A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has written to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking to know why that entity did not require an Environmental and Social Impact assessment for the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri .
This was disclosed yesterday by Joseph Harmon, Member of Parliament for APNU who was speaking at a press conference held at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.
The party said that while it is not against the airport development, such development must have a human face.
Harmon spoke of statements that ministers of the Government made on a debate on corruption held on NCN Channel 11 on Sunday, saying that the EPA required no EIA for the project.
“I wrote the head of the EPA this morning to ask whether the Ministers [were true in their statements about the EPA] and if so what is the basis for that advice,” Harmon said.
He noted that a copy of the letter has gone to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) considering that Bank’s policies with regard to how issues such as the resettlement of persons must be addressed prior to development projects being done. “There must be public consultations,” he said. “Development must have a human face,” he added. “You can’t just walk around with a hammer or a sledgehammer and break things down in the name of development,” he said. “There must be a minimisation of disruption of social networks,” he said.
Harmon said that issues such as the flow of water into the Madewini Creek, the continued viability of Splashmins, and military deployment in the area are yet to be considered in any of the documentation seen so far.
Further, he said that while the Government is saying that the residents are in the way of the development of the airport, the Government is spending money to put up more buildings at the prison complex in the vicinity of the airport.
Harmon said that the televised debate on NCN on Sunday night was significantly one-sided and it was not reflective of what is happening on the ground. On the televised debate, representatives of the Government said the residents in the area will soon be approached with plans for their relocation.
Speaking on the debate, Alliance For Change member Gerhard Ramsaroop said that the Dakara Creek runs within the intended expansion site and that Bounty Farms Limited and others depend on the creek as a source of water. Ramsaroop said that the AFC is not objecting to the expansion plan but the manner in which it was awarded as well as the downplaying of the negative impacts the project may have on the nearby community and the environment.
Minister of Housing and Water and acting Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Irfaan speaking on the debate on Sunday said he discussed the issue of relocation of persons from the area with the Works Minister.
He added that there is a development/relocation plan for the area which is being completed and that the government has never been “irresponsible to remove persons from an area.”Speaking at yesterday’s APNU press conference also, Vice Chairman of APNU and Member of Parliament Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine said that there must be a full ESIA done for the project to determine its impacts on the people and the surroundings. He also insisted on consultation.
“We are not consoled by the declarations or proclamations of consultations. The project needs far more exposure of its modalities,” he added.
