The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Roger Clarke is to meet with members of the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), this afternoon to discuss issues affecting residents at the Pedro Cays.

JET has requested the minister’s intervention, after it discovered what it describes as a disgraceful public health crisis at the Cays, where approximately 500 fisher folk live.

JET’s Chief Executive Officer, Diana McCaulay wants definite answers from Clarke as to how the unsanitary conditions at the Cays will be remedied.

She insisted that the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and other relevant ministries cannot continue to absolve themselves from their responsibilities.

The agriculture minister has admitted that the issue is a serious one and has promised to take decisive action to address it.

Among the solutions JET is proposing is for a limit to be placed on the number of people who have access to the Pedro Cays.

In the meantime, McCaulay said a team from the Nature Conservancy will be going to the Cays tomorrow as part of International Coastal Clean-up Day.

editorial@gleanerjm.com