oncern about the environment has increased
throughout the world over the last 25 years with an explosion of environmental
organisations, international conventions, "green" products and "earth-friendly"
rhetoric.Heritage Magazine, Spring 1997
oncern about the environment has increased
throughout the world over the last 25 years with an explosion of environmental
organisations, international conventions, "green" products and "earth-friendly"
rhetoric.
In the Caribbean, sustainable development and eco-tourism have become well-worn
buzz words. All of this is important and necessary, but what is happening
on the ground here in St. Kitts? Who is protecting our environment, and
are they doing enough?
AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Historians tell us that the earliest human settlers arrived on St. Kitts about 2500 BC. To the best of our knowledge, they, like most indigenous people, lived in a balanced harmony with their natural environment. These hunters and gatherers were succeeded by the agricultural Arawaks about the time of Christ. During the 1500 years they inhabited the island, their agricultural style eliminated some areas of native forest, though their limited population and diverse agricultural products were probably not very disruptive to the natural cycles. The Arawaks were succeeded by the Caribs not long before Europeans arrived on our shores. (Historians differ as to whether they were actually separate peoples or simply more recent immigrants from South America.) To varying degrees all these native peoples adjusted their lifestyle to the gifts and hardships of their island home.
As the British and French settlers came to dominate the island, they brought with them a cultural perspective that humans must "conquer nature." Early on they grew tobacco and cotton (native crops) for export, but soon turned to sugar cane. With the labour of tens of thousands of Africans, torn from their homes and brought here into slavery, many thousands of acres of forest and other natural habitat were cleared for sugar cane fields. This development caused massive environmental change. The system of large sugar estates dominated the social life and environment of the island for some 250 years until the industry was nationalised in 1974. Sugar remains a predominant factor in our environment with some 10,500 acres or 24% of the island's land area still in sugar cane.
Excessive deforestation in the late 1800's led to the 1904 Forest Ordinance, the first of its kind in the Caribbean. Concerns about how increased tree cutting would affect water quality led estate managers and the government to create a Forestry Board. This Board, composed of planters, managed the forests well and enforced regulations for 70 years. However, we must remember that their approach was designed first and foremost to protect their own interests, and in the process, the needs of poor people who used the forest to gather wood for fuel and to make charcoal were ignored.
In 1913, a Wild Birds Protection Ordinance Act was passed, and in the next two decades laws regulating burning in forests and charcoal production (1924) and protecting animals (1935) were passed. However, it wasn't until the mid-1940's that efforts were made to create a comprehensive environmental protection programme.
LEGISLATION WITHOUT MUCH ACTION
In more recent times a variety of legislation has been passed to protect the environment. Economic and social changes have lent greater urgency to this endeavour. Significant modernisation has occurred on St. Kitts in the last 20 years, and the standard of living has risen substantially. As a result, the use of toxic materials has increased, tourism has placed greater pressure on fragile ecosystems, the number of cars has soared and the amount of non-biodegradable garbage has skyrocketed.
The Pesticides Act 1973 prohibited the use of certain pesticides, regulated pesticide use and established a Pesticide Control Board. The Frigate Bay Development Corporation Act 1972 provided for the development of that area with an overall plan to limit haphazard environmentally-destructive development. The Fisheries Act 1984 and subsequent Fisheries Regulations 1986 sought to regulate and manage fishing for the long-term benefit of the federation. The Southeast Peninsula Land Development and Conservation Act 1986 provided for development in the peninsula as a significant tourist region while preserving its natural beauty and environmental integrity. The Litter Act 1989 made littering illegal and created a mechanism to enforce it. The central piece of modern environmental law, however, is the National Conservation and Environmental Protection (NCEPA) Act 1987. This law resulted from negotiations between the government and the U.S. Agency for International Development for the construction of the Southeast Peninsula Road. The St. Kitts-Nevis Environmental Profile, published in 1991 by the Caribbean Conservation Association and Island Resources Foundation, called the law an "extraordinarily comprehensive piece of environmental legislation" and "potentially one of the strongest in the Caribbean."
The NCEPA created a nine member Conservation Commission "to advise the [appropriate] minister on conservation matters," and to administer protected areas. The act established Brimstone Hill and Bath Hotel as protected areas and provided for a variety of measures to maintain public access to beaches, manage the coastal zone, prohibit sand mining, promote soil conservation, establish and protect forest reserves, protect designated wildlife and "promote conservation in the Federation as part of long-term development planning."
Unfortunately, little has been done to date to implement the law. Campbell Evelyn, the first chairman of the Conservation Commission, "resigned in disgust" [his words] after the government had not gazetted the law for some two years. Attorney General Tapley Seaton took his place, but the ill-fated commission met only three times, beginning in 1990. The Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park Society, Nevis Historical and Conservation Society (NHCS) and St. Christopher Heritage Society wrote joint letters to the previous government on two occasions requesting that the commission be re-activated, but didn't even receive an acknowledgement of their letters, much less a reply. The fact that no money was budgeted to support the commission's operations was apparently one of the problems.
Although some eight areas in St. Kitts and seven in Nevis were proposed as protected natural areas as early as 1990, none were acted upon. Instead, in what appeared to be a public relations gimmick, a national park at Wingfield was hastily prepared in order to provide something noteworthy for Prince Phillip to do during his visit to St. Kitts on March 15, 1993. There were no markers or signs to distinguish the "park" from any other forest area, no education programme, trails, etc. The Prince, who is known as a conservationist, sensed that something was amiss and said, "I declare the National Park more open than it was before." To date, the park still has no defined boundaries.
One of the more successful efforts by the previous government was the Environmental Tourism Awareness Project (ETAP). ETAP was initiated by several departments of government, including the Ministry of Tourism, and funded by the OAS. The three year program's "greatest success," in the words of director Alexis Knight, was the Papa George series of television ads. They also started the Adopt-a-Space programme.
A FRESH START?
After the July 1995 elections, Randy Walters was hired as Director of a new Environment Department. The creation of such a department had been recommended by many consultants who advised the government on how to implement the NCEPA. A March 1996 amendment to that law established the department to oversee and coordinate the environmental activities of all branches of government. The department is also charged with representing St. Kitts and Nevis in international environmental forums, negotiating treaties and providing information to inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The department's 1996 budget of nearly $400,000
enabled it to make a start on its huge mandate. (A consultant's report in
1989 estimated that annual outlays of just over $1 million, in addition
to $372,000 in start-up costs, would be required to fully implement the
NCEPA.) "We're deliberately moving slowly to staff the department,"
Walters reported last October. While monies were budgeted for a secretary,
assistant conservation officer, and two project officers, lack of adequate
office space slowed the hiring process.
Jump-starting the Conservation Commission was high on Walters' agenda, though
he says it has been delayed by the lack of appointment of the two Nevis
members and his inability to get the records from the previous Commission.
However, as the first quarter of 1997 draws to a close, the lack of a functioning
Conservation Commission raises serious concerns, since that body is to play
such a key role in policy-making. While the Federal Government's desire
to deal sensitively with the question of Nevis representatives to the board
is understandable and sensible, nothing in the NCEPA requires a full Commission
for work to commence. The Nevis Island Administration's foot-dragging on
its appointments should not be allowed to cripple the progress of environmental
conservation in the Federation as a whole.
A 20% decrease in the Department's budget for 1997 raises further questions
about the government's commitment to carrying out the difficult work which
is required to give life to its noble words about protecting the environment.
Significant cuts were made in funding for Marine Pollution, Forestry Management
and Social Conservation and Wildlife Management. In addition, sources within
government reveal that the Department of Agriculture has been unwilling
to give up control over Forest Management, despite the legislative mandate
to do so. Protection of the forests is further compromised by the elimination
of two of the four staff positions related to forestry within the Agriculture
Department.
The new department and some of its actions provide hope for a greater commitment to environmental protection. However, the signs of change are slow and tentative. When questions were raised about dredging in Frigate Bay to rebuild a beach, this journalist and the Heritage Society were told that an environmental impact assessment had been conducted, but that it was not available to the public.
In addition to the law establishing the Environment Department, two other significant pieces of legislation have been passed by the Labour Government. The Fisheries Regulations 1995 provided increased protection to lobster, turtle and conch, all of which are threatened by over-harvesting and habitat destruction. It also prohibits the use of "any poison, noxious substance or other pollutants into the fishery waters of St. Kitts and Nevis." In July1996, The St. Christopher and Nevis Solid Waste Management Corporation Act, 1996 established a public corporation "with responsibility for solid waste storage, collection, treatment and disposal..." to create a comprehensive waste management system. Under the Act, the dumps in Conaree and Low Ground will be converted into sanitary landfills and burning of garbage will be discontinued. The law also makes vague references to recycling.
When considering environmental protection it is helpful to look at the specific areas which require our attention. While a book is needed to fully explore these areas, the following is an outline of the most significant areas of concern.
Agriculture
Efforts to limit the use of toxic pesticides and herbicides must be expanded. Experiments with organic agriculture could demonstrate its viability for commercial operations and home gardeners. Growing vegetables in former cane fields high in the mountains, should be reconsidered, as these steep areas are prone to erosion and are more suitable for crops which will hold the soil. Educational efforts should be undertaken to promote minimal use of chemicals in agriculture. Agricultural diversification efforts need greater support.
Biodiversity and Wildlife
The Central Mountain Range and Southeast Peninsula have long served as de facto wildlife and plant refuges because of their inaccessibility. With significant development on the peninsula likely in the near future, assuring the integrity of its designated wildlife management areas is vital. Officially designating more protected areas, both on land and at sea is needed. Enforcement of wildlife protection regulations must be combined with educational efforts to gain the public's understanding of and support for these measures. The private sector must also be targetted, with special emphasis on tourism developers.
Coastal and Marine Protection
The creation of a coastal zone management plan is necessary to coordinate efforts in this area. The establishment and enforcement of protected areas are also needed. Two areas are currently being looked at in this light. The entire coastal area of the Southeast Peninsula (which is 10% of the land of St. Kitts, but represents one quarter of the coastline) is under consideration for protection. This is "purely for biological reasons," according to senior fisheries officer Joe Simmonds. Greater progress has been made in establishing a Marine Park off Sandy Point. This reef is unique because it has nearly all the species of coral which exist in the world. Three follow-up consultations were scheduled for early 1997, with the expectation that the area will be declared a Marine Protected Area later in the year.
Managing sewage and other liquid and solid waste more effectively will significantly lessen the pressure on coastal areas.
Enforcement of the existing Fisheries Regulations and support for fishing further off-shore will allow fish stocks to regenerate in depleted areas.
Sand mining must be confined to specific areas where its damage will be minimal.
Forestry
A Forestry Development Plan is needed to create a comprehensive approach to management. The two small patches of rainforest and the other mountain forests deserve special protection. Enforcement of forest regulations must be re-energized. The creation and maintenance of hiking trails will provide additional recreational opportunities and confine large-scale use to limited areas.
Pollution Prevention
All industrial waste currently goes either into the Conaree Dump or into the sea. At a minimum, industries must be required to pre-treat their waste, and some facility for handling hazardous materials should be established. In the long-term we must realize that dumping at sea is no solution. Even when it is done far enough away from shore so that it doesn't immediately pollute our coastline, the pollutants will affect the ecosystem. A system for collecting and utilizing used motor oil and waste oil from the Electricity Plant and other industries should be established. Provisions for oil spills, which are currently being revised, must be strengthened so that a proper response can be made in the event of such a catastrophe. An educational programme to support the Litter Act is greatly needed, along with enforcement of its provisions. The Solid Waste Act should be speedily implemented and greater emphasis given to recycling, since landfilling is not a long-term solution.
Sewage
Sewage poses a grave danger to both water wells and to coastal areas. There are currently no sewage treatment facilities which handle residential waste. JNF Hospital and some of the larger hotels have such systems. A facility is nearly completed in Frigate Bay for the Jack Tar Hotel, but was stalled for many months. It is common for one to be overwhelmed by the stench of sewage when walking down the streets of Basseterre. Pit latrines and simple septic systems are simply not sufficient for dense urban areas and must be replaced by a central treatment facility.
Water
St. Kitts is blessed with an abundant supply of freshwater high in the mountains. Because of its location, there is little threat of those springs being polluted. However, there is a need for a comprehensive water plan which includes strong protection for the aquifers, which will become increasingly important sources of water as development continues. Hiking trails into the catchment area must be diverted to other areas. The Basseterre Valley aquifer is particularly vulnerable because of nearby population centers. Consistent testing of drinking water is needed, along with the facilities to treat it if necessary. (Only water which feeds Basseterre proper is currently treated.) Upgrading of water supply lines to prevent wasteful leakage is also needed.
General Conclusions
¨ The Environmental Impact Assessment process must move from being a practice to being a requirement which includes the opportunity for public input into discussions of those studies. (OECS guidelines call for such a public process.) Without such institutional changes there will be little to prevent the all-too-common practice of bureaucrats allowing development projects to proceed without proper oversight. Although such a process has been mandated for development on the Southeast Peninsula, pressure to expedite development there could easily lead to short-cuts and short-sighted decisions. Concerned citizens should play particularly close attention to projects there in order to prevent another Casablanca disaster.
¨ Education is a key thread which runs through all the efforts which are needed. With this in mind, a strong environmental education programme is required to underpin the efforts called for in this article. Such a programme would probably be run most effectively by a non-governmental organisation, such as the Heritage Society, working in conjunction with and receiving support from government. While many NGOs have participated in some type of environmental project, more direct attention to environmental issues is necessary to solve the current problems and prevent future ones.
The general public and NGOs have a crucial role to play in answering the questions posed by this article. It should be abundantly clear that government has not and is not likely to play the aggressive role which is necessary to protect the environment. Despite the initial progress of the current government, it appears that they are already falling far short of what is required. Without consistent and active citizen pressure this trend is likely to continue.
