Omar Newell, Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Resilience, has welcomed the decision taken by the National Environment and Planning Agency to issue an enforcement notice halting the construction of fishponds at Barking Lodge, St Thomas, pending the submission and review of the required application.

“Last week, in my capacities as Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Resilience and the Chairman of the People’s National Party’s Region 2, which covers St Thomas, Portland and St Mary, I joined Member of Parliament for Eastern St Thomas Yvonne Rose Shaw on a visit to Barking Lodge and Old Pier following concerns raised by residents.

“Among the issues highlighted was the construction of several fishponds adjacent to and in some cases bordering the playfield used by students of Barking Lodge Primary School,” Newell said.

The minister outlined that residents expressed concern that the ponds could pose a safety risk to children once operational.

“Following enquiries by MP Shaw, NEPA confirmed that no approvals had been granted for the development despite public claims that the necessary permits had been obtained,” Newell added.

The minister further mentioned that this week the agency served an enforcement notice requiring all work to cease until the appropriate application is submitted and considered. “I commend NEPA for acting decisively to uphold the law. This sends an important message that our environmental and planning laws apply equally to everyone regardless of position or influence.

“Sustainable development must always take place within the framework of the law, and where citizens raise legitimate concerns those concerns deserve to be addressed fairly and transparently,” Newell said.

The visit, he added, also brought renewed attention to another long-standing community issue as residents reported that a fence and gate have been erected across a pathway that has provided public access to the beach for decades, restricting a route traditionally used by generations of families.

“While the environmental matter is now before the relevant authority, legal consultations are underway regarding public access to the beach. Access to our beaches is a matter of significant public interest, and so we are consulting with attorneys to determine the legal options available to protect the rights of the people of Barking Lodge and Old Pera, the rights they have enjoyed for generations. Development must respect (2:44) both our environmental laws and the rights of the communities in which it takes place,” Newell mentioned.

He also reaffirmed his commitment to working alongside MP Rose Shaw and the people of St Thomas to ensure that development proceeds responsibly, safely and in accordance with the law while protecting the interests of local communities.