Shadow Minister of Environment and Climate Resilience, Omar Newell, MP, has welcomed the decision by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) to issue an enforcement notice halting the construction of fish ponds at Barking Lodge, St. Thomas, pending the submission and review of the required application.

Last week, in his capacities as Shadow Minister of Environment and Climate Resilience and Chairman of the People’s National Party’s Region 2 (St. Thomas, Portland and St. Mary), Newell joined Member of Parliament for Eastern St. Thomas, Yvonne-Rose Shaw, on a visit to Barking Lodge and Old Pera following concerns raised by residents.

Among the issues highlighted was the construction of several fish ponds adjacent to, and in some cases bordering, the playfield used by students of Barking Lodge Primary School. Residents expressed concern that the ponds could pose a safety risk to children once operational.

Following inquiries by MP Shaw, NEPA confirmed that no approvals had been granted for the development, despite public claims that the necessary permits had been obtained. This week, the Agency served an enforcement notice requiring all work to cease until the appropriate application is submitted and considered.

Newell welcomed the intervention. “I commend NEPA for acting decisively to uphold the law. This sends an important message that our environmental and planning laws apply equally to everyone, regardless of position or influence. Sustainable development must always take place within the framework of the law, and where citizens raise legitimate concerns, those concerns deserve to be addressed fairly and transparently.”

The visit also brought renewed attention to another longstanding community issue. Residents reported that a fence and gate have been erected across a pathway that has provided public access to the beach for decades, restricting a route traditionally used by generations of families.

Newell said that while the environmental matter is now before the relevant authorities, legal consultations are underway regarding public access to the beach. “Access to our beaches is a matter of significant public interest. We are consulting with attorneys to determine the legal options available to protect the rights the people of Barking Lodge and Old Pera have enjoyed for generations. Development must respect both our environmental laws and the rights of the communities in which it takes place.”

Newell reaffirmed his commitment to working alongside MP Yvonne-Rose Shaw and the people of St. Thomas to ensure that development proceeds responsibly, safely and in accordance with the law while protecting the interests of local communities.