THE FUTURE CENTRE TRUST (FCT) is aware of Government’s resolution to acquire land at Vaucluse for the purposes of what has been termed as a “green energy programme” under section 5 of the Land Acquisition Act, Cap. 288.
After more than a year, the people of Barbados are no closer to understanding what this programme is, what projects are associated with it nor how the country may be enjoined to any projects, including the Cahill waste-to-energy plant (WTE), which might be part of it.
The debate in the House of Assembly last Tuesday brought no comfort to concerned citizens who are opposed to the Cahill plant. Moreover, we consider the references made to stimulating the growth of the recycling industry and efforts to reduce using zero waste approaches among consumers without any basis within the current policy direction of Barbados.
We would like to make our position clear. We believe that an incineration project of this scale with an unproven technology, in a small island developing state with limited environmental monitoring capacities, is inimical to the growth and development of the recycling sector in Barbados. We also believe that it unfairly binds the people of Barbados to both an implementation agreement and an energy distribution agreement that has raised concerns among its citizens about transparency and good governance.
We urge Government, with haste, to abandon the Cahill WTE project and any other associated project that it plans without consultation with the people. We are committed to the environmental sustainability of Barbados and we believe that the full participation of households and communities is required in environmental policies, projects and programmes.
We encourage Barbadians and other concerned people to raise their voices in opposition to the Cahill project and any other policy and/ or project that Government seeks to undertake on their behalf, without their representation and full engagement in accordance with Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration (1992) on Environment and Development.
– THE FUTURE CENTRE TRUST