Minister
Dorsett and his PLP government congratulated for launching public
consultation process; finally addressing the urgent need
for environmental protection laws
Save
The Bays (STB) welcomes the news that a draft Environmental Protection
and Planning Bill is being circulated for public comment in response to
the Rubis fuel spill crisis in Marathon. We consider the move
a significant victory for environmental protection, due process and the
rule of law in The Bahamas.
Minister
of Environment Ken Dorsett is to be congratulated, along with the rest
of the Cabinet, for acknowledging not only the urgent need for enhanced
environmental protection legislation, but also the legal
requirement that all stakeholders and interested persons be afforded an
opportunity to comment and offer suggestions before new laws are
passed.
STB
is
currently in the process of reviewing the Bill and will comment further
on its contents – particularly regarding the need to consolidate all
existing environmental regulations into a single, rational,
all-embracing
regime – very soon.
We have long pointed out the need for a comprehensive Environmental
Protection Act covering all aspects of the use of and interaction with
the precious natural
resources of The Bahamas. Our first impression is that the draft Bill
falls short of this standard in a number of areas and we hope the
government will prove itself willing to amend accordingly in an effort
to protect our nation’s
patrimony for the benefit of future generations.
In the meantime though, we wish for the record to commend the Christie Administration for approaching
this most important issue in a forthright and open manner, in consultation with the Bahamian people.