The notice, which gives the minister the responsibility under the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) Act will last for an initial period of six months, during which time the JNHT, the National Environment & Planning Agency and the Portland Parish Council are expected to col-laborate towards the preparation of regulations to govern the area. Other key agencies,like the Ministry of Tourism, are also expected to be a part of this process.

The notice, covering the Blue Lagoon and surrounding marine areas, including Pelew Island, comes after months of consultation between the JNHT and members of communities in and around the Blue Lagoon and has been welcomed by many as the most positive step ever made since 1961 when National Hero Norman Washington Manley, in his then capacity as premier, signed the first preservation notice over the lagoon.The Min-istry of Youth, Sports and Culture and JNHT are committed to the protection of the la-goon for all Jamaicans.

The Cecil B. Facey Foundation has pledged J$1 million for the establishment of an effective management mechanism for the Blue Lagoon (Reprinted from the Gleaner)

Editor’s note: Despite claims locally to the contrary, the film, fea-turing a nubile Brook Shields, was not filmed in whole or part in Jamaica. It was to-tally done in Figi. The only connection the Jamaica Blue Lagoon has to the movie is the word “Blue”. In fact, the name was changed from “Blue Hole” to “Blue Lagoon” once the movie was released.