HOLNESS NUH HAVE NUH RESPECT FI NEPA

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

If me was Peter Knight, me would a go look one next work. Im a di headman fi di National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). Ascorden to fi dem website, NEPA suppose fi look bout “Conservation and Protection.” Dat mean, “Management of species, habitats, and ecosystems; protected, watershed, coastal and marine areas management; wild fauna and flora protection, rescue and relocation.”

Bengal Development Limited/Jamaica World LLC aks NEPA fi gi dem permit fi dig down 123 acre pan Dry Harbour Mountain eena Discovery Bay. NEPA never gi dem nuh permit.  NEPA seh nutten couldn’t build up back after dem done tear it down.  When yu see NEPA seh ‘no’, yu must know! Becau nuff time mi see NEPA a defend pure slackness. 

NEPA gi permit fi dolphin mess up Puerto Seco Beach eena di said same Discovery Bay.  As fi Long Mountain!  NEPA never do nutten fi stop Housing Agency of Jamaica from chop down more dan 20 acre a ‘protected’ land fi turn eena 50 house spot.  Straight cross from di Mona dam!  An dem seh dat a ‘development.’    

WAT A JOKE!

Bengal/Jamaica World fight gainst NEPA an dem win.  Andrew Holness dash out NEPA case. Im undermine NEPA, same like how Bengal/Jamaica World a go undermine Dry Harbour Mountain. Pon Friday, November 13 –  bad lucky day – Gleaner report wa Holness seh bout wa im do: “What won out was for more careful and comprehensive consideration of the environmental benefits and the economic and developmental benefits.” Dat sound like seh Govament want Bengal/Jamaica World money an Holness nah mek ‘environment’ stop im from tek it.

Holness might as well shut down NEPA.  It nuh look like seh im tek dem serious. Govament wi save nuff money. Ascorden to one next Gleaner report weh come out pon November 9, Bengal/Jamaica World ha fi pay down bout 272,944 US dollar before dem can start dig down di mountain. Dis a fi “mitigate environmental damage and restore any natural resources impacted by the development.” Dat a wa Gleaner seh Peter Knight im seh.  Im a chat outa two side a fi im mouth. Nuh NEPA seh di hell of a damage can’t fix?

Pon top a dat, how dat deh lickle bit a money a go fix damage?  Wat a joke!  Di money sound big eena fi wi dollar:  40 million.  Dat a nuh nutten.  Andrew Holness better stop sell off Jamaica fi lickle or nutten.  If a nuh Cockpit Country, a Dry Harbour Mountain. Wat a go lef fi di whole a wi generation dem weh a come? An Mark Golding im better stand up fi principle.  Im seh di Opposition lickle but dem tallawah.  A time fi show weh dem can do.

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

If mii woz Peter Knight, mii wuda go luk wan neks work. Im a di hedman fi di National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). Azkaadn tu fi dem websait, NEPA supuoz fi luk bout “Conservation and Protection.” Dat miin, “Management of species, habitats, and ecosystems; protected, watershed, coastal and marine areas management; wild fauna and flora protection, rescue and relocation.”

Bengal Development Limited/Jamaica World LLC aks NEPA fi gi dem pormit fi dig dong 123 ieka pan Dry Harbour Mountain iina Discovery Bay. NEPA neva gi dem no pormit.  NEPA se notn kudn bil op bak aafta dem don tier it dong.  Wen yu si NEPA se ‘nuo’, yu mos nuo! Bikaa nof taim mi si NEPA a difen pyuur slaknis.

NEPA gi pormit fi dalfin mes op Puerto Seco Beach iina di sed siem Discovery Bay.  Az fi Long Mountain!  NEPA neva du notn fi stap Housing Agency of Jamaica fram chap dong muor dan 20 ieka a ‘protected’ lan fi ton iina 50 ous spat.  Schriet kraas fram di Mona dam!  An dem se dat a ‘development.’

CLOSE-UP OF HAJ SITE ON LONG MOUNTAIN

WAT A JUOK!

Bengal fait gens NEPA an dem win.  Andrew Holness dash out NEPA kies. Im aandamain NEPA, siem laik ou Bengal/Jamaica World a go aandamain Dry Harbour Mountain. Pan Fraide, Novemba 13 –  bad loki die – Gleaner ripuort we Holness se bout wa im du: “What won out was for more careful and comprehensive consideration of the environmental benefits and the economic and developmental benefits.”  Dat soun laik se Govament waant Bengal/Jamaica World moni an Holness naa mek ‘environment’ stap im fram tek it.

Holness mait az wel shet dong NEPA.  It no luk laik se im tek dem siiryos. Govament wi siev nof moni.  Azkaadn tu wan neks Gleaner ripuort we kom out pan Novemba 9, Bengal/Jamaica World ha fi pie dong bout 272,944 US dala bifuor dem kyan staat dig dong di mountn. Dis a fi “mitigate environmental damage and restore any natural resources impacted by the development.” Dat a wa Gleaner se Peter Knight im se.  Im a chat outa tuu said a fi im mout. No NEPA se di el av a damij kyaahn fiks?

Pan tap a dat, ou dat de likl bit a moni a go fiks damij?  Wat a juok!  Di moni soun big iina fi wi dala:  40 milyan.  Dat a no notn.  Andrew Holness beta stap sel aaf Jamaica fi likl ar notn.  If a no Cockpit Country, a Dry Harbour Mountain.  Wat a go lef fi di uol a fi wi jinarieshan dem we a kom? An Mark Golding im beta stan op fi prinsipl.  Im se di Opposition likl bot dem talawa.  A taim fi shuo we dem kyan du.

TRAILER FOR ESTHER FIGUEROA’S DOCUMENTARY
AGAINST MINING IN COCKPIT COUNTRY

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

HOLNESS HAS NO RESPECT FOR NEPA

If I was Peter Knight, I would look for another job.  He’s the CEO of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). Their website states that NEPA’s mandate is “Conservation and Protection.” That means, “Management of species, habitats, and ecosystems; protected, watershed, coastal and marine areas management; wild fauna and flora protection, rescue and relocation.”

Bengal Development Limited/Jamaica World LLC applied to NEPA for a permit to mine 123 acres of the Dry Harbour Mountains in Discovery Bay. NEPA refused on the grounds that the devastation could never be fixed. When NEPA says ‘no’, that’s remarkable! Because I’ve seen NEPA approve many dubious projects over the years. 

NEPA issued a permit for dolphins to mess up Puerto Seco Beach in that very same Discovery Bay.  As for Long Mountain!  NEPA did nothing to stop the Housing Agency of Jamaica from chopping down more than 20 acres of ‘protected’ land to be converted into 50 house spots.  Right across from the Mona dam!  And they say that’s ‘development.’    

WHAT A JOKE!

Bengal/Jamaica World appealed against NEPA’s decision and won.  Andrew Holness threw out NEPA’s case. He undermined the agency in exactly the same way that Bengal/Jamaica World is going to undermine the Dry Harbour Mountains. On Friday, November 13 –  an unlucky day – the Gleaner reported what Holness said about his decision: “What won out was for more careful and comprehensive consideration of the environmental benefits and the economic and developmental benefits.” That sounds as if the Government wants Bengal/Jamaica World’s investment and Holness will not allow ‘environmental’ considerations to stop him from accepting it.

Holness might as well shut down NEPA.  He doesn’t seem to be taking the agency seriously. The Government will save lots of money. According to another Gleaner report published on November 9, Bengal/Jamaica World must make a deposit of approximately US$ 272,944 before they can start mining. It’s to “mitigate environmental damage and restore any natural resources impacted by the development.” That’s what Peter Knight told the Gleaner.  He’s talking out of both sides of his mouth. Wasn’t it NEPA that ruled that the devastation could never be fixed?

In addition, how could that small sum of money fix the damage?  What a joke!  The figure sounds huge in Jamaican dollars:  40 million.  That’s nothing.  Andrew Holness had better stop selling off Jamaica for little or nothing.  If it’s not Cockpit Country, it’s the Dry Harbour Mountains. What’s going to be left for the generations to come? And Mark Golding had better stand up for principle.  He has declared that the Opposition Party is small but powerful.  It’s time to demonstrate what they can do.