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Chief Executive Officer of Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) Dr. Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie says the significance of the Windalco pollution verdict goes beyond the dollar value of the fine that was imposed on Monday.
The bauxite company was found guilty in the St. Catherine Parish Court of the October 2019 effluent spill in the Rio Cobre that led to fish kills and caused adverse effects on residents in nearby communities.
The company was fined $100,000, which was the maximum penalty for the offence at the time under the Wild Life Protection Act.
The Wild Life Protection Act as well as the National Resources Conservation Authority Act were strengthened last year to increase the fines and custodial sentences.
Dr. Rodriguez-Moodie has welcomed the verdict, saying Windalco's conviction will have consequences beyond Jamaica.
"I am satisfied that the company has been held accountable. Do I wish that the fines were higher? Yes, but I also do understand that they were charged under the prior [legislation] before the fines were increased. And so I think that it's not just about the fines. So while the fines are important, I think it's about the fact that they are held accountable and this now will impact their reputation on the international market," she reasoned.
She said the conviction shows that environmental laws must be enforced.
"Our environment is increasingly being threatened by different things, whether it is by development, whether it is by climate change, whether it is by pollution incidents. The fact is that we need a healthy environment to have healthy people, to have a healthy economy. So it's not just about having the laws, it's not about just having stronger penalties, but it is about actually enforcing those laws, monitoring and ensuring that those that create harm are held accountable," Dr. Rodriguez-Moodie stressed.
Windalco's legal team has up to two weeks to file an appeal.
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