The Ministry of Transport and Mining in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and Compet-terra has launched Jamaica’s first mining cadastre branded Jamincad.

This computerized database, which was introduced to the public this morning, allows users to locate different known mineral deposits across Jamaica along with the locations and boundaries of areas licensed for mining.

The database also gives the location of housing, roads, upcoming developments, and protected areas bordering mines and unmined deposits and manages and tracks the status and performance of mining license applications.

Minister of Transport and Mining, Audley Shaw highlighted that the Jamincad system is boosting the mineral sector in the country as well as providing long-term affects.

“The development and implementation of the cadastre system offer benefits to the minerals sector in Jamaica in several ways.

Artisan miners, quarry operators, geologists, mining investors, and various levels of government agencies will experience short and long-term positive impacts of the operation of the new system in the mining sector.

The system significantly improves existing procedures, and the management of mineral licenses and related documentation.

It provides a client-focused, user-friendly interface to investors and other end users of the system, “ Minister Shaw explained.

Shaw further explained that the system will also be used as a job-creation tool for those that are products of tertiary education.

“This will enable the government of Jamaica and people to extract greater returns from the use of our mineral resources and development of the minerals sector. The policy will enable Jamaica to utilize greater numbers of more highly skilled persons, particularly those graduating from tertiary institutions ,” he shared.

Jamincad also significantly improves existing procedures and the management of mineral licenses, and related documentation using a robust database and spatial data management procedure.