IMO Re-Elects Jamaica to Council

Jamaica has maintained its position at the heart of international maritime rule‐making following its re‐election to the International Maritime Organizationʹs Council.

Jamaica is a Category C Council member and will serve until 2013. The Maritime Authority of Jamaica’s Director General, Rear Admiral Peter Brady, chairs the IMO’s Standards of Training and Watchkeeping (STW) sub‐committee.

Jamaica, a member of the IMO Council since 1976, is fully committed to its role. The Hon. Michael Henry, Minister of Transport and Works, told the Assembly: “Jamaica believes its role in theCouncil is critical to ensuring the interests of member States of the Caribbean Community as well
as other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCS) continue to be adequately represented within the IMO.

As a Council member Jamaica has vowed to continue its work in support of the IMO which has included providing leadership through technical assistance to CARICOM in training and capacity building; complementing and augmenting the work of the Regional Maritime Adviser (RMA) through the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme; assisting CARICOM States to strengthen their national Administrations; and hosting of the Secretariat of the Caribbean Port State Control.

As a regional partner, providing host‐ship facilities for numerous IMO seminars and workshops including a regional seminar on Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention and Code and a workshop on Annex V of the MARPOL Convention; providing experts to deliver training at a number of regional workshops outside of Jamaica.

As a lead partnering country (LPC) under the Globallast Partnership Initiative, conducting several regional seminars relating to the Ballast Water Convention. Currently Jamaica chairs the Regional Task Force on Ballast Water Management and has provided assistance to other Caribbean States through the sharing of experiences in carrying out our obligations in Port State Control and in establishing the appropriate policies. Ratification of all major conventions governing maritime safety, security and pollution prevention.

As a port State, Jamaica has joined forces with its Caribbean partners to eliminate sub‐standard shipping in the region through active participation in the work of the Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (CMOU). Jamaica has already undergone a voluntary assessment under the VIMSAS audit regime.