Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur forgets BLP’s neglect and mismanagement of Barbados environment

“We have to protect our marine environment. We have to address drainage issues and get a sensible environmental levy and put it in place based upon ‘the polluter pays principle’.”

Former PM Owen Arthur talks to Barbados Today

Wuhloss! I couldn’t believe what I was reading in Barbados Today from Owen Arthur – our Prime Minister for 14 years from 1994 to 2008.

Owen Arthur better than anybody knows what a disaster his government and leadership was for the Barbados environment. He and his government’s corruption misappropriated millions upon millions of dollars from the public coffers – money that could have been used to maintain this island’s environment. You know… the environment; the beaches, the reefs, the water, the wetlands and gullies. All those natural areas that make Barbados special and keep the tourists coming to support our national economy.

Prime Minister Arthur could have done so much for the environment during his 14 years in power, but no… Owen Arthur and his government only paid lip service to the foundation of our economy and of our quality of life – which is why I cannot let Owen Arthur get away with his recent outrageously false statements about how much his BLP government achieved in the area of the environment.

First, let’s remember the West Coast Sewerage Project, shall we? Here’s what Owen told Barbados Today…

“Barbados will in the future need to continue to spend large sums on environmental solutions. I wish that the country would come to terms with the fact that there has to be a West Coast Sewerage Project. We cannot continue indefinitely putting our sewage in the sea. And these things have to be paid for.”

The truth is that the BLP government borrowed $100 million dollars for this project and failed to achieve it. We still have raw sewerage being pumped into the sea on the West Coast because Owen borrowed the money to build the plant and then somehow never built the plant. Where is the 100 million dollars that was borrowed? Try Switzerland, the Caymans or the Marshall Islands. I don’t know where it is, maybe Goin’ wid Owen knows!

Let’s consider a few of the Owen Arthur’s and the BLP’s other environmental “successes”, shall we?

From BFP’s archives:

14 Years in Power: BLP did not pass an Environmental Protection Act

Barbados Government destroying RAMSAR natural heritage site.

One day’s work on Graeme Hall sluice gate proves 15 years of neglect by Barbados Government

BLP, Owen Arthur waste 100 million dollars on failed Greenland dump project

Barbados Chemical Dumping – What Would Jesus Do?

Barbados: No rules about chemical use, storage, dumping

Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association asks BLP & DLP “Where is the Environmental Act you’ve both been promising for 20 years?”

Barbados Government Withholds Secret Report On Louis Lynch School Environmental Disaster

Over 400 illegal dumps in Barbados