Omar Newell links environmental protection to Jamaica’s economy in Parliament

Omar Newell used his sectoral debate presentation in Parliament to frame environmental protection as a central economic and social issue for Jamaica, saying the matter reaches far beyond concern for trees and waterways.

Addressing the Speaker, Newell said the state of the environment affects whether children have safe drinking water, whether farmers can withstand future droughts, and whether families can protect homes built through years of work.

He also pointed to the livelihoods of fisherfolk in communities such as Paget and Robins Bay, saying access to the sea remains essential for people who depend on fishing. Newell said public access to beaches, including those used freely by earlier generations, is also part of the wider environmental concern.

Newell named communities including Lucy, Buff Bay, Hellshire and Port Maria as places facing pressure from stronger storms, failing roads, rising temperatures and worsening floods.

He argued that environmental protection cannot be separated from economic policy, saying tourism, agriculture, water security, public health and national security all rely on a stable natural environment.