Row over Environmental Commission

The appointment of an alleged employee of British Petroleum (Trinidad and Tobago), bpTT, to the Board of Commissioners of the Environmental Commission has raised questions.

The Environmental Commission is an environmental court which adjudicates any appeals on decisions by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA). Minister of Public Utilities and the Environment, Pennelope Beckles, on Thursday at the Hilton Trinidad, presented instruments of appointment to the new six-person Commission, headed by chairman Sandra Paul. But environment-watchers are questioning the appointment to the Commission of engineer, Lester Carrington, whom sources say has just accepted a post with British Petroleum (Trinidad and Tobago).

Questions are being asked about whether Carrington will be involved in a conflict of interest between being in the employ of British Petroleum (Trinidad and Tobago) and his role on the Environmental Commission which includes adjudicating issues such as the granting of certificates of environmental clearance.  They claim that since he was chosen to join the Commission, he has subsequently accepted a job in the employ of British Petroleum. When approached by Newsday at the ceremony, Carrington declined to answer our queries. Carrington merely said: “I’m not prepared to comment...I’m a trained engineer and I’m concerned about the environment and I’m committed to sustainable development. That’s all I’m prepared to say at this time.” 

When Newsday approached Minister Beckles, she promised to look into the matter. Meanwhile Newsday otherwise learnt that the appointments were made before Beckles became Environment Minister and that she would not have known of the controversy. Newsday was unable to contact Commission chairman, Sandra Paul, for a comment. Newsday called the Communications Department of British Petroleum (Trinidad and Tobago) which promised to check whether Carrington was a company employee and comment as to how the company felt about this possible conflict of interest.