LM Report 2003

Jamaica

Jamaica signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, ratified on 17 July 1998, and the treaty entered into force on 1 March 1999. In April 2003, Jamaica reported that drafting of implementation legislation was in progress.^[1] Jamaica attended the Fourth Meeting of States Parties in September 2002. It cosponsored and voted in favor of pro-ban UN General Assembly Resolution 57/74 in November 2002. Jamaica submitted its initial Article 7 transparency report on 20 June 2000, and an annual updated report on 30 April 2003 for the calendar year 2002. Jamaica has never produced, stockpiled, transferred, or used antipersonnel landmines, and is not mine-affected.^[2] In a letter to the ICBL, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade stated, “Jamaica urges all States which are not yet party to the Treaty...to halt such practice and to address the needs of survivors.” He noted that “Jamaica supports the provision of rehabilitative assistance to countries whose citizens are affected by landmines as per Article 6 of the Convention....”^[3]

[1] Article 7 Report, Form A, 30 April 2003.
[2] Article 7 Report, Form B, 30 April 2003.
[3] Letter from Sheila Sealy Monteith, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to Elizabeth Bernstein, Coordinator, ICBL, 17 January 2003.