Housing and Environment Minister Romauld Ferreira. (File photo)
By SYANN THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
sthompson@tribunemedia.net
ENVIRONMENTAL offenders can be fined up to $30m and jailed up to 10 years when the Environmental Planning and Protection Bill is passed into law.
Minister of Environment and Housing Romauld Ferreira revealed this in Parliament yesterday while introducing six environmental bills including the Environmental Planning and Protection Bill 2019.
The new piece of legislation is strict on fines and imprisonment that is proportional to environmental crimes. Mr Ferreira said those found breaking these laws in the future can face fines and jail time.
“These fines range from $500 for individuals on summary charges to $30m dollars or jail time for indictable charges or to three times the assessed value of the damage caused, whichever is the greater or a term of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years, or both,” Mr Ferreira said.
Another major area of the legislation is transparency for the Environmental Impact Assessment process. Large projects such as the proposed Oban oil storage facility in Grand Bahama and Disney’s planned development for Lighthouse Point have been the subject of scrutiny as it relates to their EIAs. However, with this law, the government hopes in the future to provide a better road map for potential developers seeking approvals.
“This bill specifically states that no approval or other documentary authorisation shall be granted for any project that has the potential to have an adverse effect on the environment due to its nature, size, complexity or location unless a certificate of environmental clearance has been issued,” he said.
Meantime, the Ministry of the Environment Bill, in the compendium of bills, will establish two separate funds - the Environmental Administration Fund and Environmental Trust Fund which is to fill in the funding gap and allow the country to take advantage of grant opportunities. “The Environmental Administration Fund will be where fines and levies are deposited, in addition to bonds held for developers. The Environmental Trust Fund – this is different from the administration fund in that it is under the general control of a board of trustees to secure grants and donations from donor agencies unwilling to give philanthropic donations into national consolidated funds,” Mr Ferreira said.
The Marathon MP also spoke about the protection of Bahamian coral reefs which are a habitat for marine life and safeguard against winds and storm surge. He said vessels in Bahamian waters that may cause damage to coral reefs would be liable to legal action in the new bill. “This bill creates an avenue for the government to recover monies for compensation in respect of any action or suit initiated for damage to a coral reef, from the owner of a vessel that has run aground, struck or otherwise damaged a coral reef,” the minister of environment said.
The compendium of bills introduced to the House of Assembly include the Ministry of the Environment Bill, the Environmental Planning and Protection Bill, the Environmental Protection (Control of Plastic Pollution) Bill, the Bahamas National Trust (Amendment) Bill, the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund (Amendment) Bill and the Tariff (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill.
Comments
Dawes 5 years ago
All sounds great, but we don't enforce the laws over here so this will always be a case of they COULD be hit, not the WILL be.
birdiestrachan 5 years ago
The contract signed by OBAN is not included in this law. OBAN can do as they like and act as they please .
birdiestrachan 5 years ago
the constant dredging in Grand Bahama and the drilling for oil does more damage to the environment than plastic bags can ever do, remember the dredging in the Exuma sea park. they This Government hurts the poor and the rich get away with all.
proudloudandfnm 5 years ago
What dredging in GB? I live here, there is no such thing as constant dredging here. Sorry to inform you....
proudloudandfnm 5 years ago
Actually all of our canal entrance channels need to be dredged bad. Have needed a good dredge now for years...
TalRussell 5 years ago
Sweet comrade carpenter Joseph the adoptive daddy of Jesus, why is it that the Imperialists red shirts environment minister, continues to leave the populaces at-large - out the loop of the so-called gone missing OBAN Environmental Report, now into its second gone missing.year... even the colony's Commish Constabulary is saying that heself and his large, highly skilled investigative team does remain at a complete loss as to its true whereabouts. yes, no .... You just can't make this up, you cant that it seems this missing OBAN report actually went missing whilst in protective custody colony's central government ...
birdiestrachan 5 years ago
Hurricane Dorian did a whole lot of dredging. The water came up and flood the land.
proudloudandfnm 5 years ago
Um, is this a joke? Because it makes no sense whatsoever....
realitycheck242 5 years ago
Sue Equinor's facility in Grand Bahama for the environmental cause by the hurricane dorian. That company is worth billions. Apply the billions won to the national depth. The principals of that company are looking at us as a third world country who they can just run over and destroy the environment and get away with.
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