We write in response to an article
entitled “Playing the Waiting Game: NEPA needs to fast-track approval
for new stadium” that appeared on page A3 of the Daily Gleaner, on
Thursday, August 04, 2005, by Western Bureau reporter Monique Hepburn.
The article indicated that Dr. Wayne Reid is peeved as a result of the
slow pace with which the application for an environmental permit
regarding the Establishment of a Theme Park (Stadium) at Greenfield,
Trelawny by Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited is being processed by the
National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). He further stated that
an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was submitted to NEPA from as
early as February of this year.
However, according to our records, the
EIA submitted by the consultants – Environmental Solutions Limited
(ESL), on behalf of the applicants, was received on Friday, June 17,
2005.
As indicated in the article NEPA has
to consider the comments of other Government agencies as well as
external stakeholders before a final decision is made. These agencies
were informed in a letter dated June 28, 2005 that they were to submit
their comments by Tuesday, July 12, 2005. At the time of writing, NEPA
has not received all the comments.
Currently, NEPA is collating comments
from the reviewers of the EIA to be sent to the consultants as early as
next week. Upon submission of our comments to the consultants, they are
required to address the concerns raised therein. If the concerns are
satisfactorily addressed, then the requisite submissions will be made to
the technical review committee and board of the Natural Resources
Conservation Authority (NRCA).
Additionally, the nature of this
project requires a public presentation, of which the applicants/
consultants were informed by way of a letter from NEPA dated June 9,
2005. NEPA is therefore correct in saying that we are currently
expediting the processing of the application as the Agency is doing
everything in its power to facilitate the application process. It
should also be noted that it is the responsibility of the applicant to
facilitate the public presentation.
We hope that this clarifies the issues
as raised in the article.
