fp Turks and Caicos

What may come as a surprise to some is that the first Marine Pollution Bill was passed unanimously by the Consultative Forum on Tuesday, putting laws in place to protect the islands’ marine and coastal environment for the first time.

The bill was jump started in response to the oil spill caused by a ship which hit aground off Northwest Point in early 2009.

The bill acts to put in place measures to protect the environment, while at the same time establishing damages and compensation charges for those who pollute the waters surrounding the islands.

Attorney General Kurt De Freitas said the bill would make persons responsible for intentional and negligent activities which cause harm to the marine environment.

“It gives specific authority to the relevant agencies,” De Freitas said, “to act to make those responsible in cases where harm is done in the TCI waters.” This includes things such as damages and compensation rates for ships who knowingly or unknowingly cause damage through things such as waste disposal or spillage.

According to De Freitas, the bill seeks to implement provisions of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78), which provides a comprehensive approach to dealing with ocean dumping by cruise ships. This is critical in the waters surrounding the Turks and Caicos, where several cruise ships a day enter the port at Grand Turk.

Three other bills were also passed unanimously by the forum, including an amendment to the Physical Planning Bill, which calls for stiffer penalties for those who illegally occupy government land. The bill also gives the court more power to remove unauthorized structures, de Freitas said.

Penalties under the new bill will carry a fine of $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 12 months for offenders, as well as a $200 per day fine for each day a structure that is not removed after notification.

In response, member Dr. Linda Williams raised her grave concerns that the regulations are carried out in earnest by the department, whose negligence has created the situation we currently have, she said.

“What happened, happened under the eyes of every office on that island or islands, public servants with authority and support staff to carry out inspections and to report observations. I feel there was great negligence in that department.”

Williams felt so strongly on this issue that she suggested creating penalties for officers who do not carry out their duties in earnest. “They too should be brought to whomever to account for their responsibilities, and where there is great negligence there should be something in writing as how we are going to deal with it, and I am one that supports stiff penalties for that type of negligence.”

The final two bills deal with the Broadcasting Ordinance and Bill. The bill in essence revoked the 2008 New Media Ordinance and restored the previous broadcasting ordinance.

Several members raised their concerns about the current handling of the government radio and information services, including Lillian Misick who asked that more attention be paid to the national radio station.

“It is supposed to be informing us, educating us and entertaining us and at the moment, what Radio Turks and Caicos is giving us a boombox … and not educating the general public.”

“I welcome the revival of the broadcasting commission, and I hope that greater attention will be paid to the radio station moving forward,” she said.