Gov’t developing trend of disregarding wisdom

Dear Editor,

Ideas Jamaica, a think tank associated with the People’s National Party (PNP), wishes to express outrage and condemnation on the decision of the Government to overturn the objection and advice of National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) concerning the granting of a licence to do mining in the Dry Harbour Mountains.

We contend that the decision of the Andrew Holness-led Administration is shortsighted and reflects not only a slap in the faces of the residents and environmental groups which had opposed the granting of the licence, but a serious undermining of the future safety of the water resources of Jamaica and our common environmental security.

We note, with deep contemplation, the assessment by renowned environmentalist Dr Thomas Goreau, president of the Global Coral Reef Alliance, who states that: “The site is the most significant global environmental location for reef and the caves, and for understanding how much global warming and sea level rise will result from CO2 increase...” (Sunday Gleaner, November 15, 2020)

Ideas Jamaica is unimpressed with the assertions of the prime minister that he will shut down the project if the parameters are not observed, and suggests that the better decision is for the prime minister to heed the advice of his own agency, NEPA, the pleas of the thousands of residents, and the analysis of environmental experts.

We are deeply troubled by the developing trend of the Government to disregard the wisdom and expertise of environmentalists in furtherance of obscure agendas, and most alarmed by the prime minister’s dismissive response to those concerns, labelling them as “rubbish”.