Dear Barbados Free Press
I am 9 years old and working on a project on the environment for school. Could you please tell me 3 environmental laws we have in Barbados please? I know there is the Coastal Conservation Act but can you tell me two more?
Thanks,
“Thomas” (Real name & email withheld by Barbados Free Press)
BFP Answers…
Hello Thomas,
That’s wonderful that you are working on an environmental project for school. We hope you keep it up because Barbados needs young people (and old people!) who realise that there is a direct connection between the health of our environment, the health of our economy and our personal health, happiness and quality of life.
Unfortunately, every DLP and BLP government for the last 46 years has promised to implement an Environmental Protection Act, but they have never done so. That is true for our current Prime Minister Stuart, and it was true for our past Prime Ministers Thompson and Arthur.
We think the reason for this lack of environmental laws is that large corporations give ‘political donations’ of money to the DLP and BLP to assist with their election campaigns, but in return the politicians unofficially promise the companies that they will not make any environmental laws that would harm the business interests of their political donors.
As a result, the corporations are pretty well free to do whatever they want in Barbados with no government environmental oversight or rules. Don’t forget, it costs money to be clean and to properly dispose of chemicals. The corporations don’t want to do things properly if they can get away with cheap solutions.
This has harmed Barbados and our environment in the long run and is threatening to wreck our tourism industry.
Thomas, we hope that you will continue to research and learn about the environment in Barbados, and that when you are confident in your position, you will start to challenge the politicians about their poor record when it comes to protecting the environment.
Good luck!
Marcus, Cliverton, Robert, Nevermind Kurt, Auntie Moses, George and Shona. We are BFP!
Barbados Free Press 
The Marine Pollution Act, The Town Planning Act ( Trees ), The Coastal Zone management Act and The Envoirmental Protection Act
My son is doing the same project
Look up these on line,
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BARBADOS COASTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
Home > History > Barbados Coastal Management Plan
The Barbados Coastal Management Plan
The Barbados Coastal Conservation Programme (1996-98) resulted in the coastal management plan for Barbados which exists in three (3) volumes: 1) Policy Framework; 2) Atlantic Coastal Management Plan (Halcrow 1998a, 1998b); 3) Caribbean Coastal Management Plan (1999). The plans are all linked by the following two (2) strategic and associated policy objectives (Halcrow 1998a):
Strategic Objective 1 Sustainability
■The sustainable use of the coastal management area by the implementation of policies designed to maintain and enhance environmental quality and promote enabling economic development.
This is proposed for achievement through the following policy objectives:
■Application of standards and procedures to negate environmental degradation.
■To seek compatibility between economic activity and environmental interests at the coast.
■Management conservation and enhancement of the heritage, quality and cultural character of the coastal environment.
■Management and preservation of the dynamic nature of the coast and the recognition of such in the decision making process.
Strategic Objective 2- – An effective framework for implementation
■The establishment of an effective legal institutional and administrative framework to implement ICZM.
This is proposed for achievement through the following policy objectives:
■Focus on integration and coordination through the development of effective inter-linkages with the public and private sector to respond to coastal management issues.
■To raise awareness and actively encourage public participation in all stages of the coastal management process.
■To promote research education and training across all governmental and non-governmental levels on coastal related issues.
■To secure adequate financial resources to sustain the ICM process successfully and to use those resources in the most cost effective way.
The Role of the Barbados CZMP
With in the body of the CZM Act is the requirement for the preparation of a CZMP and an order delimiting a CZM Area. Given the contrasting shorelines of the Atlantic and Caribbean (east and west coasts respectively) coastlines, two plan documents have been developed. Both provide detailed guidance for the management of coastal uses, development and regulation along the shoreline (Halcrow 1999). Within each plan it is clearly identified that environmental management is a key requirement for the continued sustainable development of Barbados , however, there is a need for greater development control within a defined CZM area. Within this area, planning permission may only be granted if the proposals are consistent with the policies set out in the relevant plan (Halcrow 1998).
The CZM area has been identified to be wide enough to influence the main activities and uses, which affect the coastal environment. Along the Caribbean coast the boundary for the area is defined as follows:
1.Landward: the first coastal road or the limit of the predicted 100-year storm surge modeling or which ever is further inland (Delcan 1995). This boundary is of significance since the coastal road has been traditionally used as the boundary when considering coastal development applications by the TCPO.
2.Seaward: The 100m isobath or 200m seaward of the outer edge of the bank reef or which ever is further seaward. This area therefore includes the coastal sand reserves and the reef environments that produce them. Also included within this area are the nearshore ecosystems most easily influenced by land-based effects (Halcrow 1998).
For the Atlantic coast the landward boundary of the CZM area follows main roads near the coast and geomorphological landscape features found along the area. The seaward boundary runs along the 100m isobath, which demarcates the shelf/slope boundary, found approximately 1-2 km offshore (Halcrow 1998)
Functionally the CZMP is designed to work in tandem with other island wide environmental policy and programme documents (e.g. 1998 draft Physical Development Plan and 1998 draft Environmental Management Plan) .
The CZMP actually is closely integrated into the two draft plans identified. This is achieved through the identification and development of consistent approaches between planning policies thereby ensuring the integrated nature of all three documents. The integrated nature of the CZMP with the PDP allows the CZMP to actually be the guide to all coastal development in conjunction with the PDP. The PDP identifies the broad-based approach to land use management for the island while the CZMP stipulates the mandatory requirements for development within the coastal fringe.
Glossary of Terms
Cusp
One of a series of short ridges on the foreshore separated by crescent-shaped troughs spaced at more or less regular intervals. Between these cusps are hollows. The cusps are spaced at somewhat uniform distances along beaches. They represent a combination of constructive and destructive
Marine Pollution Act re oil spills etc…
Coastal Zone management Act to do with proctecting the beaches, reefs etc…
Town Planning Act protects trees , buildings etc
Barbados has no Environmental Protection Act to regulate the environment on land. We have no rules about the use, storage or disposal of chemicals on land. We have no laws requiring gas companies to report or clean up spills. You can use any herbicide you want in Barbados and you don’t have to be trained, licensed or inspected to do so!
Ethical Traveler dropped Barbados from its recommended list in 2012 because according to the organisation all our politicians do is talk about the environment and they are not serious.
Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association President Sue Springer said it all in 2010 when she asked the BLP & DLP “Where is the Environmental Act you’ve both been promising for 20 years?”
The answer is “Nowhere”.
What about noise pollution act? can we have some information on that, for my peaceful week-ends at Bathsheba has been shattered by a particular club every Friday & Saturday night, well into the early hours of the morning.
Is there an Act that makes littering, illegal dumping of blood. offal, toxins and carcasses? Is pissing in public both an Environmental and a Health issue? What about Fogging. It is universally condemned as antiquated, low-tech, ineffective and polluting as it just lays a thin film of diesel and other toxic or carcinogenic oils over everything it blows over, including coating the insides of ones lungs. Is it asking too much for an Environmental or MTW officer to do some research online to find and suggest alternative mosquito control? YES! The Unions probably might not agree that s/he should be asked to do so!
Thanks for the help – my mum found this when looking for the same info!,, I have the same school project
Laws are usually a collection of ink molecules
gathered together in what we call ‘words’ —-on paper.
They’re as useless as a copy of Treasure Island is
-unless there is enforcement of said laws.
I don’t need to go any further..
Dear Barbados Free Press :
Your response to “Thomas” was less than helpful.
But it is clear to all that BFP went to school at the pipe.