Cabinet considers new environmental policy

CABINET will shortly consider a new environmental policy for Trinidad and Tobago and once in effect, this policy will ensure that a proper balance is struck between the development of the nation’s energy sector and the protection of its environment. Addressing a State Energy of TT seminar at the Kapok Hotel on Friday last, Public Utilities and Environment Minister Pennelope Beckles disclosed that she has seen the completed version of the new policy and should be taking it to Cabinet this week. The minister was optimistic that it would be laid in Parliament and passed shortly thereafter.

Noting that this policy is supposed to be reviewed every five years and the last time this happened was 2000, Beckles said, “The national environmental policy that was drafted five years ago did not cater for what is happening now in the energy sector in a number of areas. So often you pass pieces of legislation in the Parliament and you have not put in place, all that is necessary for the legislation to be properly implemented.” She explained that this was why several other critical pieces of environmental legislation could not be properly implemented and why Government had undertaken a comprehensive review of the national environmental policy in 2004.

Beckles also indicated that Government had undertaken several initiatives to help the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to perform its functions and highlighted the restructuring of the Authority’s Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) unit.  One half of the new CEC unit now deals specifically with energy sector projects. Beckles noted that while concern has been raised by the private sector about the time to process CEC applications, particularly relating to energy sector projects, this was necessary in light of the societal and environmental impacts which are associated with such projects.

“No longer can business focus exclusively on energy, transportation and marketing but must now consider the cost of meeting environmental regulations. The time has come for organisations to recognise the importance of the environment in conducting their affairs and to make a concerted effort to fully utilise their departments with responsibility for environmental affairs,” she declared. The Minister urged companies that do not already have an environmental affairs unit, to do so now. Beckles further advised the assembled attorneys to appeal to their respective companies “to look at investing in environmental management systems as a long-term strategy that will redound to your companies economic performance and future growth.”