Inform the public, Davies

THE EDITOR, Sir:

This is an open letter to Dr Omar Davies, minister of transport, works and housing.

Dear Minister Davies,

You will recall that we wrote you an open letter dated February 27, 2014, in which we asked questions about the proposal to construct a port and industrial park in the Portland Bight Protected Area, in the vicinity of the Goat Islands. We cannot trace receiving any substantive reply to this letter.

A report of your speech in Parliament carried by the Jamaica Observer on May 15, 2014 stated that you announced that the Government of Jamaica and China Harbour Engineering Company signed a non-binding Framework Agreement on March 21, 2014. The report also stated that the Government said yesterday that there is no ambivalence about proceeding with the proposed plan by the Chinese government to turn the Goat Islands and vicinity into an economic zone and trans-shipment port.

In this context, we ask why the public has not been informed of the terms of the non-binding Framework Agreement?

Surely, more openness and transparency about this project would go a long way towards avoiding the "erroneous claims and questionable assertions" to which you referred in your speech in Parliament?

DIANA MCCAULAY

CEO, Jamaica Environment

Trust

Kingston 10