Modern plant health act coming in Jamaica

The Plants (Quarantine) Act is to be repealed and replaced with a new, modern Plants Health Act.

This follows Cabinet's approval for the abolishment of the 1993 legislation.

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Fayval Williams, who made the disclosure, said this will make way for the enactment of comprehensive legislation that would be consistent with modern phytosanitary best practices.

“[This will also be in line with] Jamaica's international obligations under the International Plant Protection Convention, to which Jamaica had been a Contracting Party since November 24, 1969,” she said while addressing a virtual post-Cabinet press briefing on December 1.

She said that Cabinet also approved amendments to the Agricultural Produce Act and the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority Act “in order to consolidate the functions of the Plant Quarantine/Produce Inspection Branch in relation to plant trade, specifically regulated agricultural commodity, for both export and import, under one Act”.

Williams said that this is in addition to any other consequential amendments that may arise.

Further, Cabinet sanctioned the issuance of drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel.