Justice for the victims of negative impact of bauxite mining

Advocates for the protection of the environment have been very vocal and vociferous in voicing their concerns about the plight of persons negatively affected by bauxite mining in Jamaica. This is a problem which goes back to the beginning of mining operations in the 1960s and has continued unabated up to the present. Over time, though, there have been efforts by some of the bauxite companies to mitigate the impact on residents and the environment. There is, nevertheless, a persistent record of marginalization of those who are directly affected.

Environmental degradation, which is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil as well as the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife, negatively affects all life forms and, especially in watershed areas, serve to undermine the longevity and sustainability of people and the environment. In fact, as well known environmentalist Dr Joyce Glasgow is wont to remind us, the environment is not just about flora and fauna, it is also about people and their relationships and interactions. Advocates of a sustainable environment are at pains to point out that short-term gains at the expense of long-term sustainability only serve to undermine the rich biodiversity of those areas in which bauxite is mined on a regular basis.

Since the 1960s, when bauxite mining began in earnest in Jamaica and the government was in search of capital to spur development in the struggling economy, this activity has provided the right mix of foreign exchange earnings and the creation of skilled and unskilled jobs to maintain a significant number of persons in the Jamaican society. As time goes by, there is increased recognition that the impact of bauxite mining on the livelihoods of persons in the Cockpit Country is not sustainable and will need to be revisited in order to maintain a safe and sustainable environment.

At its recently concluded synod or annual general meeting the Church in the Province of the West Indies (CPWI or Anglican Church) passed a resolution which condemns bauxite mining which continues to undermine the integrity of things which are made to serve the planet. The resolution states categorically that, “Bauxite Mining has caused severe environmental problems in Jamaica for many decades and the impact is still being felt today in many parishes across this Island.” It is, therefore, in accordance with the ongoing destruction of the environment that the government and the Church are being asked to intervene as a matter of urgency.

Spurred on by a sense of alienation by the people directly affected by bauxite mining, the Church hears and responds to the cry of the marginalized who say “They are writing letters to the Member of Parliament. The citizens don’t get the support they need to air their concerns. People are being muted. They are asking the Diocese to advocate on behalf of the voiceless.” In passing this resolution which was moved and seconded by two priests, Rev. Garfield Campbell, rector of St Mark’s Church, Brown’s Town and the Very Rev. Richard Tucker of Ocho Rios working in the affected areas, cite the challenges posed by bauxite mining and the need for an urgent response.  A member of the synod, Rev. Olando Gayle, priest-in-charge of the Southfield Cure, who recently completed a degree in theology and the environment, spoke in support of the resolution, in which he highlighted the negative impact of mining on community members such as deforestation, farmlands destroyed, and the dust from mines and trucks which affects people’s sinuses and impacts the quality of drinking water collected from roofs into tanks.

In the final analysis Resolution No. 9 Concerning the Negative Impact of Bauxite Mining in St Ann & Trelawny and the public stance of the Diocese, committed the Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (Anglican) to join the voices of advocates for a safe environment for all. Through its environmental committee and other mechanisms, the Church is to “issue public statements via electronic, print, and social media, outlining the deleterious impact of continued bauxite mining in Jamaica and specifically in the areas of St Ann and Trelawny on the environment and its citizenry. [As a matter of justice, it is to] highlight the plight of the communities wherein farmers and their dependents are losing their source of livelihood, wellbeing and sense of place.”

Rev. Garth Minott is the Bishop of Kingston.