Abstract
ABSTRACT
SMITH, HILARY F. Stakeholder Involvement in the Decision making for the Sustainable Development of the Cockpit Country, JAMAICA. Typed and bound thesis, 137 pages, 5 tables, 7 figures, 2009.
This study used discourse on stakeholder involvement and sustainable development to investigate the progress and challenge for such incorporation in environmental decision-making in Jamaica. It assessed the strategies used by civil society to gain access and the opportunities for stakeholder involvement in the discussions regarding the land use issues in the Cockpit Country, Jamaica. Three approaches were pivotal to this study- the sustainable development, participatory and stakeholder approaches in order to sustainably plan for land use. Content analysis of documents; participant observation; and semi-structured interviews with local government and agency officials yielded reflections and explanations on the strategies for civil society engagement within the case study. Qualitative research methodology was used and data assessed based on stakeholder analysis. The study revealed a hybrid public participation environment in Jamaica, the proclivity of public protest as a participatory approach by civil society and the establishment of a framework for local sustainable development which fosters stakeholder involvement in environmental decision-making. The study, by documenting the civil society engagement strategies within the local sustainable development framework contributes to future research on stakeholder engagement in environmental decision-making in small island developing states.
Key words: Decision making, public participation, local sustainable development, Jamaica.