THE EDITOR, Sir:THE JAMAICA Environment Trust is concerned that there has been another oil spill in the Montego Marine Park (Gleaner, Feb. 12, 2003). We are particularly concerned at the comment attributed to the National Environment and Planning Agency, that wind and wave action has dissipated the oil, so "no long term damage to the environment is envisaged."
Oil spills are extremely harmful to the marine environment in both the short and the long-term. Much depends on the scale of the spills and the frequency with which they occur.
While the oil is on the surface of the water, oxygen supply is cut off to organisms beneath. Oil spills kill marine mammals and birds.
According to Dr. Dale Webber of the Dept. of Life Sciences at UWI, many of the fish kills in Kingston Harbour have been associated with oil spills, rather than pesticides or other toxins. And oil spills are especially damaging to mangroves and invertebrates.
Equally disturbing is the statement from Rosemarie Chung, Director of Public Relations with NEPA, that "no technical evidence exists so far, to lead NEPA to issue an Enforcement Order on the Port Authority of Jamaica from whose operations the leak originated."
The Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act allows NEPA to fine anyone who causes harm to the environment, so it is not clear what "technical evidence" is needed. The problem of oil spills in the Marine Park appears to be of long standing, despite the existence of a committee "for the last several years."
It is all very well and good to set up a "high level task force" to remedy the problem of a defective pipeline, but without enforcement and meaningful penalties, oil spills will continue to occur. The Jamaica Environment Trust calls on NEPA to carry out their regulatory responsibility to protect the Montego Bay Marine Park.
I am, etc.,
DIANA McCAULAY
Chief Executive Officer
Jamaica Environment Trust
11 Waterloo Road
Kingston
