Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary (GHNS) has announced a “limited opening”, or should it be “re-opening”. The announcement has been accompanied by the “thoughts” of its owner, the busy Canadian “philanthropist” Peter Allard who has wasted millions attempting to sue any Barbadian who can be described as prominent, including the Late Hon. Prime Minister David Thompson.

In Allard’s long and sometimes incoherent “thoughts”, he makes no mention of the law cases he has brought in Canada and his US$35 million claim which was originally trumpeted by Patrick Hoyos of the Broad Street Journal. Instead, he makes the following statement, which many may find questionable and disturbing:

“After years of fruitless pleading with the Government of Barbados to repair critical environmental control structures and enforce environmental laws, in 2009 we were compelled to file formal complaints with the Ministry of the Environment. These complaints allege that Barbados has violated the Convention on Wetlands and the Convention on Biodiversity Treaties, as well as the Canada-Barbados Investment Tax Treaty.” (emphasis added is that of BU)

And just who is the Minister for the Environment? Why, none other than Denis Lowe. The same Denis Lowe whose political campaign was partly financially supported by Peter Allard, with electioneering experts, gifts of camcorders and star reporter Mark Jan Vrem bought in from overseas to assist,  see BU blogs 1,2,3.

In any country and any legal jurisdiction, the relationship between Minister Lowe and Peter Allard is such as to represent a conflict of interest. If Minister Lowe presides over anything to do with Allard, he may well be the first victim of the anti-corruption laws when proclaimed that will be the lasting legacy to Barbados by the late Prime Minister. Minister Lowe might well find himself facing a $500,000 fine and or 5 years in Dodds. The irony would be if Allard has to stake Lowe the $500,000. This is the stuff that Broadway has built its reputation!

There are two options available and it is not enough for Minister Lowe to recuse himself. The complaint by GHNS has got to be handled by a body independent of the influence of Minister Lowe – which means outside the Ministry of Environment. Ideally the safest option is to remove Denis Lowe from the cabinet of Barbados.

What we need to ask the Minister and the Ministry of Environment to provide to the electorate is, documentary back-up to show that Minister Lowe immediately recused himself from in any way dealing with the Allard complaint and to create a firewall between himself and the issue at hand. Nothing less will be acceptable failing which Low should answer with his job. How terrible life will be if there is no SUV to chauffeur about Sanpuchie and the Duppy.