Concerns have been raised about the transparency of environmental fines

ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder.

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune staff reporter

[email protected]

AS parliamentarians yesterday passed a bill to introduce spot fines for environmental violations. Some complained about the Davis administration’s lack of transparency regarding penalties for those who violate environmental laws.

The House of Representatives has passed an amendment to the Environmental Protection and Planning Act, which introduces financial penalties of $1,000 to $20,000 for violations related to, among other things, damaging coral reefs, discharging hazardous substances and failing to comply with laws regarding to protected areas.

The fines would be deposited into the Environmental Administration Fund to restore the Bahamas’ environment, reduce pollution and conserve natural resources.

MPs from the Free National Movement supported the bill. However, East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson highlighted the government’s lack of transparency regarding fines, which he said undermines efforts to deter other would-be offenders.

He cited the example of a 2022 Exuma oil spill involving The Arabian, a Sun Oil-contracted vessel that was unloading fuel at the Old Navy Base in George Town, when it spilled approximately 30,000 gallons of oil in July 2022 sea ​​spilled.

Attorney General Ryan Pinder said the company was the first company in the country ever fined for an environmental violation, but he declined to disclose the penalty.

“A punishment should be a deterrent,” Thompson said yesterday. “How can there be deterrence if the public does not know what the punishment is?

“If it is a fine under the law, under what section were they charged and what justifies the amount they settled for? This is a matter of public record and should be made public in the interest of the public.”

FNM leader Michael Pintard also called for more transparency.

“We’ve had some very noticeable leaks. It is also important that the government is transparent about how the work takes place, how the remediation takes place and of course what fines have been imposed,” he says.

“This is not a negotiable subject. We just have to be transparent.”

Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe noted that consultations to establish the Bahamas Wildlife Enforcement, an agency dedicated to enforcing environmental laws, have been completed.