The Honourable Kendred Dorsett, MP,
Minister of the Environment and Housing
Dear Minister,
Late last week, I saw a short article on MSN News online, I believe it was, concerning the dangers of just throwing garbage into landfills, specifically electronics, which are full of toxic materials which can, and will, leak into our ecosystem causing untold damage to both plant and animal life.
This brought back a memory from July 2012, just after your PLP party had retaken the government, and an “Environmental Levy” was introduced to an already over-taxed populous – and we hadn’t even got to VAT yet! Not much fanfare and precious little education accompanied this “tax,” which is pretty much “par for the course” for Bahamian Governments.
However, this particular “tax” I have little argument with if it is used correctly. I remember seeing a letter in the press in mid-2013, I believe, where it was stated that this Levy should NOT be paid into the Public Treasury but rather into a separate account held by your Environment Ministry and used for the very purpose of protecting our environment. One has to wonder if that has happened?
Since July 2012 until January 2015 your Ministry has been totally silent on the matter of Environmental Protection, even very simple advice on what to do with batteries, all batteries, not a peep; what to do with old televisions, not a peep; what to do with old mobile ‘phones, not a peep and the list goes on. I hate to think how many millions of dollars have been collected thus far and yet old, abandoned cars still litter our streets, sir, not to mention old washing machines and refrigerators.
Minister, might we see, therefore, some proper education on protection of the environment? Further, please demand of the Minister of Finance that the Environmental Levy proceeds collected be directed to your ministry for the purpose intended and not be wasted on futile projects such as building baseball/softball courts and definitely not an official Prime Minister’s Residence; the first will benefit, perhaps, a few dozen Bahamians and the latter not a single Bahamian will benefit.
The people await your responses, sir
Peter Armstrong
