NEPA faces further criticism from JET for recent oil spills

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is facing more criticism for its handling of last month's oil spills in the vicinity of the Kingston Harbour.
  
The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) says it is concerned that a media release from the agency on Thursday did not name the parties responsible for the incidents.
  
Diana McCaulay, CEO of JET, who spoke with RJR News, said the response to environmental emergencies in Jamaica is inadequate. 

"An oil spill is an environmental emergency. I know we seem to have written off Kingston Harbour, but that should not be the view of the environmental regulatory body," she lamented.

Meanwhile, NEPA has said the three oil spills took place on November 24 and 26. It said two of the spills were as a result of operational accidents during bunkering activities, while the other occurred from a land-based facility.
  
According to NEPA, it has completed an ecological assessment and based on the findings, legal discourse has commenced with the parties believed to be involved in the incidents.