Stephanie Coleman, Gleaner Writer
PERMANENT SECRETARY for the Ministry of Land and Environment, Donovan Stanberry, has announced that the National Environmental Planning Agency (NEPA) will undergo extensive restructuring to improve its authority in enforcing environmental laws.
Mr. Stanberry was speaking at the Environmental and Planning Laws conference held at the Terra Nova Hotel, Waterloo Road, on Wednesday.
Mr. Stanberry said NEPA has been unable to conduct effective enforcement because of financial constraints that prevent the agency from hiring enough environmental officers to police both public and private sector housing development projects. He also complained that some of the officers do not have the requisite training to deal with enforcement.
"We brought the proposal to Cabinet. We need to undertake a process of reorganisation to equip (NEPA) with human resources and finances to ensure we have a well-oiled team," he said.
ONE ITEM ON A LIST OF EFFORTS
The restructuring of the environmental agency is an item on a long list of efforts by the ministry to strengthen the enforcement of environmental laws, especially within the housing sector.
The Permanent Secretary said there was a proposal to increase the fines for breaching environmental laws, some which range from $20 to $200, so that it would be an effective deterrent.
Mr. Stanberry also called for a 'clamping down' on Government agencies that breach environmental laws and due process. He said policies should be established to subject all public and private housing developments to planning approval in order to prevent a recurrence of the Kennedy Grove tragedy of 2005.
"If we fool around and play politics with the environment, all of us are going to suffer in the end," he said. "Enforcement policy will not make sense unless at the heart of it there is accountability."
Additionally, Mr. Stanberry said people should not be afraid of going to court to settle housing or environmental disputes as this was the only way perpetrators would be brought to justice.
