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Tuesday last, the GraceKennedy Foundation staged its annual lecture on the topic 'From Piracy to Trans-shipment: Jamaica's Journey to Becoming a Global Logistics Hub'. With Professor Gordon Shirley being chairman of both GraceKennedy and the Port Authority of Jamaica, it crossed my mind that the lecture would be a big PR exercise. I was not disappointed.
As you would know from previous articles, I support the establishment of a global logistics hub in Jamaica but am strongly against destroying the natural environment around the Goat Islands in the process. After listening to the lecture, I am no more the wiser about what role the Goat Islands would play in the logistics hub.
The presenter, Dr Fritz Pinnock, did say that "Goat Islands is not the logistics hub", which was good to hear; but he did not say what the Chinese wanted with the Goat Islands. That seems to be a state secret, so much so that the Access to Information Act cannot source that information.
One of the things that bothered me about Dr Pinnock's lecture was his call - repeatedly - for no more talking or debate about the hub.
There is so much we do not know about the arrangements that it would be irresponsible to stop talking and to stop asking questions. In Parliament recently, Works Minister Dr Omar Davies told us in general terms about Phase I. I am still waiting to hear about Phases II and III, etc. What could they possibly be? What have they got to hide?
The very approach of the Government raises strong suspicions that many of us would find the other phases more odious and objectionable than the first. Otherwise, why would he not tell us and boast!
waiting on assessment
The official position of the Jamaica Labour Party is interesting. Opposition Leader Andrew Holness is quoted as saying that his party is in support of the development of the hub/trans-shipment port on condition that there is no environmental threat to the Portland Bight Protected Area. He is waiting to see what the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the project finds.
A properly performed EIA will answer many of the questions we have been asking. Such a study can only be conducted in full knowledge of all the aspects of the project, including exactly what will be done with the Goat Islands and Galleon Harbour and the seafloor of the Portland Bight (the area between the Hellshire Hills and Portland Ridge); and what is planned in Phase II, etc.
A properly performed EIA must contain a detailed analysis of alternatives - why the Goat Islands were chosen over Kingston Harbour, McCarry Bay and Port Morant, to name a few possible alternatives.
My greatest fear is that a proper EIA will not be conducted, as has been the case so many times in the past. The arrangements the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) has put in place for EIAs encourage conflicts of interest and false-positive recommendations. Let me explain.
In Jamaica, the EIA consultant is hired and paid for by the so-called 'developer'; the EIA consultant is, therefore, beholden to the 'developer' - a profound conflict of interest - and will find it hard to accept their millions and then recommend against their project. The go-ahead is always recom-mended. Any EIA consultant who recommends against a project will find it hard to get more work from so-called 'developers'. I dare anyone to give me a concrete example of an EIA that recommends against a project.
In some other countries, the so-called 'developer' places the contract price of the EIA in escrow, and the government environmental agency directly hires the EIA consultant. In this manner the consultant is beholden to the government environmental agency, and must, therefore, do an honest job, which could mean recommending refusal of the project. In this way, the conflict of interest is avoided.
There are dishonest EIA consultants out there for hire whose job is to assist the 'developer' to get his project approved, no matter how environmentally destructive it is and how much underdevelopment will result. I have a feeling that this is why both the Government and the Opposition are quite prepared to allow the EIA process to proceed. They know what the result will be.
I call on the Government to change the arrangements for EIAs in Jamaica to prevent environmental corruption and fraud. I call on civil-society organisations and anti-corruption NGOs to insist that an honest EIA be conducted. The world is watching.
Peter Espeut is an environmentalist and development scientist. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.
As you would know from previous articles, I support the establishment of a global logistics hub in Jamaica but am strongly against destroying the natural environment around the Goat Islands in the process. After listening to the lecture, I am no more the wiser about what role the Goat Islands would play in the logistics hub.
The presenter, Dr Fritz Pinnock, did say that "Goat Islands is not the logistics hub", which was good to hear; but he did not say what the Chinese wanted with the Goat Islands. That seems to be a state secret, so much so that the Access to Information Act cannot source that information.
One of the things that bothered me about Dr Pinnock's lecture was his call - repeatedly - for no more talking or debate about the hub.
There is so much we do not know about the arrangements that it would be irresponsible to stop talking and to stop asking questions. In Parliament recently, Works Minister Dr Omar Davies told us in general terms about Phase I. I am still waiting to hear about Phases II and III, etc. What could they possibly be? What have they got to hide?
The very approach of the Government raises strong suspicions that many of us would find the other phases more odious and objectionable than the first. Otherwise, why would he not tell us and boast!
waiting on assessment
The official position of the Jamaica Labour Party is interesting. Opposition Leader Andrew Holness is quoted as saying that his party is in support of the development of the hub/trans-shipment port on condition that there is no environmental threat to the Portland Bight Protected Area. He is waiting to see what the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the project finds.
A properly performed EIA will answer many of the questions we have been asking. Such a study can only be conducted in full knowledge of all the aspects of the project, including exactly what will be done with the Goat Islands and Galleon Harbour and the seafloor of the Portland Bight (the area between the Hellshire Hills and Portland Ridge); and what is planned in Phase II, etc.
A properly performed EIA must contain a detailed analysis of alternatives - why the Goat Islands were chosen over Kingston Harbour, McCarry Bay and Port Morant, to name a few possible alternatives.
My greatest fear is that a proper EIA will not be conducted, as has been the case so many times in the past. The arrangements the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) has put in place for EIAs encourage conflicts of interest and false-positive recommendations. Let me explain.
In Jamaica, the EIA consultant is hired and paid for by the so-called 'developer'; the EIA consultant is, therefore, beholden to the 'developer' - a profound conflict of interest - and will find it hard to accept their millions and then recommend against their project. The go-ahead is always recom-mended. Any EIA consultant who recommends against a project will find it hard to get more work from so-called 'developers'. I dare anyone to give me a concrete example of an EIA that recommends against a project.
In some other countries, the so-called 'developer' places the contract price of the EIA in escrow, and the government environmental agency directly hires the EIA consultant. In this manner the consultant is beholden to the government environmental agency, and must, therefore, do an honest job, which could mean recommending refusal of the project. In this way, the conflict of interest is avoided.
There are dishonest EIA consultants out there for hire whose job is to assist the 'developer' to get his project approved, no matter how environmentally destructive it is and how much underdevelopment will result. I have a feeling that this is why both the Government and the Opposition are quite prepared to allow the EIA process to proceed. They know what the result will be.
I call on the Government to change the arrangements for EIAs in Jamaica to prevent environmental corruption and fraud. I call on civil-society organisations and anti-corruption NGOs to insist that an honest EIA be conducted. The world is watching.
Peter Espeut is an environmentalist and development scientist. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.