EMA board must resign: Panday

Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday issued a statement Wednesday calling for the resignation of the board of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) in the face of Tuesday's judgment that halts the Alutrint Smelter in La Brea.

“This judgment is a very powerful indictment against the conduct of the EMA and in particular the board of the EMA. The criticisms made by the judge are almost identical to the statements of the judge in the Integrity Commission matter which saw the board of the Integrity Commission resigning," Panday said.

“Justice Dean-Armorer said the EMA violated the Environmental Management Act. She said the EMA’s decision was procedurally irregular, irrational and made without proper consideration of all the relevant factors. Is it that the EMA acted with gross and wanton negligence in such a serious matter? Or is it that the EMA acted under political pressure from the government?" he asked.

The former Prime Minister said those are the only two scenarios that can explain such conduct from the EMA, adding that neither is acceptable. He said the EMA board must be resilient and strong enough to be independent and not buckle under political pressure or any other influence.

The Couva North MP said the court judgment has cast suspicion on the conduct of the EMA in all of its affairs and if the current board remains, it would further undermine confidence in the EMA, similar to the loss of confidence in the Integrity Commission and Office of the President as currently being seen.

He said, “The question now arises, if the EMA can be so grossly negligent or incompetent in its evaluation of the smelter project, or if it has acted in bad faith as the judgment also suggests, what guarantees do the public have that similar approaches have not been taken with regard to other applications for environmental clearance coming before it?"

He added, "How much confidence can we have that the EMA has been truthful in its assessments in other things - that its reporting is honest and that it does not engage in cover-ups for the government. Our information is that a proper evaluation of the land and waters in the vicinity of Point Lisas will show an environmental crisis of frightening proportions.”