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EPA Director should have seat in Cabinet – Vincent Adams
Dr. Vincent Adams.
Kaieteur News – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plays an integral role in Guyana’s oil sector and according to Dr. Vincent Adams, is the final gatekeeper of all operations on our shores, however such a critical outfit is bereft of the tools necessary to complete its mandate.
It is due to this reason that the past EPA head and environmental expert is of the firm view that the Director of the Agency should have a seat in Cabinet.
During an online debate regarding Guyana’s oil priorities for 2021, Dr. Adams explained that the EPA is the only agency that overlaps the oversight of a majority of the other agencies and ministries in Guyana. Because of this fact, the EPA, Dr. Adams outlined should have proper representation at the Cabinet level.
“Guyana should follow other countries, and have the EPA occupy a cabinet seat where policies are being made about the environment especially where we are today and where the economy is going to quadruple over the next ten years, et cetera. Almost every single development that happens involves policies that involve the environment. The Environmental Agency head should be sitting there in Cabinet rather than waiting to get second hand information and reacting. It should be part of those policies,” he stated during his presentation.
Another critical step, Dr. Adams noted too was to ensure that the EPA remains an independent one, void from political interference.
He added, “I remember when I just arrived at the agency, the one thing that I heard all the time from the staff is that the morale is so low, it is a waste of time because when they make a decision, someone would call a politician and they would get it overturned. Totally damaging to the morale so we cannot go back where we were.”
Dr. Adams also highlighted that the governing regime must “walk the talk” and uphold promises made to equip the agency with the requisite tools needed.
“Government has to provide the resources to build its capacity in the form of qualified personnel and their tools to perform. We have to have qualified personnel that are equal to or better than the other side of the field,” he outlined.
The Agency is now gathering its bearings and according to Dr. Adams, it was in a better position than it was before he took hold but significant work still needs to be done. The EPA, Dr. Adams said currently lacks the basic capacities, such as human resources, to assess simple environmental issues.
A forensic audit of the agency done back in 2015 had discovered that the EPA should have had at least 263 persons employed. However, according to Dr. Adams, at the start of his tenure, only 90 persons were there.
Dr. Adams reported that the number increased to 120 and plans were afoot to boost it to at least 300. He noted too, that plans were in the works to procure a state-of-the-art laboratory for the EPA. However, these plans were cut short after his contract was terminated.
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