The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL


Tribune Staff Reporter


kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

GREAT Stirrup Cay has paid about $840,000 in environmental penalties after a Ministry of Environment investigation uncovered multiple infractions dating back to the COVID-19 period, Environment Minister Zane Lightbourne revealed yesterday in a rare public disclosure of the value of an environmental enforcement action.

Mr Lightbourne’s disclosure marked a rare public accounting of an environmental enforcement penalty, two years after then Attorney General Ryan Pinder refused to reveal how much Sun Oil was fined after 35,000 gallons of diesel spilled into waters off Great Exuma. At the time, Mr Pinder said the settlement was confidential, effectively setting out the government’s approach to such matters and drawing criticism from environmental advocates who argued that secrecy weakened public confidence in enforcement.

Mr Lightbourne said the Great Stirrup Cay infractions included breaches related to environmental consultant requirements, other development-related violations and a burning complaint from a whistleblower that triggered the ministry’s investigation.

He said the total value of the infractions uncovered was about $840,000 and confirmed the penalties had been paid.

The investigation followed complaints from former Great Stirrup Cay employee Daylland Moxey, who alleged environmental violations at the cay and later claimed he faced retaliation after raising the concerns.

Asked whether the penalty represented a milestone for the ministry, Mr Lightbourne said the government’s objective was not to collect fines, but to force compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

“We want levying fines and punishing people after the fact to be the last resort. We want compliance and cooperation,” Mr Lightbourne said, explaining that long-term environmental damage cannot be reduced to a dollar figure. “When you use the beauty and the comfort of some of your environmental spaces and you’ve already created a hazardous environment, the remediation is still a long-suffering point in some cases, and we hope to avoid that.”

He said the enforcement action represented a “win for the law in terms of legislation” relating to environmental infractions, but insisted the ministry’s ultimate goal remains full compliance.

Mr Lightbourne also stressed the importance of people reporting suspected environmental violations, saying the public and visitors must help authorities identify lawbreakers because the country’s archipelagic geography makes it impossible for officials to be everywhere at once.

“I’m not labelling any company or any person as a criminal,” Mr Lightbourne said. “Sometimes these infractions stem very extensively that negatively affect people’s health and well-being and the environment itself, so we want to make sure that we encourage the public and we protect wherever we can their involvement, their identity.”

He said Mr Moxey had been “bold” in contacting authorities about his concerns.

However, Mr Lightbourne stopped short of saying the ministry’s investigative report would be released publicly, saying he would seek guidance from senior officials on whether it could be disclosed.

Great Stirrup Cay, a 268-acre private island in the Berry Islands, is exclusively owned by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), a major global cruise company.

The disclosure comes after years of criticism over secrecy surrounding environmental enforcement.

After the 2022 Exuma diesel spill, Mr Pinder confirmed that a fine had been negotiated with the responsible company, but later refused to reveal the amount, saying he did not disclose confidential settlements at the Office of the Attorney General.

The spill occurred in July 2022 when 35,000 gallons of diesel leaked into waters off Great Exuma as a vessel contracted by Sun Oil was delivering fuel.