EMA stops contractor in Las Cuevas

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has ordered a contractor to halt works in Las Cuevas following concerns about a turtle nesting site.

However, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea corporate secretary Gary Aboud says the EMA is a “toothless bulldog” and is not doing enough in terms of enforcement.

EMA corporate communications officer Mario Singh informed Sunday Newsday yesterday that an emergency response unit was alerted of the incident following a call from a member of the public and visited the site on Friday. Singh said the EMA team met with the contractor and works have been stopped. He reported the contractor had performed work adjacent to the site and received a notice of violation related to it last year. Singh said investigations are continuing by the EMA.

Aboud yesterday claimed the work was being done by a relative and it was only discovered on Friday, though it could have been occurring all week or since last year inside the Las Cuevas Estate. Asked about the EMA halting the works at Las Cuevas, Aboud said it was no action at all and there was no discussion about penalties with the developer.

“The law provides all kinds of enforcement action that could be taken. It is a mystery to us why authority always seems to merely warn violators contrary to provisions of the law.” He explained the law provides for repair orders and fines. Aboud gave the analogy of a police officer seeing a person lighting a forest and simply warning them about.

“Everyone knows you cannot light forest or quarry beaches or modify beaches.

But over and over the EMA takes the gentle approach and continues to act as a toothless bulldog.” Aboud said about two years ago, FFOS exposed the same developer for bulldozing lands without approval.

“It would appear that the violators are comfortable enough to continue their conduct because they know that the directors of the system are working in their favour.”

Aboud said it is a much greater problem of oversight into the conduct of EMA and, despite a lot of money being spent, the agency is not delivering justice. He also claimed some violators were breaking the law and bulldozing areas and when the EMA intervened they would not fine or force them to repair, but always grant a consent order.