will see that
the experience speaks for itself.
So, in New York, for example, a
study was done in 2012 on how the ban on
Styrofoam would affect the economy, and
what that study revealed is that, the
introduction of alternate containers would
cost in increase of 94 per cent. In other
words, whereas a Styrofoam cup would cost
a $1 the alternate, and let me just add that
this is the minimum because there are
different grades of alternate containers of
products but this is the minimum alternate
product. The alternate product would cost
$1.94 effectively doubling the cost of
business. A cost you and I know is going to
be passed on to the consumer. So you think
is New York alone? No, it's not New York.
So let me share with you what obtained in
California.
In California the study showed that
the impact of the ban would cost
approximately $1.4 Billion in output. It
further showed, Senator Ruel Reid, that it
would result in a loss of 335 million, some
8000 jobs, and the food service product
would have an increase of $378 Million per
year, and these studies are within the last
three to four years.
Therefore, therefore, Senator Reid,
and J'm quite sure you would appreciate that
the study is an indication; and it underpins
the argument that before one can go to ban
or lobby for the introduction of the enzyme,
that we have to do a cost analysis. It stands
to reason. Therefore, whereas we are in
agreement with the idea with the spirit of the
Motion, there are certain realities that are
not unique to Jamaica but must be given
pride of place because of our economy and
because of the role that our small and
medium sized entrepreneurs play in our
economy.
The second matter that I shall share
with this Senate, and Senator Samuda spoke
about it but I will share with you some more
details, is what I call a phased introduction,
and I think it is important for emphasis, I
repeat, that because 70 per cent of our
Styrofoam is produced locally, and,
therefore, an immediate ban, whenever that
takes place, whether it takes place in 2016,
2017 or 2019, a one-stop ban could have
deleterious effect on the economy, and I am
therefore proposing that a _ reasonable
timeline perhaps could be five years.
Clemmings 10.07:2016
11:20 l
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Ms. FRAZER-BINNS: I believe
also that once a Joint Select Committee of
Parliament is established, and we bring in all
the experts then maybe a timeline that is
perhaps more considered could be proposed.
(Applause)
Mr. President, the truth is that any
attempt to resolve this problem, and it is a
monster of a problem, is going to call for
across the aisle consensus, but also
partnership, public and private partnership
with all stakeholders. (Applause) And you
know, we talk about Guyana and I agree
Guyana has done something good and they
are promoting the green economy and I
support them, because as someone who
supports the environment, I have to support
what is being done in Guyana. But let us
look at some of the best practices and some
of the challenges that they have.
One of the things that they did in
Guyana, one of the things they did in
Guyana, is that it was not an immediate ban.
The notice did not, or the proclamation did
not say tomorrow you will you have a ban; it
took a minimum ofa year. But more so what
transpired in Guyana was there was a wide-
based consensus - I mean, consultation. So
you find that the importers had a say, the
retailers had a say, the small businesses had
a say and families and communities also had
a say and I believe that that is a best practice
that can be adopted and should be adopted in
Jamaica. (Applause)
I don't believe, Senator Samuda, J
don't believe that your thoughts are in
conflict with mine in that regard. And, in
considering the phased programme, [ shall
also recommend for consideration, that the
Government of the day, whichever
Government it is, consider incentivizing this
action. (Applause) Listen man,
encouragement sweetens labour; and for
reasons I have mentioned before, I believe
that some form of incentive would be an
added impetus in getting the work done.
And you see, again we talk about
Guyana, and I have to reference Guyana.
Because in Guyana that is something that
they have given much thought to and action;
so presently I note that they are considering
some form of tax incentives for businesses
who are interested in importing alternatives
to styrofoam, and that is something that we
can do.
Further, one of the things that they
are doing in Guyana as well, is that
biodegradable containers are tax free. And
so I think that those are things that any
Government, serious about the environment
and encouraging environmental friendly
practices should consider and implement.
(Applause)
But you see, Mr. President, I can
come with all these recommendations and
Senator Samuda can come with his well-
researched paper and the other Members of
the Senate will make their inputs. But
notwithstanding the many nights and hours
and consultations that Senator Samuda
would have put into this Motion, or
notwithstanding the fact that I had to get up
at 5 o’clock this morning because Nathan
Charles decided that he is not going to give
me a chance, yesterday to read over my
papers, so I had to get up at 5:00 to go
through.
(Sotto voce comments by a Member)
Miss. FRAZER-BINNS: None of
that matters, if we don’t - Nathan Charles is
my son. (Applause)
Clemmings 10.07:2016
None of that, Mr. President,
Members, matter if persons do not know.
You know, when I was in high school I had
a teacher and she always say this little thing,
“A little knowledge can do a lot”. The
truth Members is that, nothing at all matters
if we do not have knowledge, knowledge is
power. And so key to any action, any plan at
all has to be an on-going public education
programme, undoubtedly. And this
programme has to be one where the citizens
are encouraged to be a part of the
preservation of the environment. It cannot
be the normal run of the mill public
education programme; it has to he one that
we take to the hills and to the valleys, to the
gullies and to the riverside, to the river bank
where we talk to our people, so they can
understand the importance of what we are
doing.
I remember as a little girl going to
school, and I am quite sure you may all
remember prep school, primary school,
kindergarten. There is a little song that we
normally sing; “Pick up papcr, pick up
paper, lying on the ground”. Am I the
only one?
A Member: Makes the place untidy
(Sotto voce comments by Members)
A Member: In your days.
Miss. FRAZER-BINNS: Okay, in
my days, which is just five years ago.
(Laughter) Bul seriously though, Members,
to this very day that song sticks with me; so
I remember, going to Westwood, I
remember you were taught as ladies you do
not litter, so you take your garbage with you
and then you dispose of it in the correct
receptacle. That is the kind of public
education you arc - it is such that your
11:20 2
whole conscious level is changed, your
consciousness is changed and that is the type
of public education that we need to
undertake. The kind of public education that
is personal. So when you have an ad out
there or when you talk to John Brown or
Mary Stokes, you help him or her to
understand that, listen man, when you use
the styrofoam and then you dispose of it on
the street then it goes into our waterway, it
blocks our drains. When our drains are
blocked, then what happens when it rains?
There is no way for the water to run off so
you are going to have flood. When you have
a flood then what happens is that your house
can be damaged, you or your families can
lose their lives, that is the kind of public
education that we have to undertake.
(Applause) This highfalutin public education
is not working, we have to take it to the
persons so they understand the implication
of what this means, because environmental
protection is not just legislators problem it is
a problem, for every single Jamaican.
(Applause)
And so, Mr. President, | commend
those recommendations for consideration.
And in wrapping up, I share further
recommendations, the less detailed, which
are not exclusive to styrofoam or plastic, but
I believe that any consideration about the
protection of the environment has to be
holistic. And I hear the arguments Senator
Samuda why you sought to focus on plastic
and styrofoam. But I believe that we cannot,
as a country in 2016, continue wilh a
piecemeal approach, we have to...
(Applause) ... I know you would love that,
I know you would love that. That was just
for you Senator Kavan.
Mr. GAYLE: I sat in that seat
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Clemmings 10.07:2016
11:20 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Miss. FRAZER-BINNS: I know
you would love that. I shall not use that
phrase again.
But seriously, Members, we cannot,
we have to consider the protection of the
environment in a very holistic and_all-
encompassing way. And so...
(Sotto voce comments by a Member)
Miss. FRAZER-BINNS: And it is
so. And so, in both during the Motion and
the effort of Senator Samuda, I believe that
we should recommend and note what I am
about to say, the expansion of the Waste
Separation Programme. Because, we already
know that there is a partnership ongoing
between JSIF and the National Solid Waste
Management Authority where an experiment
or a pilot project is being done in 30
communities across the island; and there are
some lessons that have been learnt and that
we continue to learn. I believe that we can
use those lessons and expand the Waste
Separation Programme island wide to hasten
the efforts to protect the environment, and
this is not a new phenomenon.
I remember living in the UK and we
were given three or four different containers,
and you had to ensure that the correct item
goes in the particular coded — colour-coded
container. And we know if that is not done,
the implications of it. And many Jamaicans
have left Jamaica, live overseas and have
conformed. And IJ do believe it is something
that through public education we can do and
I commend it for serious national
implementation.
The other recommendation I have is
for an incrcase in the recycling operations
and garbage receptacles. The truth is that,
we do have yarbaye receptacles, bul
somehow they are either far - you know,
they are far and in-between. And whereas it
ought not to be an excuse for persons to
litter, the fact of the matter is persons
generally think it is easier to dump their
garbage once they are finished rather than
walk with it. And if we can ensure that
receptacles are placed in strategic locations
in our towns, in our communities...
(Applause) ...in our districts then I believe
that a lot of benefits can be had and we
would have gone miles ahead in our quest to
protect the environment.
Somewhat of, and I will admit that it
perhaps is a little controversial, but I am
convinced that there are merits to this other
proposal and it has to do with a deposit, and
special charge legislation. And this
legislation would allow for two specific
things, among others which the experts can
advise us.
One is that, it will allow for a special
charge on single-use plastic bags. Senator
Samuda spoke about single-use plastic bags,
which we Jamaica call “scandal bag” but I
think that the problem may not to ban it,
because if you ban it, then there are
consequences. He spoke about Pricesmart,
listen, how many of us really can afford to
go to Pricesmart, uuh? That is something we
need to consider.
The other thing is, I know the
inconvenience of going to Pricesmart and
don’t have a bag because I forget my Price
Mart bay. So - and for those of us who go lo
Pricesmart, not all of us drive. So we need to
- we need to make our proposals reflect the
reality. And the reality of it is, a lot of us
particularly those of us who may live below
Torrington Bridge or who may live outside
of Mandela Highway don’t have a
Pricesmart. And so, there should be a policy
Clemmings 10.07:2016
11:20 4
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
that engages all persons and affects all
persons. And so I believe that, until we get
to the place where persons no longer use our
single-use plastic bags or our scandals, then
there perhaps should be that charge. And
this is different from the environmental level
which I will not speak to.
The other thing that this Legislation
would do is, it would allow for a special fee
or a charge on - I know the Motion does not
go into that detail on bottles. Again, once
you return that bottle or that plastic
container then the fund is returned to you,
and this not something new.
I was sharing with Senator Lambert
because he is Kingstonian and | am country,
that in St. Ann one of the things that we
normally do, particularly in Christmas is, we
would collect our D&G because those of us
who remember D&G, collect our D&G
bottles and we would take it to the depot and
we would get our crate for Christmas. So it
is not new phenomena, I think it is just
somcthing that we necd to encourage in a
strategic and standardized way.
There also is the need and I
recommend it for consideration, for there to
be the strengthening and the development of
our legal and regulatory framework. And
this will allow for imatlers such as the
conversion of waste to energy, and also the
regulations necessary for anti-litter and this
has nothing to do with fines because I don't
know if fines will be the answer to our
dilemma at this moment. And countries,
again, that have utilized this have seen the
benefit. Countries such as United States,
Puerto Rico, Australia and they have their
own environmental protection campaign
such as, “Keep America Beautiful” or “Keep
Australia Beautiful” campaign and I think
that we have a lot that we can learn from
these countries who have enjoyed the
success.
And as I mentioned before, there has
to be serious coordinated support and
incentives for our small and medium-sized
entrepreneurs.
But 1 appreciate, that my
recommendations and the Motion put
forward by Senator Samuda will take some
time particularly if we are serious about
participation, accountability, responsibility,
consultation.
And so, I don't think that we should
wait until we have completed that process to
do some things, but there are some things
that we can do in the now. And as such, my
sixth recommendation has to be that there
must be support, additional budgetary
support for the work of the National Solid
Waste Management Authority. (Applause)
The fact of the matter is that between
2011 and 2014, The National Solid Waste
Management Authority received funds that
only allowed it to allocate $2.34 per person
for garbage disposal, wholly inadequate; but
I believe that in terms of our priority and our
commitment to the environment, and our
commitment to waste management that
more can be done in the short-term, until we
have realized the objectives as outlined in
the Motion.
Stewart 07.10.16
11:35
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: Mr.
President, the protection of the environment
and its proper use is everybody's business
and as leaders we can make the first step. In
our own daily lives, we can seek to reduce
the use of styrofoam perhaps we will start
walking with our containers; perhaps we
will ensure that when we go to Price Rite we
buy the Price Rite bags and you take it to
whether it is to Lee's or to Hi-Lo or to
General Foods and utilize it instead of
utilizing the single-use bags. All of us have
to play a role. We cannot continue as
business as usual. We cannot continue to do
the same thing expecting a different result.
You know what they say about persons who
do that and I believe that time come; not
thirty minutes as yet, but time come for us to
make a change and to be proactive in our
protection of the environment. The state of
affairs impresses on us the urgency with
which we must act and undertake these
reforms.
We must do everything in our power
for our children, their children and their
children's children to protect and preserve
the environment. It cannot be business as
usual. The onus, therefore, is on me; it is on
you; it is on all of us to play our part to
make a commitment so that we protect the
environment and ensure that every Jamaican
in every parish, in every town, in every
community, in every single household can
enjoy the right as enshrined in section 13 of
the Charter of Fundamental Rights and
Freedom, that right of a healthy and
productive environment.
And with that, Mr. President, I shall
wish to share with Senator Samuda my
proposals for amendments. The first two
paragraphs in the preamble I am not—I have
made some proposals for those, but the
bulk—
The PRESIDENT: (Gavels) The
speaker's time has expired.
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Mr.
President, may I ask that the speaker's time
be extended to allow her to finish her
presentation.
The PRESIDENT: The question is
that the speaker be permitted adequate time
to complete her presentation.
Put to the Senate and agreed to
Miss FRAZER-BINNS: Thank you,
thank you Minister. Thank you, Senator.
The bulk of my proposal comes at
the prayer where—the first prayer:
“BE IT RESOLVED _ that
Jamaica...”
I have recommended a change, so it reads:
BE IT RESOLVED that Jamaica
curtails:
a) the production of
Styrofoam containers
unless they include
the enzyme that
makes them
biodegradable; and
b) that the ban on the
importation of plastic
bags and all finished
goods be made from
styrofoam...
Then we continuc—
on a graduated
phase basis with a
view to completely
Stewart 07.10.16
11:35 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
banning the use of
styrofoam and plastic
bags within five
years.
The second prayer:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that—and this is all in the
insertion—
a) the Government put
in place incentives to
encourage the use of
biodegradable
alternatives;
b) implements
programmes and
projects including
financial assistance to
small and medium-
sized entrepreneurs
who will be affected
by this change;
c) undertakes a nation-
wide ongoing public
education programme
on environmental
protection including
the proper disposal of
garbage and all forms
of waste; and
d) implements a national
garbage — separation
system at homes and
work place;
I trust Senator Samuda, Members of this
Senate that these recommendations will find
consensus, because as I said at the end of the
day the issue of the environment is
everybody’s business. It is not divided along
any lines or any colour and so I crave that
we will all play our part in ensuring that we
nuh dutty up Jamaica any more.
Thank you, Mr.
(Applause)
President
The PRESIDENT: Thank you,
Senator Frazer-Binns. May I just remind
Members that in the future that if you have
proposed amendment that you could make
several copies rather than the one for
Members.
Miss LONGMORE: Mr. President.
(Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Go ahead,
Senator. Thank you.
Dr. LONGMORE: Let me add my
welcome to our guests today. I recognize
that this is an issue that all Jamaica takes
keen interest in and I particularly appreciate
the presence of the persons who are here
with us today.
Mr. President, I rise to recognize
Senator Samuda’s Private Member’s
Motion. It is no doubt that the environment
and the protection thereof is of paramount
import to all of us in these Hallowed Halls.
It is quite ironic that my colleague on the
other side and J are wearing the same colour
today and | hope that is a subconscious
recognition that we are united for Jamaica in
this cause. (Applause)
(Crosstalk)
That’s going green.
We, here, are reflection of the
Jamaican society at large and in like manner
the populace of Jamaica, in my opinion, is
increasing their concern with and wanting to
Stewart 07.10.16
11:35 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
actively protect our country. Jamaica’s
legacy as an island paradise that we
endevour to preserve is under grave threat.
As it is globally, we are quickly realizing the
unfortunate impact human activity has had
on this world we share. Unfortunately, the
fervour that drives economic pursuits often
times does not consider our innocent
environment as a casualty. This is changing.
Countries far and wide are recognizing and
acting on this very critical subject. Jamaica,
land of wood and water should be no
different.
We, Mr. President, have a lot at stake
if we do not heed to this concern and act.
Our reality is that we have an economy that
is delicately in the middle income level and
we are gradually inching our way out of
significant debt, but we are also a country
that has approximately 82 per cent of our
population living along the coastline—
within five kilometres of the coast and are,
therefore, heavily impacted by coastal
processes. Our environment is the livelihood
of our people in a number of ways. We have
to strive to achieve and maintain that very
delicate balance between economic
prosperity and environmental protection.
And I agree, Senator, that we do
need a cost basis analysis in terms of how
much it would cost to make this move; what
it would do to our economy and how best
we can offset that to the benefit of our
people. As a Small Island Developing State,
Jamaica is particularly vulnerable to the
impacts of climate change particularly sea
level rise and extreme weather. For example,
climate change projections suggest that
precipitation in Jamaica will be reduced by
40 per cent by 2018. We have to take this
matter of our environment serious. If we
don’t, we may not have an economy to think
about.
Ladies and gentlemen to achieve the
balance prosperity and the protection of our
country, we first have to come to accept that
both are of equal weight and accordingly act
to correct what has already gone wrong. We
are laking that approach economically. We
must now do so environmentally.
The Motion brought by Senator
Samuda to ban the importation of plastic
bags below fifty gallons and all finished
goods made from styrofoam and, Senator,
we recognize—I think I may speak on
Senator Samuda’s part—that we recognize
your recommendations for amendment and
they are worthy. It was things that we were
considering ourselves, particularly the
phased implementation and the fact that this
is no quick-fix scenario. I also hasten to add
that a significant public education
programme must be embarked on
particularly encouraging persons to dispose
of their waste properly. I recommend the
Jamaica Environmental Trust for their Nuh
Dutty Up Jamaica campaign. It is something
that I, myself, have bought into and
encouraging that campaign amongst those
who I connect with.
I doubt there is any Jamaican who
does not know a scandal bag or a Styrofoam
box. Not only are these staples in our
everyday lives, there are also in my mind
unfortunate markers for the damage that is
unwittingly done by persons, such as myself,
as we go about our business of shopping and
having a box lunch. It only requires a little
thought and a glance of the eye to see the
damage done by the presence of these items
in our environment. Our rivers, seas, reefs,
flora and fauna are littered by items that will
be there long, long after our great, great,
great, great grandchildren have inherited our
beloved Jamaica.
Stewart
07.10.16
11:35
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
With each Jamaican producing
approximately one kilogram of waste per
day, 30 per cent of it being organic and 70
per cent that is not organic of which 46 per
cent is plastic, we here in this Chamber
should be gravely concerned for the land we
are charged to govern and protect. I take
particular interest because of the health
impact that this could have in our society.
Physically, there are cancers too numerous
to mention that have been linked to a lot of
the chemicals in these plastics. Respiratory
conditions, we have crisis situation with
asthma as we have seen when the fire
unfortunately happened at the Riverton
Dump. Infectious diseases, chronic lifestyle
diseases, childhood illnesses a lot of these
environmental pollutants have been linked
to possible neurodevelopmental disorders
such as autism, ADHD.
Bryan 07.10.16
11:50 1
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Dr. LONGMORE: Our community
and our environment that our people live in;
all would be impacted by this ban in a
positive way. The large majority of plastics
and Styrofoam used are non-biodegradable
and will be in our eco systems for thousands
of years to come. Let me be one of the first
to recognise that there is no quick-fix
situation and with the aforementioned
delicate balance needed, we have to be
strategic in how we proceed to enable the
safety of our environment. However, we
have to start somewhere and I think this
Motion brought before us today is a very
good place to do so. Let us join the global
movement that is awakening to the realities
of the need to protect our world. It is not
only happening in faraway places but right
here within our Caribbean community.
Mr. President, for the health and
well-being of our future generations, for
ourselves and paramount for our Jamaica
land of wood and water, land that we all
love, I rise to support this Motion. Thank
you. (Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Senator Dr
Brown Burke. (Applause)
Dr. BROWN BURKE: Thank you
very much, Mr. President.
Mr. President, I rise to add my voice
in supporting the spirit and intent of the
motion moved by Senator Matthew Samuda.
There is no doubt that we define
sustainability in these days around three
issues: social cohesion, economic progress
and environmental sustainability. The
motion therefore speaks to the third,
environmental sustainability. So I want to
thank Senator Samuda for bringing this
Motion forward and therefore giving us an
opportunity to place some of the issues that
we are doing today on the table. Quite
frankly, if we needed a reminder another
Matthew not so long ago reminded us quite
eloquently of the need - another Matthew,
quite eloquently of the need to protect our
environment and to look at some of our
lifestyle choices.
Although the motion speaks to non-
biodegradable waste and in particular plastic
bags and Styrofoam, I want to also go a little
bit further and talk about the concern that
really has us here, which is really the
concern about protecting our environment
and making sure we have an environment
worthy of being bequeathed to our children
and our grandchildren. So we know that
plastic products whether they are plastic
bags or water bottles, tins, cans, tyres, metal
products and clectronics like computers and
all of these kinds of non-biodegradable
products create an impact in terms of how
they are disposed of and whether or not they
can be reused or recycled. And the truth is
that as technology improves and as
economies across the world develop, there is
likely to be more and more non-
biodegradable products which can withstand
extreme temperatures which are durable and
are easy to use. I don't think any of us in
here can deny the convenience of the plastic
bags themselves, synthetic and even
Styrofoam, but it is true that we are at a
point, having understood the dangers that
they pose to the environment, for us to be
called to action. This concern for the
environment is important and one that I
want to spend a little bit more time on.
In a long, long, long ago world
where - not in my time, even before that, we
were known as hunter-gatherers and as
hunter-gathers, we had an appreciation for
how our actions affected our environment.
In fact, our very survival was bound up with
Bryan 07.10.16 11:50
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
protecting the environment. We learnt that
we could not overfish an area because if we
did we would not be able to feed our
families. Most of you might be aware that
Native American Indians traditionally are
known to respect the earth and they
recognise a certain spirituality in Mother
Earth. I have always found their respect for
Mother Earth fascinating. And if you permit
me, Mr. President and colleagues, I would
like to share a little of that with you. I do so
in making the connection with our concern
for the environment and the impact that can
be created depending on how we use, reuse
or recycle non-biodegradable products. I do
so as well clear in my mind that part of the
solution must include looking at the values
we bequeathed to our children and the
underlying values that we display by our
own actions or inactions. And it gocs a long
way in the public education that Senator
Sophia Frazer-Binns spoke about, but I want
to take it beyond a public education concern
for our present adult population.
In 1996 at the Gathering of Native
American Men in Colorado, USA, the
meeting defined seven basic philosophies
that could help them preserve the values of
their culture. I am not going to talk about all
seven philosophies. We spoke to the role of
women, the role of children, family,
community, the Creator und self | really
want to talk about the one that is about earth.
And so they said that, "Our Mother Earth is
the source of all life, whether it be the
plants, the two legged, four legged, winged
ones or human beings. Mother earth is the
greatest teacher if we listen, observe and
respect her. When we live in harmony with
Mother Earth she will recycle the things we
consume and make them available to our
children and to their children." They agreed
then that it was important to teach their
children to care tor Mother Earth so she is
preserved for future generations. And so
from then on, they agreed that each one
would realise that the earth is our mother
and that they would treat her with honour
and respect, that Mother Earth is a living
entity that maintains life and that they would
speak out in a good way whenever they see
someone abusing the earth; just as thcy
would protect their own mother so would
they protect the earth and they would ensure
that the land, water and air will be intact for
their children and their children's children,
even those unborn.
Mr. President, the point | am making
here is a very simple one. We must begin to
teach our children the sacredness of our
environment (Applause) and have them
understand and appreciate the
interconnectedness of human activity on the
degradation of the environment and the
possible negative impact on our own
survival. Yes, I know that we cannot teach
what we ourselves do not know and
therefore public education is important. A
former Prime Minister, I think it was Prime
Minister P.J. Patterson, once introduced a
Values and Attitude Campaign. Since then
there have been several stops and starts
under different names. My call in support of
this Motion before us is not just to look at
the health implications which are important
or the economic possibilities, but to
undergird all of what we are doing with a
deeper understanding and appreciation for
how totally bound up we are with the fate of
our environment,
And here I want to quote another
Native American saying: "Treat the earth
and all her aspects as your mother. Show
deep respect for the mineral world and the
plant world and the animal world. Do
nothing to pollute our mother. Rise up with
wisdom to defend her." And I believe that
Bryan 07.10.16
11:50 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
the motion before us is an attempt to rise up
with wisdom and defend Mother Earth.
A couple days ago as I did my own
tours throughout the Corporate Area I was
struck by the many drains that were blocked,
and it is true that they were some that were
blocked because they have just become too
small to carry the volume of water that we
had, and there were some that were full of
silt, but there were several others that were
overflowing with plastic bottles, with old
fridge, with old stoves, tyres and so on. And
the one that caught my attention it wasn’t
(George's) Cook Shop, it was another cook
shop. And as I looked in the drain beside
that cook shop it was filled with Styrofoam
containers and with plastic bottles. I turned
to the owner and | said to him, we have to
do a little better than this. And he said to
me, but, see, I have a drum, a container right
there, which he did. The container was
almost empty and right beside that container
were heaps and heaps and heaps of
Styrofoam boxes and plastic bottles. And
what that says to me is that it's about civic
pride, but it is also about a deeper value that
we have not instilled in our children who
have become adults. (Applause) And
therefore, I would like to ask Senator
Samuda to also include in the motion that
need for public education and the need to
instill the values from our infants of
appreciating nature. And I say that because
I want to be comprehensive and not
piecemeal, because it would also cover our
single-use plastic bags and our Styrofoam
containers. But for me it is absolutely
essential that we begin to inculcate and this
is a good word in this sense, to inculcate that
appreciation for our environment and how
all our actions are interconnected and how
they impact the environment which then in
turn impacts us.
Today we are not talking about
plastic bottles, but I believe that that is also
another discussion that we need to have.
We need to have that discussion, because we
need to make sure that as Government when
there are policies and regulations that are
made that they do not negatively impact
those individuals who are already in the
industry. And often when we move to do -
when we move as government, we do not
consider how our actions will impact those
who are already in the industry. And so the
fact that a large percentage of our Styrofoam
containers are made locally, I want to
support wholeheartedly the notion of
providing some kind of incentive so that
individuals who are already making
Styrofoam containers can be incentivized to
get into the production of alternate material
because I believe it is important. I am sure
Senator Samuda appreciates inasmuch as we
were once talking about a 5% growth
agenda, I think I heard somewhere a little
revision downward, that we cannot afford to
slip any further and so it is going to be
important to ensure that individuals who are
in the business, in particular, Styrofoam
containers, that they are given an incentive
to join the movement, yes, of protecting
Mother Earth, as I like to call it.
Senator Sophia Frazer-Binns spoke
about the small business person, and I think
she did so quite eloquently, so I really want
to talk more so about the consumer and
many of the individuals who actually use
these single-use plastic bags. As an
individual who shops every now and again
at PriceSmart, I do every now and again, I
don't always remember to take a bag but
because...
Mr. MORRIS: I shop at Hi-Lo
Bryan 07.10.16 11:50
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Dr. BROWN BURKE: . . . no,
because I have a vehicle I can in fact put
what I bought in the back of my car. There
are many individuals who don't shop at
PriceSmart. There are many individuals
who buy from the corner shop, who buy
from a market, as we have several across the
island, who buy certainly from our markets
downtown or our wholesale...
(Softo voce remarks by Government
Senator)
Dr. BROWN BURKE: Or in the
countryside, I said that, shops all over in our
neighbourhoods and districts and they are
going to need something to take that grocery
back home in. And so we have to look at
what that alternative is going to be and we
have to be concerned about the price point
for that alternative and what that impact may
mean on the consumer.
Kertt 07.10.16
12:05 1
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Dr. BROWN BURKE: For those of
us who travel from time to time, you will
know that your paper bags are more
expensive than your plastic bags, yes; and
thal in many jurisdictions where there is an
option, persons can't afford to actually buy
the more expensive alternative. And
therefore, in Jamaica, I believe that that study
in terms of the impact on cost, and how that
will be passed through, is an absolute
necessity for us to determine the timeline as
well as how we approach any substitution
and any ban.
And so, the idea of a ban is one that I
support eventually, but I believe that getting
there is extremely important and we cannot...
(Satta vace comment)
Dr. BROWN BURKE: The process -
absolutely - and we cannot lose sight of that.
As I close, Mr. President, I want to
add my voice to the others who say that
protecting our environment is not something
that is Government's responsibility. It is a
responsibility that we all have to share, and
that we all have to look at, in terms of - as
individuals, as Government, as private sector,
and as community-based organizations,
because I believe we all have a role to play.
Again, I reiterate that the public
education is important, but for me, the one
that I really want to emphasize is the one of
creating that principle, that value system that
gets our children, and therefore our adults, to
understand how their actions affect the
environment.
And I know we begin first with
compliance, and that's how we think of a
ban, but what I would want to see us create is
an environment and culture of commitment
that can only be done through education and
the acceptance of that value system.
Thank you. (Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Scnator Webhy.
Mr. WEBHY: Thank you very
much, Mr. President.
Mr. President, I rise to respond to the
motion made by Senator Samuda, and I must
really commend him, as a young Jamaican,
with so much passion and commitment for
such an important subject. (Applause)
I also, Mr. President, want to
congratulate the standard and the level of the
previous presenters, because it is really
consistent in terms of my own thoughts, and
I think Senator Frazer-Binns did a
well-researched Paper, and | want to
recognize you for that.
Mr. President, this Motion addresses
the critical issue of our collective
responsibility for the environment.
Jamaica’s current poor waste management
practices pose a threat to our environment.
The garbage that caused the Shoemaker
Gully to overflow just recently, is a painful
reminder of our failure to find a workable
solution to our waste problem.
Mr. President, United Nations
Environment Programme estimates that 5.2
trillion - trillion with a ¢, Mr. President -
pieces of plastic are floating in our oceans. In
an exercise that I was recently involved in on
our International Coastal Cleanup Day -
which was actually on September 17 of this
Kerr 07.10.16
12:05 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
year - 521 pounds of plastic were collected
along the Harbour, and I am speaking an area
of just a quarter mile stretch - 521 pounds.
This garbage would most likely have floated
out to sea and contributed to the 5.2 trillion
pieces referred to by the UN.
Mr. President, I commend Senator
Samuda for his focus on the critical issue of
plastic bags and Styrofoam, The United
Nations again, has indicated - and I agree -
that the amount of wasle thal gels into our
ocean, globally, is largely dependent on the
extent and effectiveness of our solid waste
collection and management.
I believe, therefore, that a
comprehensive approach has to be taken to
address our waste management issues. Our
long-term approach must be twofold. We
must first put the necessary legislation and
infrastructure in place to establish a First
World waste management programme with a
robust recycling component. Secondly, and
perhaps even more importantly, persons have
to be educated about better waste
management practices.
Mr. President, the Motion calls for a
ban on the importation of plastic buys below
50 gallons, and I do understand very clearly
the rationale behind this approach. However,
Mr. President, we have to remember that this
ban, as you heard earlier from all of the
various presenters, include the common
supermarket bags. And these bags are used
to serve ordinary Jamaicans, and they use
them to actually clean up their households.
We need to think through very carefully what
will be the replacement for these bags.
The common alternative being plastic
bags and metal drums, are more costly and
are also prone to theft. We would need to be
at a stage where all communities have
adequate and accessible metal skips and
garbage collections in a timely manner. If we
had a total ban of plastic bags below 50
gallons without any improvement in our
current waste management system, we could
end up worsening the problem that we are
trying to fix. (Applause)
Having said that, Mr. President, I
wanl lo supporl, again, Senator Samuda and
Senator Frazer-Binns about a _ phased
implementation of the programme.
A short-term initiative which can be
employed, and which would have the effect
of immediately reducing the use of plastic
bags, is to have retailers charge consumers a
small fee for the bags.
As Senator Samuda pointed out,
when England introduced a charge on single
use plastic bags last year, they recorded an
impressive 85 per cent drop in usage in the
first six months. It caused a change in
behaviour - and I think that's where Senator
Brown was going - and person convert it in
reusable cloth or paper bags, and even
brought buck the reusable plastic bags.
I am proposing, Mr. President, that if
we decide to go that route, that the proceeds
generated from the fees collected, be used to
fund environmental programmes, or other
good causes, similar to the UK model.
Local retailers - and I have done my
back of the envelope calculation - could also
give a discount for the goods purchased, for
the customers using environmentally friendly
alternatives. The point that I um making, Mr.
President, can be a win-win for businesses,
Kerr 07.10.16
12:05 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
consumers, and all Jamaicans on a whole to
go that way. (Applause)
Mr. President, we do not have to
look as far as the UK, we have a large local
retailer who successfully implemented this
model of reusable bags, despite some push
backs - and I will not call the name of that
large retailer. They were able to overcome
the initial resistance to the introduction of
this green alternative which, of course, came
with a cost, and that's why the discussion
about a cost benefit analysis is so important.
They did so by launching a _ targeted
educational campaign on the negative effects
of plastic on the global environment. Other
local retailers have also successfully
introduced similar programmes which
provide yrealer, greener, alternatives to their
consumers.
This approach, Mr. President, should
be encouraged, but we have to recognize that
it will provide an upfront cost for the retailer
as well as the consumer, but in the long run
the benefits will far outweigh the initial price
increase, and as I said earlier, this can be a
win-win for all Jamaicans.
With respect to Senator Samuda's call
for the ban on importation of Styrofoam, we
all know - and we have heard it from
everyone - the harmful effect it has, both on
our environment - on our environment, both
on land and at sea, and human beings, and
therefore, alternatives must be aggressively
pursued.
The timing of the implementation of
the ban is critical as we gave to be cognizant
that there is heavy demand for the product
and pulling it from the market with one go,
could be very disruptive. And I am not going
to use that small shop alternative example for
George. Again, it is important that it be
thought through very carefully, in terms of a
cost benefit analysis.
Mr. Speaker, we can look for
solutions successfully implemented
elsewhere. Other countries have phased in
Styrofoam restrictions over time. Hardship
exemptions have also been provided in some
instances where small businesses, for good
reason, are unable to comply. If such an
approach is adopted in Jamaica in the short-
term, this would have to be coupled with a
long-term plan to innovate and create cost
effective alternatives to Styrofoam, so as to
reduce the harmful effects it has on our
environment, both on land and sea.
Along with looking at international
best practices closer to home, our local
manufactures have been exploring
technology that would enable them to
manufacture green alternatives, including
biodegradable Styrofoam. I believe that these
actions should be encouraged, and
incentivized.
Mr. President, the scale of the
environmental issues raised here, requires, in
my opinion, all hands on deck. Let us look at
another local initiative, launched just two
years aga which has heen quite successful.
Recycling Partners of Jamaica has collected
over 1.5 million pounds of plastic, and is an
excellent example of public-private sector
partnership that has been making a
difference. Recycling Partners of Jamaica is
a nonprofit public-private partnership which
was launched in May 2014, under the theme
Recycle Now, Jamaica.
The Government and several leaders
in the manufacturing industry, came together
Kerr 07.10.16 12:05 4
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
to fund this partnership. The Recycle finally, Mr. President, that a Committee be
Jamaica partnership must be provided with set up to give all stakeholders a voice in this
the support needed to expand the scope of very, very important Debate.
their collection programme, and to expand
the processing facilities. This would allow Thank you very much, Mr. President.
them to increase their recycling programme (Applause)
in order to further reduce Jamaica's carbon
footprint.
Mr. President, as has been aired
before by both Senator Samuda, and other
Senators, a national education programme
which has buy-in from all relevant
stakeholders will have to be developed and
deployed. Recycle Jamaica, if properly
funded, could lead the charge in raising
public awareness of the need to recycle and
engage in sustainable waste management
practices. Continuous environmental
education is key and must be implemented in
order to change our actions and culture as it
relates to waste management.
As has been said by Senator Brown, I
would especially encourage us to support
environmental education for our children in
order to influence a generational change in
behavior.
So, in closing, Mr. President, T have
made some notes on the presentation, and I
want to support Senator Samuda's Motion -
Private Member Motion - and I'd ask that the
following be considered: First, Mr. President,
is a phased implementation of the proposed
ban with the allowance for a hardship
exemption. This would allow a more smooth
transition to all stakeholders; that local
manufacturers are incentivized to develop
biodegradable alternatives supported by the
necessary recycling infrastructure; three, that
a national environmental education
programme be developed and deployed. And,
Willie 12:20
07.10.16 1
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
The PRESIDENT: Senator Sloley
I’m sorry, Senator Gayle, Senator Golding.
certain items is not something I could
support in that form because I don’t know
who would be impacted and in what way by
this and we’ve heard in the course of the
debate this morning references to the fact
that 70%, for example of Styrofoam usage in
this country is locally produced. Obviously,
therefore, it has capital that has been
invested in that and it has employees who
are involved in all aspects of that activity
from production through the rest of the
supply chain, so a ban on that is something
which would have to be very carefully
considered and how we would introduce it
to what — and the process by which we
arrive at that decision is very important.
And similarly, when it comes to
importation, as Senator Wehby has
mentioned, the prolific use of small plastic
bags in our retail system and which then are
used in people’s homes as a way of
collecting garbage and how that is disposed
of and so on. This thing warrants some
serious thought and _ consideration,
consultation and a participatory approach
towards identifying a timeframe for taking
action and what action needs to be taken.
Mr. GOLDING: Mr. President, |
intend to be brief. As it’s been said, the idea
— spirit behind this motion of seeking to
improve Jamaica’s record when it comes to
solid waste disposal is one which I think
everybody will support and it is clear that
we have a big problem with solid waste
disposal. It’s a problem that impacts on our
infrastructure and also the quality of life in
many of our communities and it’s a broad
problem to do with the funding of the
agency that is responsible for solid waste,
the nature of our infrastructure and its
capacity to cope with the volume of water —
storm water in particular that arises and how
we treat the aquifers, how we protect our
aquifers and so on. So it’s the protection of
Mother Earth that Senator Brown Burke
stressed is really at the core for the
sustainability of our planet and our society
and therefore, this a very serious matter and
one which is worth spending some time on.
Having said that, sir, ’'m very wary
of any kind of motion brought to the Senate
that it attempts to be prescriptive on the
response to what the problem is because the
ramifications of a particular course of action
need to be fully ventilated and considered,
there needs to be fulsome consultation with
all persons who are involved and in fact
would be impacted by the new rules around
it so that their points of view can be taken
into account and not overlooked.
So the idea of the Senate calling for a
ban on importation or a ban on production of
So what I would say is that if we can
find an alternative formulation for the prayer
that takes into account that those aspects or
that approach to the resolution of the issue,
it would have my support and I don’t — I’m
not proposing anything specific, I will leave
it to others to — who are looking at the
specifics to take that on board.
Willie
12:20
07.10.16 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
from an early age and then they can make
the difference as they grow up and they can
even teach and exhort their parents and other
adults to adapt a more responsible way or
approach towards handling waste. So I’ll
just say to the Minister who is here that I
would really like to see environmental
education, especially around attitudes and
treatment of waste in very practical ways be
reinforced and drilled into our children so
that the next generation will have a very
different attitude towards this issue than the
ones that now prevail.
Mr. President, apart from that, Pll
just reiterate that we support the spirit of this
motion; congratulate Senator Samuda for
bringing to the Senate and I’m sure we can
find a suitable prayer that would shape the
consensus around the final motion in its
final form.
(Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Thank you,
Senator Skeffery, for yielding, Thank you,
Senator Golding. Madam Leader.
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Thank
you, Mr. President.
The other point I wish to make
concerns education - and Minister Reid is
here in the Senate — I happen to have
occasion to visit Costa Rica recently, and the
environmental protection in that country is
at a level way above where we have
reached. I mean it was heartening and just
sad to drive over river after river which
looks so much like the Jamaican rivers, but
they all had constantly flowing water. The
concept of dry river beds and so on wasn’t
something that they had to deal with and
when I spoke to the person I was travelling
with, he too was a local person, he said to
me, “Well, we focus on the children and the
school system.’ Teaching environmental
education, the importance of protecting
Mother Earth, respecting Mother Earth and
getting the children to buy into the idea that
you don’t throw away garbage in a
particular way; separate garbage, things that
are bio-degradable, ef cetera, all of the
wholesome aspects of dealing with waste is
something that has to be inculcated in a very
methodical and deliberate way from an early
age and so what I would like to see is that
the education system and the curriculum
reinforce that going forward becuuse we do
always have such a critical problem in our
attitudes towards waste. I mean the casual
way in which people just throw something
out of their car when they’re driving or just
dump things on the ground which then ends
up in a gully or blocking a drain. That
behaviour — it’s going to be difficult to
change the behaviour of adults if necessary,
but it’s much easier to get the necessary
values and attitudes instilled in children
Vhank you.
I want to join my colleague in
congratulating Senator Samuda in having
raised, through this Motion this morning, the
very important issue of the imperative of
how we currently treat with the management
of non-biodegradable waste and I want to
add my voice to the support expressed by
ather Members in respect of the intention of
Willie 12:20
07.10.16 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
the motion and to assure Members that
Senator Samuda will propose amendments
that I’m positive will meet the support of all
Members present on both sides.
In the context of assuring Members
present about the holistic approach of the
Government to these environmental
concerns and in the context of my recent
attendance at the Third Our Ocean
Conference in Washington DC just two
weeks ago, which emphasized the
importance of ensuring the sustainability of
our oceans and seas and how important that
is to Maritime nations such as ourselves, to
small island developing state like Jamaica
with a Maritime arca of approximately 24
times the size of our terrestrial space.
The importance of oceans and seas
and their health becomes of particular
importance and why I raised that issue is
because of Senator Samuda’s statement at
the outset of his presentation, which is that
the motion is intended not to be a silver
bullet in respect of all our waste
management issues, but to address the issue
of what is introduced into our waste stream.
Senator Wehby raised the issue of —
raised a figure in respect of the amount of
plastic in our ocean and I’m aware also of
studies that have found that an estimated 14
billion pounds of trash is dumped in the
world’s ocean every year and that the
majority of that garbage, that trash is plastic.
So what enters our stream - our waste
stream, what crowds our gullies, what
requires our waste management and — both
i M.a_RNMN—GNGD0Go—™—
from a collection perspective and from an
educational perspective is very, very
important to Jamaica.
At last year’s Our Ocean Conference
held in Chile, the government of the United
States and the UN _ Environmental
Programme, the Caribbean Environmental
Programme within the — along with a new
partnership called The Trash Free Waters
Initiative, which involved countries in the
wider Caribbean region with a view to
reducing marine litter in their respective
countries. Jamaica, along with Panama, was
selected as a pilot country to participate in
this initiative and it is my pleasure to
announce that in keeping with our
commitment back then, the Jamaican
Government officially launched, through
NEPA, the Trash Free Waters Initiative for
Jamaica on the 18" of August 2016.
We are in the process of establishing
a National commillee comprised of
stakeholders from the Government, private
sector, academia and civil society to ensure
the operationalization of the initiative. And
what may be of particular interest to
Members present is the fact that among the
projects to be developed will be a robust
public education campaign that outlines the
effective management of solid waste and the
reduction and eventual elimination of use of
plastic as one of its main components.
(Applause)
I want to ensure also that we — well
assure Members present, as a matter of fact,
that we are committed as a Government to
Willie 12:20 07.10.16 4
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
SSS SSS SSS
ensuring that we secure the environment for Thank you.
present and future generations. It’s a task for
all of us that has been said earlier, no one
agency can do it because there are elements
of central and local government; there are
elements of the environment, health and
education sectors which all must be brought
in. Non-governmental and governmental
agents must be part of the change process;
changing the views of our children, which
we can do in our homes, in our families and
in our communities as well as ensuring that
(Applause)
we change our own practices, as we address
the legislative and policy components.
So I wanted to simply raise the
approach which is taken from an
international perspective in that the
Jamaican Government has an_ initiative
which was recently launched which will
address waste management. Senator Samuda
will speak later in his closing about other
aspects which are being embraced in the
amendments he will put forward and I want
to just add my own personal commitment to
the behavioural changes that are necessary.
When we speak about the amount of plastic
we use in our supermarkets, the amount of
Styrofoam we use in our cook shops, it is
clear that behavioural change will be at the
heart of this and must be - the human
element must be a part of the considerations
taken into consideration. When we weigh
the cost of keeping things the same against
urgent action, I think it is indisputable and
requires no study to say that as Senator
mentioned, time come, full time comc, we
musl take action now.
McFarlane 07.10.16
12:35 1
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. SKEFFERY: Mr. President.
The PRESIDENT: Senator
Skeffery.
Mr. SKEFFERY: Yeah. I just rise
to make a brief intervention and...
The PRESIDENT: I beg your
pardon?
Mr. SKEFFERY: _ I rise to make
a brief intervention and propose a way
forward.
I support the intent and spirit of the
Motion so moved by Senator Matthew
Samuda. And many of the issues that were
laid on the Table here are quite indeed
relevant.
I am going to make a specific
proposal, but I want to reinforce the issue of
public education, and I heard many persons
speak about it. And once we have issues like
public education, the objective of it is
always to change behaviour or mindset. And
I think the best way to start in any formal
way is at our early childhood level. Many
times we speak about public education even
in the schools, and we start at primary or
secondary. But a _ formal _ structured
mechanism that is in the curriculum at the
early childhood level is often placed on the
buck burner. And if we are going to change
the mindset we have to understand that that
mindset won't change overnight with
creating a new generation with a new
thinking, and the best way to start is at that
tender age. So that's one thing we need to
put in.
There is also the environmental clubs
that are in our schools, and I think a lot of
them need greater strengthening and
support. They do very well and we need to
ensure that.
And the private sector needs to come
on board. Just this morning when I was
coming on the way in, I heard Lasco having
a particular programme where they have
activity to support — environmental
programmes in terms of tree planting, school
gardening, and things like those. And we
need other private sector entities to support
the schools in that initiative, because that is
how we are going to get the greater
appreciation from the youngsters and the
wider community.
I know, for example, the Tourism
Enhancement Fund, they have invested a lot
of funds towards creating a change of
behaviour where the environment is
concerned. So I think those are very critical
issues. And public education has to drive
that change of behaviour which will give us
a re-culture of a people and a new paradigm,
going forward.
And because I think that this Motion
is so absolutely relevant J don't think just
debating it, reshape the prayer and vote yea
or nay will really achieve the true intent of
the Motion by Senator Samuda.
And I know in the last sitting of the
Senate I remember former Senator Duncan
Price brought a Motion on the Road Traftic
issues. And because il was such a national
issue - and I think this Motion bears similar
resemblance.
I want to proposc, Mr. President -
and you will remember that we set up a
Special Select Committee of the Senate,
Members of both sides, and we have the
critical stakeholders in this particular issue
coming to that Committee, and we are able
McFarlane 07.10.16
12:35 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
to flesh out - because the approach in
supporting the Motion, there are those
against and there are those that are
somewhere in the middle. And I think if
they could come and put their issues, and we
have a clear recommendation and a clear
Report coming from that Committee re-
tabled in the Senate, debated and passed as a
Report from the Senate, and sent to the
Government for policy formulation and
hopefully Legislative changes where
necessary, I think that would be more
effective in terms of getting the public out
there understanding that the Senate of the
land is seeing this issue as a critical one, and
is not just voting on the Motion for going
through a "Motion", but want to make
serious policy changes. Because this Motion
is going to require policy changes, it's going
to require funding, in terms of how we
move, going forward. And more
importantly, it's going to require
enforcement of those Acts that are currently
in place and any new ones. Because if we
don't enforce them it goes back to where
We...
So, I support the intent and spirit.
And other Members have some issues in
terms of rewording the prayer. But I don't
want us to leave it here today. I want this to
continue to be an Agenda item from the
Parliament, where we have the stakeholders
coming to us and we flesh it out and move
forward as we seek to get our environment
the way we want it, if not for us but for
future generation .
Thank you, Mr. President.
(Applause)
Mr. GAYLE: Mr. President.
The PRESIDENT: Senator Gayle.
Mr. GAYLE: Mr. President, permit
me to participate in the debate of this very
important Motion put forward by Senator
Matthew Samuda.
Before I do so, though, I want to -
because I think it's important that today we
are speaking of environment - that we
recognize the tremendous work that has
been done by the environmentalist group.
And we urge them to conlinue to the action
that they have done over the years.
(Applause)
Senator Samuda, you have brought
forward a very thought-provoking,
penetrating Motion with a lot of exuberance,
and I commend you for it. You are a very
brave man. You have brought forward a
Motion that I don't expect that if we agree
today this should be the end-all and be-all of
it. Work needs to be done continuously if we
are going to protect our environment. And
so, wherever we land, wherever the
agreement ought to be, it is going to require
a culture shift steeped with cducation,
discipline, alternatives and support. And,
you know, the various debaters have spoken
about the public education that is required,
the sensitization that is required for the
public at large, the wider population and in
schools.
But I want to suggest clinically, that
for the agencies and entities that operate in
terms of waste management, the workforce
that carry out that waste management ought
to be educated fully on this Motion.
(Applause)
You know, Senator Lambert Brown,
the global labour movement speaks about
green jobs, so you can't divorce yourself
from green jobs.
McFarlane 07.10.16 12:35 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
(Laughter/Applause) But Mr. President, the enforcing of
And based on the extent of this debate it
appears in my mind that Jamaica is
embracing an agenda of going green.
(Laughter/applause)
But green jobs are those that help
reduce negative environment impact,
ultimately leading to environmentally,
economically and _ socially sustainable
enterprise and economics. More precisely,
green jobs are decent jobs that reduce
consumption on energy and raw materials,
and minimize waste and pollution that
protect and restore the ecosystems.
And whilst we are not on waste
management today, Mr. President, I am
somewhat compelled to advance the
following. And we spoke about the cleaning
of gullies and drains, and we saw over the
recent days the impact. But our authorities
must establish a regular cleaning of gullies
and drains on precise schedules. We must
establish the frequency of collection of
garbage in communities and townships with
an established, publicized garbage-collection
schedule that is essentially important.
Mr. President, we have to resolve
this long-standing issue with clarity as to
who is responsible for cleaning the gullies
and the drains. And, you know, we seem to
be focusing on that crime in this country is
only limited to murder, robbery, theft,
scamming, corruption.
anti-dumping laws should be dramatically
elevated with increased fines, harsher
penalties.
(Applause)
And, Senator Frazer-Binns, you
spoke of the "Nuh dutty up Jamaica"
campaign. But that needs to be embraced
and promoted as a mantra that the entire
population focuses towards it.
(Applause)
And I remember the days in school
when on a Friday, Senator Lambert Brown,
my friends and I at school used to save up
and that was the day when we bought the
box lunch, in the box. But you know, the
box lunch, once you move from point 'A' to
point 'B' with it, everything mix up. And so
you now came with the Styrofoam
So, Mr. President, countries are
developing policies and implementing
strategies to improve waste management,
and Jamaica must positively enhance its
approach towards waste management.
Now, we are coming from a
situation, you know, where we are speaking
of the scandal bags and the Styrofoam. But,
Senator Wehby, I remember before we got
to those plastic bags - because they were -
you referred to them as single-use plastic
bags. But they are not really single-use, you
know, because we use them over and over
and over again.
(Sotto voce comment from Mr
Brown)
But I remember before we had the plastic
bags that why the name "scandal" was
attached to it was because it really
scandalized the contents at a time. And so
they changed it to the "black scandal bags"
so that you can't see through it. But I
remember, Senator Wehby, the Grace paper
bags that were durable and could carry a lot.
McFarlane 07.10.16
12:35 4
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
But I am suggesting that we have to
find alternatives, we have to find options.
This is not a situation where we can simply
abolish or abandon these materials, as they
are an integral part of human existence. But
we certainly can cut down the usage. And so
the presentations and the debate calls for a
partnership, it calls for consensus. And when
it comes to the environment and protecting
the environment, there can be no divide.
(Applause)
So, as a country, our goal must be to
foster partnership that will enhance our
economy using environmental improvement
that creates cleaner, safer environment.
You know, I like to sometimes quote
Franklin D, Roosevelt. And he said:
So, Senator Samuda, we have to find
some consensus. I understand the extent to
which you have placed forward your Motion
and the intent. But I would simply and
humbly recommend that if we are going to
embark on this shift of culture, this change
in behaviour, then we have to find a
reservoir that sccks collaboration and
consensus. And coming out of this Debate, I
would agree with any concept that interfaces
the participation of stakeholders.
Thank you very much.
containers that separated. But the other
presenters spoke about the effects of that.
As a society, Mr. President, we must
be committed to working with businesses,
community groups and our neighbours, to
improve the place we live in and do
business, by implementing projects that
benefit our communities socially and
economically.
Mr. President, the mission of this
Government must be to create safer
neighbourhoods in which we all live, by
working together with the people to improve
and sustain the environmental quality. And
so that is what it means by the collaboration,
the support, the working together.
We have a duty to protect our
environment for the next generation. As a
society, we all must accept that heavy
responsibility of the current situation, and
we must act to repair, Mr. President, what
can he repaired, and protect what can be
protected,
“A nation that destroys its soils
destroys itself Forests are lungs of
our land, purifying the air and giving
fresh strength to our people.”
Mr. President, what is happening in
the Caribbean right now, in terms of another
Matthew, another Matthew that we really
want to stay away and to be disposed of, this
environment in which we live already has to
fight with ravages of disaster, and so we
must - we must not add to it. And if we don't
promote, prescribe and support proper waste
management systems, then we are adding to
the decay of our environment.
And, with that in mind, Mr.
President, I support the objectives of the
Motion.
Maloney Samuels
07.10.16 12:50 I
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. BROWN: Mr. President
The PRESIDENT: Senator Brown,
your brief remarks.
Mr. BROWN: Very brief, very
briefly.
Mr. President, the Motion is well-
intentioned and it has earned the support in
principle of this side. I wish to make it clear
that the proliferation of plastics is but part of
the progress made by mankind globally and
locally. It's part of the progress, it's part of
the price we pay for competitiveness; for
being able to compete in a global economy.
It's the price we pay for research and
development. So, as we address the issue of
plastic and its negative impact on the
economy, let us not fail to recognise that it
came as part of the modernisation of life,
and of society. So we shouldn't run from it,
we should seek to control it. We should
seek to manage it, and just as others found
way to take us forward in the past, so too the
vlobe und us here must find ways lo luke us
beyond the problems of plastic while
embracing the potential of plastic. So I start
with that.
I could go through and tell you that
the deposit policy benefitted a lot of small
people who used to go out and buy the pint
bottles and the quart bottles. My
grandfather did that, and I have gone on the
donkey cart through the hills of St. Andrew
with him, and then down Hagley Park Road
to liqufruita; to Diamonds and Kelly's; to
Jureidini's further down Spanish Town
Road; to Canada Dry and Diamond, and
D&G.
So, when we had that deposit on
glass bottles there was an industry that many
small Jamaicans participated in. They were
wiped out when you got to the plastic. They
are like the white working class in Ohio and
Pennsylvania who have been impacted by
progress. Gladly ours weren't complaining,
they took it in stride but it meant for a
company, you said Red Stripe, it meant they
no longer had to be employing people to
collect the bottles, to wash them, the capital
maintenance cost of the washing machine to
push through the bottles and to have people
on the line looking for impurities in the
bottle. That went. So the bottom line
improved. So I make the point. There are
people who suffered but there are businesses
who benefitted from this course. So, it's
important for us to note. Profit improved,
competitiveness improved, unemployment
resulted.
So, also the progress we made and
the difficulties we face when we never
listened to the environmentalist. We didn't
put in place the necessary safeguards to
protect the country from the dysfunction, the
side effect of the plastic proliferation.
I recall when I represented the
workers at D&G, and D&G then was
producing mainly in bottles, glass bottles,
having a discussion with Noel DaCosta and
saying to Noel, "Noel, how long are you
going to continue in glass?" Because the Pet
bottles were dominating everywhere else.
Noel's answer to me then was, "There is an
environmental levy coming and that will
take care of plastic. The rest is history.
Plastic remain king and became as
destructive as hurricane Matthew.
In a sense, when I look at the
Motion, Senator Matthew Samuda, I got the
feeling that the Prayer banning this, banning
that, was Senator Gayle. I wrote this long
ago, about two weeks, three weeks ago, so
it's not in response to your green jobs. I'll
deal with the green jobs. But what I wrote
was this. "Reading the Prayer at the Motion
Maloney Samuels
07.10.16 12:50 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
the call seems to say, turn them back. Turn
them back to the old days." It also says,
"Stop the progress as no alternative, no
alternative to the plastic was really
proposed." What you saying, let's go back
to the high costs cardboard box?
(Inaudible comment by Mr. Ruel
Reid)
Mr. BROWN: I listened to the
speech, it is as implicit as some others things
I won't go into today. Suffice it to say that,
we can't just turn it back. We can't just turn
it back. We can't just stop the progress.
And in the Motion and in the discussion on
the Motion thus far, while we have
recognised the danger of Styrofoam and
plastics we have not paid attention to the
possibilities and the efforts that have been
made thus far to deal with the dangers of
plastic.
In 2014, former Prime Minister
opened with a recycling plant on Spanish
Town Road employing 100 people, aimed at
encouraging cntreprencurship and sccing a
problem trying to find a solution to the
problem. Because it's easy for us to be
caught in the problem and not think locally
and globally what is the solution to it. So I
know that efforts have been made. Senator
Noel Sloley, head of TEF, encouraged
through TEF public education in the
schools. Much have been said about public
education, Mr. President, I don't need to
repeat it but this can't go forward without
public education.
I think it's important for us to
recognise that there are opportunities, there
are opportunities arising from the problem
of plastic and styrofoam. Just recently in
September, different type of foam, albeit,
but a Jamaican company started exporting
wastc foam to China and carning moncy. So
we mustn't see the solution as just limited to
this little piece of the rock. We are part of a
global economy. There are people in the
world now looking to turn these plastics into
fuel. A big industry will arise. Ours
shouldn't be going down the Shoemaker
Gully, it should be going in containers from
the Port to fuel the plastic to fuel industry.
Let's think big. Let's not be trapped in the
difficulties of now, but let us expand our
vision to the possibilities of cooperation in
the world.
So Jamaica Foam exports its waste to
China. This is what is reported in the
Gleaner of September 7, 2016. The
Managing Director made the point that we
manufacture EPS foam and we generate
scrap. Rather than sending that off to the
dump we are finding ways to preserve the
environment while making cash doing it.
Then he went on further addressing
Styrofoam. He said, "The foam maker is
now'—it is reported—"The foam maker is
now pointing to a possible business
opportunity in the recycling of Styrofoam
plates, cups and other containers, saying
agencies like the Solid Waste Authority or
an entrepreneur should explore the
possibilities."" "There is a way...", he is
quoted as saying "...to deal with that, which
involves a separate operation where we
would wash them to take out the grease and
then the machine will liquefy that form by
melting and then prepare for export by
making ropes or coils. In other words, the
motion sees the problem. We have
pronounced on the problem but every
problem carries an opportunity.
Adversity provides not just
opportunity to cry doom but provides
opportunity to find positive solutions that
enhances mankind. I didn't quote that from
anybody, I made it up. So you can quote me
in future.
Maloney Samuels 07.10.16 12:50
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
(Laughter by Opposition Members)
You see, in other words, we can be trapped,
Senator Wehby, through you Mr. President,
in the problems, the problems, and as a
union man I find that every time I talk to
workers who come to me with problem,
problem, and when you try to point them to
a solution them come back to the problem.
To the problem. Some business people are
like that too.
So, let's look to see—if we could get
these plastic bottles, Styrofoam into business
opportunity. Maybe new, not just looking at
the Jamaican market but to export so we can
earn cash, we can earn foreign exchange,
and hopefully hold down the movement of
the dollar. I'm so happy, Mr. President—
so, we look to the future, there are
opportunities.
Mr. President, I'm happy that
Senator Matthew Samuda spoke to, taxation
not an option to be considered, but that runs
contrary to what is written in the letter of
intent on the 30" of August this year, by
Minister Audley Shaw to the IMF in which
he made it clear that the Government is
exploring environmental taxation, and I
would hope that as the Motion says, we need
to consider well thought out solution, that
this environmental taxation is also well
thought out, if it's going to go forward. Who
is going to bear the burden of that taxation?
The business people? George? And there
are thousands of the Georges and
Miss Adassa throughout the country, in
every parish, in every town, in every district
who rely on the takeout food business.
Thousands of them, all throughout the
country.
Clemmings 10.07:2016
1:05
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. BROWN: So, will they be the
ones paying the taxes? Will it be the
consumers who pay the taxes? And J think,
Senator Samuda, almost everybody has
agreed that a cost benefit analysis needs to
be done, T think that is a consensus we have
arrived at there.
So, who is going to pay the taxes?
And, Mr. President, I am worried because
that environment taxation that is proposed is
on top of $16 Billion more to come. It is all
in the Letter of Intent. It is on top of the
increase in Property Tax, all in the Letter of
Intent and that is why IJ am careful about this
Motion. It seems we are agreeing, Senator
Samuda that taxation is not such a good
thing and the people in this.
It brings me, finally, Mr. Speaker, so
that we can get to the point where ...
(Sotto voce comments by a Member)
Mr. BROWN: Don't bet on that. But
it brings me to the issue of the role of
Parliament. Senator Skeffery has pointed
out the tool used in the past with Private
Members Motion. How do we get it to the
Cabinet, how do we get it to Cabinet? How
do we get the focus of the nation on it? And
he pointed out the Motion and traffic issues
brought by former Senator Imani Duncan
Price, debated, Senate Gayle you will recall.
I don't know if Senator Reid was around at
the time might have been...
(Sotto voce comments by a Member)
Mr. BROWN: The Senate Leader
would be aware of it, debated, we set up a
select committee, we heard the
representations, went to the Cabinet and it is
informed in the Road Traffic Bill that is to
come. That to me is the proper approach to
be adopted. I will suggest to you my friend,
Senator Samuda that it will be a waste of
Parliamentary time for you to bring this
Motion here and then Parliament outsource
it. This is not one to be outsourced, and in
not outsourcing it, it does not exclude the
multi-stakeholders because they come here,
and we would reason with them, we would
question them, we would look at the pros
and the cons, and we would learn a lot from
them coming to the sovereign Parliament.
And then the report is sent to the Cabinet,
the Parliament that you are a part of,
becomes owner of the product of the
stakeholders. Instead, it seems to me to be
the reverse that the stakeholders who have
no direct access and for whom the Cabinet
may or may not respond. But once it comes
from the Parliament the Cabinet has a duty
to response to it and to address the
submissions from Parliament. So if the
mission we want is to get action on this
thing, and if the mission is to include the
stakeholders, I say, it can be achieved. It can
be achieved by a Select Committee, of the
Senate that meets and look at it. I have no
problem with that, but consider that route.
You see, Mr. President, how
consistent it is, how compatible it is with the
Standing Orders that guide us, and I make
the point it will not exclude the
stakeholders; and it will give the Committee,
the power of national concern. No higher
body than the Parliament is paying attention
to this. Don’t let your Motion be devalued,
don't let it depreciated, don't let it be
belittled. You have brought people here
today, lift up your Motion, lift up your
Motion, lift up your Motion and lift up
yourself. Not like, the other Matthew
because you will still be grounded in the fact
that you have moved a Motion that has
compelled the Opposition’s support.
Clemmings 10.07:2016
(Applause) And I hope that my own Motion
will find similar favour. (Laughter)
So lift it up
A Member: It is on the Order Paper.
Mr. BROWN: I know it is on Order
Paper that is why I am not going there. So
lift it up.
So, Mr. President, the Motion, the
intent has our support. The method is where
we have difficulty. And may I urge the
Leader to consider not closing the issue
today, but to give thought to all that has
been said. Don’t - the stuff that we are not
going to the parliamentary route. You have
gotten consensus use it; don’t tell us that
what we say is not worthy of further
consideration because you have closed the
gate.
Mr. President, with that position I
thank you for allowing me the little latitude
beyond brevity. (Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Senator Charles.
(Applause)
Mr. CHARLES: Mr. President, I
rise to join with my colleague Scnators, in
lifting up, the submission made by Senator
Samuda...
A Member: Lift up Jamaica.
Mr. CHARLES: And, I not only
support it in spirit, but the substance and in
it being an initiator of a very relevant
discussion, one which touches and concerns
the interest of our people.
Mr. President, I will just very briefly
say this, I believe that what we have
1:05 2
demonstrated today particularly through
Senator Samuda is a focus, and a common
interest in increasing the quality of life of
our people; and in doing what is necessary,
to connect the dots. This submission, speaks
not only to environmental protection, waste
management and all of the things that we
have heard today, but it is also concerning
our national security. And I dear say, Mr.
President, that within our national security
policy, environmental degradation and
climate change are actually defined as tier
two non-tradiional threats lo our country.
And so, it is very important for me to lend
my voice in support. And I will
acknowledge Senator Gayle reiterated the
importance of us focusing also on
enforcement of our legislation; and we
spoke a lot but about education which is
critical. But the bottom line, Mr. President,
is that protection of life and the protection of
our resources is paramount. And I believe
that that is the objective that we are all
trying to achieve. And any effort, any effort
to mitigate the risk and the impact of
disaster, flooding, environmental
degradation and anything of that sort must
be supported.
Iam so pleased, Mr. President, to see
that today we have shown Jamaica that
regardless of where we sit, in this Upper
House thal we have a consensus. And in a
large part, I am very pleased for the reason
and the relevant deliberations that we have
exhibited today. And like my colleague
Senator Wehby, I think il is important to
acknowledge it, and I believe that this is
going to be and hopefully, will be reflected
in all of our future deliberations. (Applause)
Mr. President, I think we have said it
all and I will just say this. Every action - I
remember as a student of Science, Mr.
President, before Law, I used to do
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Clemmings 10.07:2016
Environmental Impact Assessment and our
Representatives from JET will understand
what I am speaking about. This is where you
go out, and you actually go through
formulas to make assessments. The
objective is to ensure that we are protecting
our resources. And what we learnt there as
students of the University of the West
Indies; in the Pure and Applied Science
Faculty is that every action has a
consequence, and also every inaction. When
we do not do, it is as dangerous as when we
do things that are deleterious to our
environment. And so, this is such a critical
discussion for us to have had, and I rise to
support it. I commend my colleague Senator,
because today, as he said, in his opening
remarks, he does not seek to identify silver
bullet, or to achieve 100 per cent solution,
but without Scnator Samuda’s Motion being
placed before this House, we would not have
the discussion about education programmes,
about strengthening our environmental
associations, about the impact on security,
and the impact on our people.
And so, we must commend it, we
must encourage it, and again, Mr. President,
I really hope that in our future deliberations,
the interest of our people will be paramount
as we seek not to fear but to be bold enough
to stretch across the aisle through consensus.
I thank you, Mr. President
(Applause)
The PRESIDENT: Senator Samuda.
Mr. SAMUDA: Mr. President, do I
have to again, take leave to speak from a
seat that is not my own?
The PRESIDENT: Okay
1:05 3
Mr. SAMUDA: _ Just checking.
What has come out today, for sure is that
urgency for this matter to be attended to is
recognized by the sides.
It has been said by both sides that the
time is now. Ban Ki-Moon says,
“Saving our planet, lifting people
out of poverty, advancing
economic growth, these are one
and the same fight.”
We must connect the dots between
climate change, water scarcity, energy
shortages, global health, food security and
women’s empowerment. Solutions to one
problem must be solutions for all.
{ am indeed, happy that | believe we
have reached consensus on a number of the
issues discussed today. We have
disagreements admittedly on some of the
points of implementation, but we have all
agreed about the spirit of the motion and
where we want to get to.
stewart 07.10.16
01:20
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
Mr. SAMUDA: — Senator Brown,
you need not worry. We’re not turning back
the progress, rather ushering in sustainable
prosperity. (Applause)
A Government Senator: Quite so.
Mr. SAMUDA: No turning back.
However, finding a better way forward.
(Applause) I wish to thank all the Members
for their contributions today. I wish to thank
all of the teachers who inspire, teach our
young people the right way and socialize
them to not “Dutty up Jamaica”. I wish to
thank all of the environmental advocates and
workers in the environmental agency that
tire every single day to protect the Jamaican
requirement.
Mr. REID: Hear, hear!
Mr. SAMUDA: They need not
worry, as Senator Brown needs not worry.
This will not fall into category of a talk shop
and our Government isn't piecemeal
government, so there won't be piecemeal
solutions. (Applause)
GOVERNMENT SENATOR:
Quite so.
Mr. SAMUDA: But it is precisely
because the time is now and because we feel
action must be taken now that the major
point of disagreement is that we go to a
multi-stakeholder committee under the
Ministry with responsibility for the
environment rather than going through the
parliamentary time. Not to say we are
ignoring parliamentary parlivipalion,
because we will be asking for all
stakeholders including the Opposition to
participate in the Committee. The nation
can also be assured that the Minister with
responsibility will keep them apprised of the
progress as we seek to create this framework
of how we go forward. But what is clear is
that .
(The President gavels)
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Mr.
President, the time being 1:20, I ask for the
suspension of Standing Orders and_ that
Senate be allowed to sit beyond 1:30 to
complete the business of day.
The PRESIDENT: The question is
that the Standing Orders be suspended to
allow the Senate to sit beyond 1:30 to
complete the business of the day.
Put to the Senate and agreed to.
(The President Gavels)
Mr. SAMUDA: Thank you, Mr.
President. We have also taken note that
every person's every Member of this
Senate's contribution has spoken the
importance of public education and the
nation also need not worry as they would
have seen the strength of our communication
and public education in recent happenings as
we prepared for what could have been a
disaster and that will certainly form a part of
the Committee's work going forward. But I
wish to read—
(Inaudible comment by Mr. Brown)
The last time I checked green was a colour
in the flag of Jamaica so I don't think it's a
worry and I notice that you are sitting in
yreen Chuirs so it can't that big of a problem.
(Inaudible comment by Mr. Brown)
Mr. SAMUDA: But I would like to
read the motion with amendments as agreed
Stewart
07.10.16
01:20 2
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
to show that we have, indeed, engaged in
consultation and found consensus:
WHEREAS Jamaica has a waste
management problem due to poor
habits and inadequate resources
and much of the items that enter
our waste stream are non-
biodegradable;
AND WHEREAS these items
pose their own __ individual
challenges to our waste
management conundrum and
offer very little opportunities by
way of recycling and reuse;
AND WHEREAS as a Small
Island Developing State, Jamaica
is particularly susceptible to the
efforts of climate change as a
result of poor environmental
management by the use of these
materials;
AND WHEREAS $action is
required to significantly reduce
unrecyclable material entering
our waste stream while
simultaneously creating
production opportunities for local
manufacturers for alternate
packaging materials;
AND WHEREAS no single
action will solve our problems in
this area, but rather a series of
well-considered policies over the
short term,
BE IT RESOLVED that. this
Honourable Senate call on the
Government of Jamaica to take
such steps as may be necessary to
reduce non-biodegradable
material from Jamaica’s waste
stream; and that in so doing, it
accordingly establishes a multi-
stakeholder committee within the
Ministry responsible for the
environment charged with
recommending to the
Government of Jamaica:
a) a framework for the
banning on a phased
basis of single-use
plastic bags below
fifty gallon capacity
and all finished goods
made from styrofoam;
b) a framework to curtail
the production in
Jamaica of said items
unless they include
the enzyme that
makes them
biodegradable.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that this multi-stakeholder
committee encourage the input
and participation of entities and
individuals who may wish to
make representation on the issues
and who may not be members of
the committee in establishing the
framework mentioned above.
I ask, Mr President, that the Motion be
approved.
The PRESIDENT: I have deal with
the amendments first.
Mr. SAMUDA: Sorry
Stewart
07.10.16
01:20 3
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
The PRESIDENT: Are there any
comments on the amendments? They were
as a result of some consensus, I understand.
Mr. GOLDING: The only
comments on the amendment is as has been
stated, we think the proper place to have this
review done would be in a parliamentary
committee not some multi-stakeholder
committee outside of Parliament. That’s a
big point for us, but it hasn’t been accepted
by the other side.
The PRESIDENT: So, can I put the
amendments as presented by Senator
Samuda.
I put the amendments as suggested
by Senator Samuda and read into the record.
Put to the Senate and agreed to
I now put the Motion as amended.
Put to the Senate and agreed to
The Motion is carried. (Applause)
Minister, may I just say before you
rise to the Members who contributed: those
who are presently in the Chamber and those
who left, I thank you very much for the
manner in which the debate was conducted
and I think that we did accomplish
something.
Leader Golding—may I see you
Leader (Speaking to Mrs. Johnson Smith)
and Leader Golding in my Chambers
immediately after we adjourn.
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Mr.
President, it is not intended to do any further
business today. IJ ask that the Senate be
adjourned for a date to be fixed.
The PRESIDENT: The question is
that the—
MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT
Mr. BROWN: Mr. President, on the
motion for adjournment, I didn’t raise with
you. It has come to our attention that the
death toll in Haiti has been significant—
much more than what we thought earlier and
I’m wondering whether or not Senate sitting
would be minded to ask that a letter be sent
to the Haitian Ambassador here expressing
the condolences of the Senate given the
magnitude of the loss. My apologies for
raising it outside of...
The PRESIDENT: It’s not a
problem.
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Just to
say there is no Haitian Ambassador resident
here, but I would concur that the Senate be
asked to issue a letter to the Government of
Haiti .... the appropriate mechanism.
The PRESIDENT: And I would
really say the Government who have been
affected, because you were pointing out that
we didn’t speak about St. Vincent earlier, so.
Mrs. JOHNSON SMITH: Indeed.
To the four countries which have been
primarily affected within the Caribbean
region.
ADJOURNMENT
The PRESIDENT: Thank you. The
question is that the Senate be adjourned to a
date to be determined.
Put to the Senate and agreed to
The Senate now stands adjourned
Stewart 07.10.16 01:20
THE HONOURABLE SENATE
The Senate accordingly adjourned at
approximately 1:29 pm.
Phone numbers
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- 7101611
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- 60000041424344454600000000
Phone numbers
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Law clause
- art 07
- art 07
- section 13
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- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.jpeg.JpegParser]
- [org.apache.tika.parser.DefaultParser, org.apache.tika.parser.ocr.TesseractOCRParser, org.apache.tika.parser.image.TiffParser]
etl_enhance_extract_text_tika_server_time_millis_i:
27635
27635
etl_enhance_extract_text_tika_server_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_pdf_ocr_time_millis_i:
5
5
etl_enhance_pdf_ocr_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_detect_language_tika_server_time_millis_i:
16
16
etl_enhance_detect_language_tika_server_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_contenttype_group_time_millis_i:
1
1
etl_enhance_contenttype_group_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_pst_time_millis_i:
0
0
etl_enhance_pst_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_csv_time_millis_i:
0
0
etl_enhance_csv_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_extract_hashtags_time_millis_i:
52
52
etl_enhance_extract_hashtags_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_warc_time_millis_i:
7
7
etl_enhance_warc_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_zip_time_millis_i:
1
1
etl_enhance_zip_b:
1
1
etl_clean_title_time_millis_i:
0
0
etl_clean_title_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_rdf_annotations_by_http_request_time_millis_i:
25
25
etl_enhance_rdf_annotations_by_http_request_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_rdf_time_millis_i:
0
0
etl_enhance_rdf_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_regex_time_millis_i:
1977
1977
etl_enhance_regex_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_extract_email_time_millis_i:
1377
1377
etl_enhance_extract_email_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_extract_phone_time_millis_i:
1375
1375
etl_enhance_extract_phone_b:
1
1
etl_enhance_extract_law_time_millis_i:
1481
1481
etl_enhance_extract_law_b:
1
1
etl_export_neo4j_time_millis_i:
284
284
etl_export_neo4j_b:
1
1
X-TIKA_embedded_depth:
- 0
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
X-TIKA_parse_time_millis:
- 27545
- 87
- 52
- 116
- 95
- 59
- 92
- 47
- 47
- 124
- 64
- 50
- 61
- 48
- 46
- 50
- 45
- 55
- 56
- 77
- 65
- 108
- 112
- 49
- 51
- 108
- 72
- 76
- 98
- 119
- 120
- 110
- 58
- 49
- 152
- 52
- 52
- 46
- 56
- 46
- 47
- 113
- 76
- 54
- 57
- 50
- 49
- 46
- 48
- 46
- 140
- 48
- 48
- 99
- 126
- 58
- 46
- 63
- 46
- 60
- 56
- 84
- 56
- 87
- 93
- 49
- 84
- 52
- 47
- 47
- 46
- 106
- 112
- 98
- 80
- 129
- 50
- 55
- 57
- 122
- 114
- 129
- 70
- 51
- 46
- 53
- 88
- 109
- 89
- 47
- 49
- 48
- 73
- 110
- 48
- 48
- 48
- 48
- 47
- 73
- 73
- 47
- 97
- 137
- 130
- 67
X-TIKA_embedded_resource_path:
- /image0.jpg
- /image1.tif
- /image2.tif
- /image3.jpg
- /image4.tif
- /image5.jpg
- /image6.tif
- /image7.tif
- /image8.jpg
- /image9.tif
- /image10.jpg
- /image11.tif
- /image12.tif
- /image13.jpg
- /image14.tif
- /image15.jpg
- /image16.jpg
- /image17.tif
- /image18.jpg
- /image19.tif
- /image20.jpg
- /image21.tif
- /image22.jpg
- /image23.jpg
- /image24.tif
- /image25.jpg
- /image26.tif
- /image27.tif
- /image28.jpg
- /image29.tif
- /image30.jpg
- /image31.tif
- /image32.jpg
- /image33.tif
- /image34.jpg
- /image35.tif
- /image36.jpg
- /image37.tif
- /image38.jpg
- /image39.tif
- /image40.tif
- /image41.jpg
- /image42.tif
- /image43.jpg
- /image44.tif
- /image45.tif
- /image46.jpg
- /image47.tif
- /image48.jpg
- /image49.tif
- /image50.tif
- /image51.jpg
- /image52.tif
- /image53.jpg
- /image54.tif
- /image55.jpg
- /image56.tif
- /image57.jpg
- /image58.tif
- /image59.jpg
- /image60.tif
- /image61.tif
- /image62.jpg
- /image63.tif
- /image64.tif
- /image65.jpg
- /image66.tif
- /image67.jpg
- /image68.tif
- /image69.jpg
- /image70.tif
- /image71.jpg
- /image72.tif
- /image73.jpg
- /image74.tif
- /image75.tif
- /image76.jpg
- /image77.tif
- /image78.tif
- /image79.jpg
- /image80.tif
- /image81.jpg
- /image82.tif
- /image83.jpg
- /image84.tif
- /image85.jpg
- /image86.jpg
- /image87.tif
- /image88.jpg
- /image89.tif
- /image90.tif
- /image91.jpg
- /image92.tif
- /image93.tif
- /image94.jpg
- /image95.jpg
- /image96.tif
- /image97.jpg
- /image98.tif
- /image99.tif
- /image100.jpg
- /image101.tif
- /image102.tif
- /image103.jpg
- /image104.tif
X-TIKA_content_handler:
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
- ToTextContentHandler
