Environmental Commission seeks extension

MOVES are afoot to extend the life of the Environmental Com-mission of Trinidad and Tobago, but once this extension is granted, the Commission cannot deal with any new environmental concerns.

Attorney Rajendra Ramlogan told Newsday yesterday that Section 82 (5) of the Environ-mental Management Act 2000 states, “any member of the Commis-sion, may with the permission of the President acting on the advice of the Chairman of the Commission, continue in office for such a period after the expiry of his term as may be necessary to deliver judgement, or to do any other thing in relation to proceedings that were commenced before such member prior to the expiry of his term of office.” High-level sources in the Commission reveal-ed there are matters pending before the Commission and the parties involved have been calling the Com-mission’s Registrar in Port-of-Spain to find out whether these matters will proceed. However, both Ram-logan and the sources said unless a new Commission is appointed, no new environmental matters can be addressed. The attorney said in the current scenario, it may not be wise for the Environmental Manage-ment Authority (EMA) to issue Certificates of Environmental Clearance (CEC) to anyone because it will be “hamstrung” without the Commission in terms of “actual en-forcement.”

Sections 82 (2) and 82 (3) of the Act indicate that the Commission’s members are appointed by the President. However, environmental activist Eden Shand said “the law is silent” about whether the President acts on the advice of Cabinet. He said the President can make the appointments on his own if there is no “Cabinet vacillation” but there is “no crisis yet” and it could simply be a case of administrative delay. Shand expressed optimism that a new Commission will be appointed soon and there will be no “environmental anarchy” in the interim. EMA communications officer Neil Parsanlal said the EMA’s work continues and the Commission’s absence simply means there is no legal re-course at this time for persons with environmental concerns. On sulphur emmissions at Chatham, Parsanlal disclosed that an EMA officer is being based there and gas monitors will be set up in residents’ homes to monitor the emissions. He said the Energy Ministry will be asked to conduct seismic tests to determine the depth of the emissions while the Health Ministry will make final determinations as far as medical treatment and relocation of the residents. He also said EMA investigations into environmental concerns linked to the Vale View Project are continuing.