Some environmental sector stakeholders—and the Opposition—believe there should be a dedicated Environment portfolio—or at least, empowerment of the Environmental Management Agency to handle this.
The views follow Government’s capitulation in appointing a Gender and Child Affairs Ministry when the original Cabinet had none. Prime Minister Keith Rowley announced last week a rethink on the issue in light of a viral Facebook video depicting child abuse.
Environment—which under the People’s Partnership administration was part of the Water Resources Ministry—is under the People’s National Movement (PNM) administration split between the Planning Ministry and Agriculture where Wildlife and Forestry are located.
Marc de Verteuil, of environmental lobby group, Papa Bois Conservation, said, “We’d like to see a minister with a clear mandate for the environment, it’s good to have one central person to approach on matters and in that sense of co-ordination, ideally we feel the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) should have that mandate and be given more teeth and independence to fulfill that sort of mandate.”
“The EMA needs to become an independent regulatory body collaborating all environmental affairs. The EMA should with an independent empowered status, handle the increasingly technical decisions that must be taken on environmental matters and such matters are more and more crucial to national development. But currently the EMA lacks the necessary capacity.”
De Verteuil noted T&T is Number Two on the world’s list of states with the largest carbon footprints per captia, “And climate change is the biggest threat currently. Consultation is therefore crucial in going forward.” He said he was also monitoring Government’s proposed mass transit rail system plan.
“It’s the largest infrastructure project in T&T. We’re waiting to see if we’ll be consulted. But even small infrastructural projects like the Maracas Bay rehabilitation/expansion project needs attention since the wetlands there are being infringed upon in the work.”
De Verteuil noted traffic jams were routinely caused in the area due to cars being parked on both sides of the road, unticketed or towed. He said traffic management issues could be solved through improved parking arrangements, traffic wardens and law enforcement rather than expanding the facilities into wetlands.
He was, however, heartened by Government’s announcement that T&T would have ten per cent renewable energy generation by 2021 and is supportive of reducing the $4 billion fuel subsidy which could be put towards other programme including environmental projects and development of people through innovative strategies.
Gary Aboud, of Fisherman and Friends of the Sea, another environmental group, said, the group’s executive and members have met on Government’s moves concerning the Environment portfolio and: “We’re frightened, trembling because an environmental ministry is designed to regulate and monitor the Planning and Development Ministry and when you put the two together as one, it suggests to us a warning is being sounded that the environment aspect would be consumed, become secondary and lose independence to regulate the sector.”
“This portfolio needs to restrict and regulate indiscriminate and destructive conduct including carcinogenic chemical discharges by conglomerates and multi-national companies and the chemical industry sector. We’re afraid the new government may not comply with that in respect of the Parliament’s intention to safeguard the environment in the protection of human health.”
“How can we deal with increasing breast cancer rates in the East/West corridor in Central Statistical Office data, for instance? So there should be a dedicated Environment Ministry, certainly to look at linkages and strategies to deal with issues stemming from environmental aspects.”
Opposition’s position
Former People’s Partnership minister Ganga Singh, whose water resources and environment ministry handled all aspects of the environment portfolio, said, “There’s a big gap in environmental areas so there should be a minister of the environment in keeping with international trends regarding the adminstration of the environment. How else can one adhere to the United Nation’s sustainable goals agenda if you don’t have with specific focus on the environment?”