EMA: Overhyped and Underdone?

[Falcon]

After Newsday (17.06.09) reported on the Smelter issue, the text read:


the decision of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to grant approval for construction of the Alutrint smelter plant in La Brea was illegal and made in an “outrageous”, “irrational” and “procedurally irregular” manner.

What has the EMA achieved all its life? Must be a good few things that have been of some worth......anybody worked there? What's the ethic like? Lots of driven people with a passion for changing the environment while we push for developed status? Or a bunch of self important posturing pencil pushers with friends in high places and no accountability?

[kemist]

i would like to know who they answer to. doesnt quite say on their website.

http://www.ema.co.tt/cms/index.php?opti ... Itemid=127 (http://www.ema.co.tt/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=130&Itemid=127)

[Amelia]

I'd say its a bunch of the former run by a bunch of the latter.
Until a certain person is made to leave the EMA, I will maintain they not serious.

[Solachica]

:D :D

[Amelia]

:D :D

:humm:

[Falcon]

Hamelia, Macintosh still there?

[Amelia]

nope.

[Falcon]

rite, so is not he...

who is the head these days?

[Amelia]

chote or jyoth or something so.

[Falcon]

there was a serious lady in some managerial post, she still there? Name a name and I will tell yuo if that's the lady.

[Amelia]

Surely u jest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[smilie=bad.gif]

[shield_2006]

They go check yuh ip address :lol: :lol:

[Falcon]

Huh? I just want to remember the lady name......stewwps

[Amelia]

^^if u are blessed enough to forget it, dont sabotage your happiness by remembering again. It will just vex ur spirit.

[Falcon]

Maharaj...look ah remember :roll:

[Amelia]

^^look what yuh start falcs :roll:

[grapesweetie]

what she do? :?

[Falcon]

If anything grape, the queries will refer to what people at EMA HAVEN'T DONE! :)

[grapesweetie]

If anything grape, the queries will refer to what people at EMA HAVEN'T DONE! :)

:lol:

I thought Mrs Maharaj Ramrekersingh was the Deputy chairman of the Environmental Commission?
And as you rightly said, it's not like they have much to do since the EMA dont really do anything..

[vaio]

why allyuh bad talking the EMA??? They are just doing the bidding of the gov't...whatever decision they make, the Minister can overide :roll:

[Falcon]

That's no excuse vaio, if you wukkin in a wuk and being a mouse, then resign and hope the successor is more efficient or proactive!

Them stayin in the wuk, drawing the pay, and making the situation worse!

[kemist]

well, according to their website, i've seen that they started out with funding mainly from the world bank and the GOTT. continuous funding comes from mainly a trust fund and the GOTT.

so my next question is, who appoints the board members?

is the ema supposed to be an independent body (like the ebc)?

if the gov't is appointing their members and paying their salaries i dont see how they could disagree with the gov't on any issue.

[Falcon]

kemist, now I feel like if Ive heard it all....

what you mean 'supposed to be independent'

is not like if there is any scope for conflicts of interest here......are the police independent? Are the airport customs officers independent. Are traffic lights independent? BAnk machines?

who ever heard of a non-independant national environmental protection board?!?!?! :shock:

[vaio]

That's no excuse vaio, if you wukkin in a wuk and being a mouse, then resign and hope the successor is more efficient or proactive!

Them stayin in the wuk, drawing the pay, and making the situation worse!

then more than half the population wld have to resign :|

[Falcon]

you have a point there....

but in what fields above others will the people in charge of awesome responsibilities wake up and see the damage they are causing through their apathy and inaction?

[kemist]

kemist, now I feel like if Ive heard it all....

what you mean 'supposed to be independent'

is not like if there is any scope for conflicts of interest here......are the police independent? Are the airport customs officers independent. Are traffic lights independent? BAnk machines?

who ever heard of a non-independant national environmental protection board?!?!?! :shock:

Well maybe independent is too strong a word.
What I meant to ask is that, Are they free to do their jobs without interference or influence from the government, even when their decisions or policies do not favour the government?

The ebc cannot lawfully rig elections to suit a govt. A police officer can arrest a govt official with sufficient evidence, because the law empowers them to do that.

But can the ema go against govt policy? I’m not an expert in law and I’m not clear to the extent the law empowers them, but my guess is, with proper justification, yes they can.
But will they?
Now according to that article in newsday, the ema had granted approval for the plant. This suggests that their role is not only to give factual reports on the matter at hand, but they also play a role in decision making. If the govt appoints the decision makers at the ema, how do you think those decisions would swing?

[shield_2006]

Is cynicism a national past time? Ah mean is everything qualified for inordinate negativity?

[Amelia]

Inordinate negativity?

[Falcon]

Huh?? well let's change direction then...

well done guys at the EMA, you have successfully impressed sheild by doing nothing and collecting his tax dollars. Keep it up, because we like it just like that. Leave environmental issues to 'd white man' who seems to be a lot more advanced than we could ever hope to be, because hey, we're still struggling to come to terms with how our ancestors probably suffered on a ship.

LOUD STEWWWWPS

[shield_2006]

FORGIVE ME PLEASE MR FALCON-

I miss-stated I suppose.

It just seems that we perpetually cry down our institutions-and that is all we do. If-and it may well be-the solution is to remove our institutions from political control and allow them to be independent and effective-I am all for that. No problem. But to denigrate them constantly without offering a solution is at best counter productive.

Solutions people.

I am sure you do not believe that everything the EMA has done has been useless-MR. FALCON-or do you?

And finally-how in the name of heaven have you arrived at-leave environmental issues to 'd white man' who seems to be a lot more advanced than we could ever hope to be. If you believe that-that is your problem-not mine.

You do tend to be a bit hasty-young man-time will temper you no doubt.

Or alternatively---GO TAKE A FLYING ----.

[Amelia]

I am sure you do not believe that everything the EMA has done has been useless-


They have many noble initiatives.
The very fact of their existence is a noble initiative.
Beyond that, the detractors are right.
Regardless of intentions, they are ineffective while they remain managed by stooges.
They are useless if their decisions can be vetoed by politcians.

Do u understand mammoo, its not inordinate nagativity.
Thats the sad, and very frustraing reality.

[shield_2006]

I am sure you do not believe that everything the EMA has done has been useless-


They have many noble initiatives.
The very fact of their existence is a noble initiative.
Beyond that, the detractors are right.
Regardless of intentions, they are ineffective while they remain managed by stooges.
They are useless if their decisions can be vetoed by politcians.

Do u understand mammoo, its not inordinate nagativity.
Thats the sad, and very frustraing reality.

Well sweetie leh we shut it down then-or put the bird man of Alcatraz in charge?

OR-as I said let us campaign for our institutions to be independent-let us campaign for improvement-let us just not cite the errors.

[vaio]

OR-as I said let us campaign for our institutions to be independent-let us campaign for improvement-let us just not cite the errors

will never, ever happen.

[Falcon]

This IS my campaign Sunshine.

To educate the public on the uselessless of a most important institution in ANY country that takes environmental issues seriously.


Well sweetie leh we shut it down then-or put the bird man of Alcatraz in charge?
Maybe I am trying......like you doh read TTONLINE or wha.

[Amelia]

Mammoo, there have been campaigns against the EMA.
Anybody remotely involved with or interested in environment conservation are aware of the flaws in the EMA and have called for changes in the EMA.
EMA employees call for change in the EMA.
I know of ppl at the EMA who, before leaving, put in writing all their concerns and made it clear they leaving bec they will not compromise their integrity by playing along.

But its like begging for something to be done about crime - u can march till yuh foot break, it eh happening unless those in authority want it to.

[vaio]

check their library and see many consultants' reports and how much dust it collecting :roll:

[Falcon]

I know of ppl at the EMA who, before leaving, put in writing all their concerns and made it clear they leaving bec they will not compromise their integrity by playing along.

shhhhhh.....sheild sleepin.

stewwwps you have time .......
He want to be anti-criticism at any cost......never mind everybody else understand.
I ent able with dat backwardness.

[shield_2006]

This IS my campaign Sunshine.

Ah wake up-I see people get ban for abusing people here- I not complaining-buh leh mih sort you out breds-stay dey and use keyboard-doh geh tie up.

GFUS

[Amelia]

:shock: I guess we eh talking about the EMA. :?

[Falcon]

dont understand acronyms, sorry. EMA is as far as I get.

[grapesweetie]

anyone want to humour shield and highlight the projects undertaken by the EMA?

just any project, it doesnt even have to be remotely successful....

[Solachica]

Ema does go park up outside fete and monitor. Wht allyuh talking abt doh wuk. Dem people wokking past midnite dey eh. :?

They have ah bess PRO to. :D

They have top of the line monitoring equipment and staff who know how to operate it :D (I wish). :lol:

EMA have rotten fish head syndrome and like the backbone gone to.

[shield_2006]

anyone want to humour shield and highlight the projects undertaken by the EMA?

just any project, it doesnt even have to be remotely successful....

Let me be so bold as to identify two projects which required CEC to proceed. One was the Beetham Wastewater Treatment Plant and the other was the Movie Twin Complex and the 54 inch NGC gas pipeline.

I suppose the destruction of the mangrove should have halted the approval of the plant. The fact that with the specifications approved including the final treatment using ultra violet light as distinct from chlorine and the significant clean up of the Sea Lots basin counts for naught.

The 54 inch pipeline was installed under strict and controlled conditions insisted by the EMA and specifically related to crossing of rivers and limitations on destruction of forestry.

[grapesweetie]

anyone want to humour shield and highlight the projects undertaken by the EMA?

just any project, it doesnt even have to be remotely successful....

Let me be so bold as to identify two projects which required CEC to proceed. One was the Beetham Wastewater Treatment Plant and the other was the Movie Twin Complex and the 54 inch NGC gas pipeline.

I suppose the destruction of the mangrove should have halted the approval of the plant. The fact that with the specifications approved including the final treatment using ultra violet light as distinct from chlorine and the significant clean up of the Sea Lots basin counts for naught.

The 54 inch pipeline was installed under strict and controlled conditions insisted by the EMA and specifically related to crossing of rivers and limitations on destruction of forestry.

That's interesting...
Who is responsible for regulating water in Trinidad by the way? I always thought it was fully controlled by WASA...

[shield_2006]

This might also be useful-UN Millineum Goals.

http://www.ema.co.tt/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=144&Itemid=1

[grapesweetie]

Sheild, your points are taken.
Additionally, I was also looking along the lines of doing things that make the public more aware as well..

If I was head of the EMA, i would at least do the following

embark on a huge public awareness campaign...
initiatives would be taken to increase the efficiency of government buildings..
Prices of solar panels are dropping (because of a step by China to mass produce..) contract someone to ensure that all govt buildings use solar power...
solar powered street lights, traffic lights...
recycling
partner with the Ministry of Tourism to market something like eco tourism...

these are just my ideas..

Sustainability is the key...

[greall]

That's no excuse vaio, if you wukkin in a wuk and being a mouse, then resign and hope the successor is more efficient or proactive!

Them stayin in the wuk, drawing the pay, and making the situation worse!

then more than half the population wld have to resign :|

Hmm...sad but true... :lol:

I see it everyday with the 'Facebook Queen'... :roll:

The EMA always appears to be reactionary:the water around CGA on the EMR's GREEN and CONCRETISH yet they now only suspect that the effluent from there's the problem...sheesh

Greg