The National Environment Planning Agency (NEPA) says its report on the Rio Cobre fish kill on Monday, August 2, remains, even as Windalco has said it will not accept liability for the fish kill.
NEPA and Windalco currently have a matter before the courts relating to another fish kill in 2019. Meantime, the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) echoes residents’ call for greater accountability from the bauxite company.
NEPA’s report linked the Rio Cobre incident to the release of caustic effluent from the West Indies Alumina Plant, Windalco. Windalco released a statement advising it would not be accepting liability for the fish kill on August 4, which has left residents and environmental agencies infuriated.
Meanwhile, the smell of dead fish continues to blanket the communities on Thursday, August 5, Windalco contracted workers to remove the dead fish. Truckloads of fish were bagged and removed.
Chief Executive Officer at the Jamaica Environment Trust, JET, Dr. Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, believes it is too much of a coincidence that the spillage at Windalco and the fish kill happened less than a day apart. Dr. Rodriguez-Moodie says more needs to be done to ensure that companies and people do not operate at the expense of the natural environment.
As it stands, those in breach of the National Compliance and Regulatory Agency Act can be fined up to $50,000 or imprisonment of no more than two years. Environment Minister, Pearnel Charles Jr, says the cabinet looks to increase that fine to three million dollars.
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