Where environmental concerns that impinge on the safety and health of the citizens are concerned, we in Guyana have lived pretty much ‘on the edge,’ so to speak. The deficiencies repose, almost always in weaknesses in the law, inadequate and by extension ineffective enforcement capabilities, the almost complete absence of a robust and militant citizens’ environmental lobby or else, an indifference to the laws by those possessing one means or another with which to either ignore or circumvent them. In other words, we live pretty much on the edge though, mercifully, up until now, the price that we have had to pay has always been, in comparative terms, modest, that is, except you take account of the serious pollution that has occurred in some of our waterways like at Omai Gold Mines in 1995.
From our own less than thoroughly enlightened perspective we are inclined to wonder whether why the whole current issue of the creation of a Chemical Warehouse in a residential area had to ‘pan out’ the way it did, that is to say whether whatever ‘studies’ were carried out and which, presumably would have embraced environmental considerations, among others, ought not to have settled all of the various issues that have now surfaced long ago.
That, however, has no bearing on the need to take a step backward, even if it involves halting any further progress on the project until a determination is made, one way or another, as to whether the completion and bringing into use of the facility will pose any environmental risk. What happens thereafter will obviously depend on the findings of the probe and that, pretty much, ought to be the ‘bottom line.’
No project, no initiative, not even where it has to do with the country’s oil and gas pursuits, should proceed without some clear determination as to whether or not (and the extent to which) it might compromise the safety and/or the health of the civilian population. That is to say that the immense economic significance of our oil and gas pursuits, notwithstanding, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the various other bodies responsible for keeping recklessness and expediency at bay should be properly equipped to do so. All too frequently, it has been a question as to whether or not we have the capability and the will to monitor, regulate and take preventative action.
The fact that the vast majority of the local population probably knew little about the planned chemical plant until the controversy became a matter of news is, in itself, a microcosm of a wider, dangerous propensity that we have to exclude public opinion from important developments, even in circumstances where those developments have a bearing on our welfare, not least our health and our wellness.
It raises the question as to whether or not, in the light of the intensification of efforts towards ‘first oil’ in 2020 there ought not to be other priorities besides those that have to do with the business considerations associated with Local Content, for example. Should we not be moving to create a wider awareness of our oil and gas pursuits and their implications beyond the economic ones? Should we not, as well, be building capacity in other areas, like public awareness, for example, a sense of developments that might pose risk or danger and an understanding of the means by which to fend off the dangers that might repose in indifference or danger or both? Even if we presume that these measures are being put in place, timely reminders do no harm at all.
Precedent, elsewhere in developing countries, where pursuits like oil and gas recovery have been ensuing, ought to be a lesson to us. In many of those other instances public interest and public safety are sacrificed at the altar of what is perceived to be the greater gain to be derived from indifference and at the end of the day we end up either sweeping the consequences of ignoring public interest under the table, or else, having to grin and bear the consequences of ignoring the issue of the public good. There is really no reason why that cannot happen here even though the chemical storage bond issue provides us with as good an opportunity as any to lay down a marker. We cannot afford to pass up that opportunity.
