Minister Shaw welcomes the launch of the Hazardous Regulatory Authority

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), Hon. Audley Shaw (2nd left), along with (from left) Director General and Chairman, Planning Institute of Jamaica, Dr. Wayne Henry; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dermon Spence; Chairman, Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority (HSRA), Professor Ishenkumba Kahwa; Director General, HSRA, Maxine Russell; and Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon. Dr. Norman Dunn, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on Thursday, October 29, 2020. HSRA, an agency of the MIIC, is tasked with providing regulatory oversight to a myriad of private and public sector services utilizing radioactive substances and ionizing radiation sources. The launch was held to introduce the mandate of the agency to the Jamaican public and to enhance the authority’s standing and reputation in the Caribbean and globally.

The launch of the Hazardous Regulatory Authority (HSRA) is being hailed by Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Audley Shaw, as a step in the right direction for Jamaica, noting that the Authority will significantly benefit our stakeholders, and will ensure the management and use of ionizing radiation and nuclear technology locally.

He added that with the promulgation of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act 2015, establishment of the HSRA, and the approval of HSRA Regulations 2019, Jamaica can now confidently forge ahead with engaging nuclear science and technology in all aspects of national development and wealth creation strategies.

“Having now fully established the framework and regulations to guide the discharge of your duties, the task is now yours to ensure Jamaica and Jamaicans remain safe while we leverage the benefits of the ionizing radiation and nuclear technology. Already we have seen the benefits of nuclear technology under the Mango Irradiation Programme that saw Jamaican mangoes exported to the United States, last year for the first time in over 20 years,” Minister Shaw stated.

Addressing the official launch of the Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on October, 29, Minister Shaw commended the work of the Authority since its inception in 2016.
“The Government of Jamaica had the forethought to establish the entity in 2016 and we approved the regulations to allow the Authority to carry out its mandate. The country will benefit and has been benefitting tremendously from the works of the HSRA,” he said.
Mr. Shaw informed that the University Hospital of the West Indies is in the process of installing a state-of-the-art nuclear medicine facility. He added that the benefits and the use of this form of technology are many, but there is the need to regulate and manage it carefully.
Meanwhile, State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Dr. Norman Dunn, also lauded the work of the Authority, and for being the first national regulatory body in the English-speaking Caribbean in this area of work.
“As Jamaica accelerates its engagement with nuclear science, particularly in the field of human health, you have played a pivotal role in ensuring the effective implementation of national projects and the safe application of nuclear technologies.” Minister Dunn said.

For her part, Director General of the HSRA, Maxine Russell, said that as a new entity, the primary objective of the Authority is to build a robust regulatory framework which will promote the safe use of advanced nuclear technology for development in medicine, industry, agriculture, education and research.
The HSRA is an agency of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce.
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