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OPM investigating controversial directive to NEPAPETRE WILLIAMS, Observer senior staff reporter williamsp@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, July 31, 2008
THE Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is investigating a controversial directive to Jamaica's environment watchdog, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) not to prosecute other government agencies for breaches.
Daryl Vaz, minister of the state in the OPM, made the revelation at the launch of the Jamaica Observer's latest publication, Environment Watch at the newspaper's offices in Kingston yesterday.
"I have confirmed it at high levels that it was, in fact, a position of the previous administration," said Vaz. "NEPA was told not to prosecute sister agencies. So anybody that is in breach, you just turn a blind eye."
He added that it was now critical to determine the source of the directive and see to it that it is corrected.
"I am currently checking with the Cabinet Office to see whether or not they can find any decision that was taken at the Cabinet level," he told the Observer. "In speaking to NEPA, they told me that they never got anything official, however, they were given a directive which they are aware of."
Should investigations prove it was a Cabinet decision, Vaz said that it would be immediately overturned "because the prime minister himself was also in shock over its discovery".
"If it is a Cabinet decision, then I will speak to the permanent secretary to have that dealt with," he said. "As at today, if it is a mere instruction, then that decision will be overturned."
Vaz noted that it was especially important to correct the practice, given the changes being made concerning the management of Jamaica's natural environment.
"It is immoral to be prosecuting people for breaches and on the other hand giving a reprieve to other governmental agencies. We have to set an example in order to have the moral authority to pursue environmental matters," said Vaz.
The junior minister also disclosed that as part of sweeping changes to speed up the approvals process for development projects, the government was looking at setting levels at which parish councils could grant approvals for smaller projects.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
THE Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is investigating a controversial directive to Jamaica's environment watchdog, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) not to prosecute other government agencies for breaches.
Daryl Vaz, minister of the state in the OPM, made the revelation at the launch of the Jamaica Observer's latest publication, Environment Watch at the newspaper's offices in Kingston yesterday.
"I have confirmed it at high levels that it was, in fact, a position of the previous administration," said Vaz. "NEPA was told not to prosecute sister agencies. So anybody that is in breach, you just turn a blind eye."
He added that it was now critical to determine the source of the directive and see to it that it is corrected.
"I am currently checking with the Cabinet Office to see whether or not they can find any decision that was taken at the Cabinet level," he told the Observer. "In speaking to NEPA, they told me that they never got anything official, however, they were given a directive which they are aware of."
Should investigations prove it was a Cabinet decision, Vaz said that it would be immediately overturned "because the prime minister himself was also in shock over its discovery".
"If it is a Cabinet decision, then I will speak to the permanent secretary to have that dealt with," he said. "As at today, if it is a mere instruction, then that decision will be overturned."
Vaz noted that it was especially important to correct the practice, given the changes being made concerning the management of Jamaica's natural environment.
"It is immoral to be prosecuting people for breaches and on the other hand giving a reprieve to other governmental agencies. We have to set an example in order to have the moral authority to pursue environmental matters," said Vaz.
The junior minister also disclosed that as part of sweeping changes to speed up the approvals process for development projects, the government was looking at setting levels at which parish councils could grant approvals for smaller projects.