Trelawny man fined for polluting Glisten Waters Bay

A Trelawny man who pleaded guilty to allowing a noxious or polluting matter to enter a water body containing fish, was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment at hard labour or to pay a fine of $70,000  when he appeared in Trelawny Parish Court yesterday.

The man, Richard West, was arrested and charged with breaching Section 11 of the Wild Life Protection Act (WLPA), by representatives of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force after a joint investigation.

The charge was in relation to an incident on June 29, 2017, when engine oil was discharged from a boat owned by Wates into the Glistening Waters Bay, Falmouth.

According to Morjorn Wallock, director, legal & enforcement at NEPA, “the stewardship of the environment falls to the agency not only in terms of the management of Jamaica’s natural resources but also its preservation. Enforcement and compliance is fundamental to this duty. The agency will therefore avail itself of all legal options to secure compliance.”

NEPA is also reminding the public that individuals found guilty of an offence under the WLPA may be charged a maximum fine of $100,000 or face up to one year imprisonment.