Realizing and understanding the role of meteorological services for socio-economic planning and the development of the country, the Department of Meteorology was established on 1 July 1980 as an independent office reporting to the President’s Office. The Department of Meteorology remained functioning under the Head of State’s Office until November 1993. After that, through the government’s restructuring Act, the Ministry of Planning, Human Resources and Environment was created and the Meteorological Department was brought under that Ministry.
The Agency is the Government’s lead agency responsible for the management and conservation of the country’s forest resources. The functions of the Department are mandated under the Forest Act 1996 and are aimed at managing forests on a sustainable basis to maintain and increase the environmental services and economic benefits they provide.
The MGD has the statutory responsibility under the Mining Act and the Quarries Control Act to exercise general supervision over all prospecting, mining and quarrying operations throughout the island. The Division also manages the investigation, characterization, documentation and release information on all aspects of the geology of Jamaica.
The mission of the Meteorological Service is to take full advantage of the present knowledge of weather and climate, to take steps to improve significantly that knowledge and to foresee and prevent potential man-made changes in climate that might be adverse to the well-being of humanity.
The Planning Institute of Jamaica is an Agency of the Ministry of Finance and Planning. It is committed to leading the process of policy formulation on economic and social issues and external co-operation management to achieve sustainable development for the people of Jamaica.