ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):

The environmental group Waitukubuli Ecological Foundation on Monday criticised the decision by the Dominican government to grant a licence to a St Kitts-Nevis-based company to conduct geothermal exploration on the island.

The Roosevelt Skerrit administration last week signed the accord with the West Indies Power Company (WIPCO) and according to the company's chairman, Gregory Degannes, the island stands to benefit significantly from the accord.

"I want to assure everyone that we will mobilise all the resources available to us so that we can expeditiously commission a geothermal plant here even quicker than we have done in Nevis," said Degannes.

Secret agreement?

But former WEF president, Bernard Wiltshire, said that the agreement had been signed without adherence to the local laws.

"We have a law that requires a tendering process and nothing like that was done," said Wiltshire, a former attorney general.

"You cannot make secret agreements on behalf of people and the people on whose behalf you are making the agreement do not know what is in the agreement. That is an impertinent way to proceed; it is rude, undemocratic, secretive and insultive," the former WEF president said.

Prominent businessman Busin Washway Douglas said he was also against the move by the government to place the island's valuable geothermal resources in the hands of foreigners.