The Inquirer (Monrovia)
Charles B. Yates
17 July 2007
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia has dashed the hope of one of Liberia's outstanding environmental groups based in the United States of America under the banner, Umbrella Management Group Incorporated.
It can be recalled that in December 2006, the EPA invited the US-based environmental group to Liberia based upon the group's interest to set up an Emergency Planning and Community Right To Know Act (EPCRA), a program which is intended to address the problem with the usage, storage and disposal of hazardous chemical and waste in the country.
During that meeting with the EPA and the Umbrella, the Executive Director of the EPA Mr. Ben T. Donnie endorsed the group's presentation and described it as a great help for Liberia. At that program, Mr. Donnie told newsmen in an interview that the EPA would work with the group in achieving its goal.
Mr. Donnie further told reporters at the ceremony that the EPA would sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Umbrella Group, which would afford the group to lobby for investors for the establishment of the program in Liberia.
For his part, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Umbrella, Mr. Jerome E. Sheldon told the EPA that portion of the funds generated from the program would be given to the EPA to help build up its capacity.
Upon the return of the group's president to the US to lobby for investors who would sponsor the program establishment in Liberia, the EPA did not live up to its promise.
According to the CEO of Umbrella Group, the MOU was intended to convince the investors that the Government of Liberia recognize the group but it did not materialize as the result of lack of originality of the MOU.
When this paper contacted the EPA it was notified that the communication that was sent to the Umbrella Group did not have the EPA's letterhead.
According to the middleman between the EPA and the group, Mr. Jonathan Davis who is a senior staff at the EPA, there was no agreement between the EPA and Umbrella Group.
Mr. Davis said the EPA only hired the group to carry out a piece of job and the group accomplished the job.
"There are lots of Liberians who want to come back home to hustle and those boys are some of those who are hustling to come back," he told our reporter recently at the YMCA during a workshop held for environmental inspectors.
When this paper asked Mr. Sheldon how he felt about the EPA recent statement he said, "I felt the same way too that the EPA betrayed us, but these are some of the challenges those of us in the Diaspora face from our own people.
I'm not down and out...as a matter of fact, I have a great job and live a better life in the United States; so you see, I don't have to do this project in Liberia, but the fact of the matter is my conscious won't allow me because I have my country at heart.
If it is about the money (as some want to imply), then all I have to do is wait for the Government to slap down on the companies and then I set up a consultancy with the companies to get and keep them in compliance, but that won't solve our problem because the EPA along with other relevant government agencies lack the expertise and capacity to check the accuracy of the information furnished by the companies and how to use the information to effectively and efficiently monitor, regulate and enforce requirements to protect the Liberian people and environment of our country.
We cannot rely on UNEP or UNDP to solve this problem because they offer temporary solutions based on the fact that they too rely on donor funding. For permanent solution, we have to do it ourselves and that's exactly what my project will accomplish because it will generate steady revenue that will allow the government to afford continual recruitment and training for it staffs, up-to-date technology and top-notch consultancy," he stated.
Mr.Donnie mentioned in the email I send you that he did a lot to accommodate me on this project. What accommodation? I paid my airfare to Liberia twice, I paid for the conference at the City Hall, I gave the EPA money to prepared and send out the invitations, compensated them for going out on the assessment studies of some of the companies and I paid for media coverage of the conference. So how did the EPA accommodate me?
Perhaps it most be the signing of the MOU. The Government is not paying us a penny for this project, instead the MOU allow us to implement the EPCRA project in Liberia in collaboration with the EPA to address problem with the usage, storage and disposal of Hazardous chemical and waste.
When Mr. Donnie mentioned accommodating me, I think he's talking about the signing of the MOU and thus attributing that to doing me a favor. The signing of the MOU shouldn't be seen as doing me a favor, but rather protecting our people and country, which is the job of the EPA," Mr. Sheldon Stressed.
"I mentioned to you awhile back that this project is a vision to me. So I know it will happen. This is just a huddle in my way. Maybe the EPA's leaderships don't see it now, but they will someday. I told myself I wouldn't confront the EPA privately or publicly on this matter anymore at this point, but instead engage some donor or grant organizations in obtaining the funds for the project.
And when I do, I'll head back to Liberia and lobby the legislatures and other stakeholders, I cannot stop you as a journalist wanting to do your job. You asked me for my input that's the reason why I responded. I will always be available to work with the Government or any NGO to address the issue pertaining to Hazardous Chemical in Liberia," he concluded.
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