Research permits processed daily despite pushback over access and benefit sharing legislation thenassauguardian.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thenassauguardian.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Supreme Court hearing resumes today on oil drilling in The Bahamas
BPC advises shareholders that oil drilling “continues”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS Attorney Fred Smith, QC, yesterday urged the government to cooperate and ensure a quick judgment from the Supreme Court regarding the filing for judicial review of oil drilling in The Bahamas.
A Supreme Court judge will hear submissions from the government and lawyers of environmentalists on an application for judicial review of the approvals concerning Bahamas Petroleum Company’s (BPC) exploratory oil drilling, which began last week.
Smith, who represents the environmentalists, told Eyewitness News the matter is “an extremely important public interest case”.
Gov t official says no new drill ship approval needed Brands case misconceived and backs consultation
By NEIL HARTNELL
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
Oil exploration opponents are arguing Bahamas Petroleum Company s (BPC) assertion that a mid-drilling halt will cause unnecessary safety risks is contradicted by its own environmental studies.
Environmental activists have seized on the emergency response section of BPC s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which says drilling can be halted within one to three days should a hurricane threaten, to challenge the company s assertion that a Supreme Court-ordered halt to exploratory drilling would be impossible to implement. While BPC intends to drill outside of hurricane season to avoid potential disruption from hurricanes, the ERP (emergency response plan) will contain hurricane preparedness and response, the relevant section of the EIA stated.
The Stena IceMAX drillship. (PHOTO: BPC VIDEO)
NASSAU, BAHAMAS Bahamas Petroleum Company’s (BPC) attorney Clare Montgomery, QC, today advised the Supreme Court that notwithstanding an application for judicial review of the approvals concerning the company drilling for oil in The Bahamas, now that drilling has begun it is “impossible to halt it”.
She made the statement during a hearing on an application for judicial review of the approvals concerning the company drilling for oil in The Bahamas.
While the UK-based attorney did not expound, she said there was a “very detailed, technical explanation” as to why the exercise, which began this week, could not be reversed.
Scores of demonstrators parked their vehicles alongside Blake Road and held up banners and placards against oil drilling in The Bahamas on Saturday, December 19, 2020. (FILE PHOTO)
NASSAU, BAHAMAS Environmentalist coalition Our Islands, Our Future has publicly expressed its objection to Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC) allegedly attempting to join judicial review proceedings, claiming it to be a scheme to “price its opponents out of justice”.
A statement released by the group read: “During the process, it has also become clear that the Bahamas Petroleum Company does not want its opponents to win or lose on the strength of the case.
“No doubt fearful that the applicants will be successful, the company instead seems determined to price its opponents out of justice before they ever get their day in court.