We suffered through 18 years of an anti-environment People's National Party (PNP) government, and we elected a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government which promised to change course. Quite honestly, on the environmental front, there is almost nothing to suggest that they have done so.

They created a ministry of health and the environ-ment, and then we hear that they took away the environment portfolio from that ministry and put it in the Prime Minister's Office. Rudyard Spencer's ministry is still, however, being called the ministry of health and the environment, and things appear to be in limbo.

They named a new board for the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) and they named a highly respected environmentalist - Diana McCaulay - to sit on it. After a few months she resigned, citing the NRCA board's continuing where the PNP-appointed board left off, approving projects which would cause long-term damage to the natural environment.

And what what the response from the Government? How can we forget Prime Minister Golding's grandstand speech to foreign investors, saying that he would not allow environmentalists to dictate to him how to address environmental issues?

In response to that unfortunate remark, my readers may remember me asking whether the prime minister was willing to allow foreign investors to dictate to him how to address environmental issues. In the speech mentioned above, the prime minister pandered to the foreign investors, emphasising that the so-called environmental breaches were mere misunderstandings, and that dialogue with Government on a timely basis can prevent them.

Either the prime minister is being disingenuous or he is grossly misinformed. Very many gross violations of permits have occurred, too many to blame on 'mere misunderstandings' or language differences.

Environmental destruction

There are numerous - possibly hundreds - of documented cases where the Government has not investigated and enforced its own permits, laws and regulations, which has directly resulted in environmental destruction. The environmental laws in this country bind the Crown; plainly put, the Government has an obligation to obey its own laws; i.e., the law is a shackle.

The Government of Jamaica remains the number one breaker of environmental laws in the country. Two environmental lobby groups took the Government to court, claiming it had not followed its own laws and procedures with respect to the Bahia Principe Hotel, and won the case.

Other cases may be cited, although they have not been the subject of court decisions. I and others have pointed this out. If this is what the prime minister calls 'dictating to him', I am sorry he takes it that way. Calls for greater accountability are calls for greater democracy.

I have waited in vain over the year since that case for heads to roll, or for the Government to apologise publicly for the environmental damage resulting from their malfeasance. No such luck!

The JLP manifesto for the last general election promised that there would be a "stand-alone National Environmental Authority with statutory powers to protect the environment and regulate activities that impact thereon", and there are rumours that this is in the works; but there has been no consultation with environmental groups or environmentalists; transparency is sorely lacking.

And then there are rumours that the NRCA is restructuring itself more easily to facilitate the speedy approval of 'development' applications. This is precisely what environmentalists are afraid of: further pandering to foreign investors.

Eighteen months into the JLP Government we find ourselves at an environmental crossroads. The contract of the CEO of the Government's environmental agency expires at the end of this month, and will not be renewed. While many will rejoice, no one can be happy that no successor has been named; come 'Tom Fool Day' there is likely to be a leadership vacuum at the top.

Further, I understand that at this critical moment when profound changes are taking place at NRCA, at NEPA and in the regulatory arrangements for the environment, both the chairman and the vice-chairman of the NRCA and the Town and Country Planning Authority have resigned! What is going on? Where are we going with the environment?

Peter Espeut is a sociologist and environmental activist. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.