News

On Friday 31 January, during the Third Meeting of the 2024-2025 Session of Parliament, Minster for Sustainability & Climate Resiliency and Wellness, the Hon. Dwayne Seymour issued a statement withdrawing the National Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2024. In his statement, Minister Seymour noted that the National Conservation Act, in its current form, created several difficulties that could only be addressed by the Parliament. “There is a legal/policy issue as it relates to the proportionate balance to be struck between the powers given to the NCC to override decisions of other public bodies, (potentially including the constitutionally created Cabinet) and the ability of those other public bodies in the exercise of their own statutory functions,” said Minister Seymour. The withdrawal follows a 28-day public consultation period which concluded on Monday 27 January, and resulted in 511 individual responses from members of the public. Minister Seymour indicated that at a later juncture, Parliament would reconvene to discuss the matter with a view to realigning the imbalance of power created by the legislation in its current form.