Edwin poots4/3/2023 ![]() ![]() The challenge was to take the province’s “generally benign attitude to the environment” to the next level during a “singularly chilly economic climate.” Examples included the Belfast Telegraph’s ‘war on waste’ and favourable local reporting. He thought that Northern Ireland’s press had “a much more balanced and enlightened approach” to the issue than in other parts of the UK. The Environment Minister was increasingly appreciating waste management as a “barometer of our willingness to pay more than just lip service to the environment.” Poots stated: “That such an enormous, landfill-shaped gap exists between Robert Moses’ aspirations and the impact of those aspirations demonstrates just how easy it is for a well-intentioned environmental scheme to reap unfortunate and unforeseen consequences.” “At one level, this is yet another story of the iniquities of landfill,” he continued, but it also “reminds us how fallible we all are when it comes to taking decisions about the environment.” Many of us consider ourselves “practical and idealistic” as Moses was described at the time. It became the Fresh Kills Landfill, with a mound eventually growing to 2.9 billion cubic feet in size and leaching an estimated 1 million gallons of toxic materials into the surrounding water table every day. In 1948, the New York planner was acknowledged as a leading conservationist when he decided to deposit municipal waste in the city’s tidal marsh on Staten Island. The cautionary tale of Robert Moses formed the backdrop for Edwin Poots’ address to agendaNi’s waste management seminar. should serve notice to ministers in the future that power comes with responsibility, not least to uphold the rule of law - however politically inconvenient that may be.Waste projects have long-lasting consequences and lessons from the past are worth learning for today, according to Environment Minister Edwin Poots. "The impartiality and integrity of the civil service needs to be protected by ministers, and his failure to do so has also opened up accusations of political bias, which has such serious consequences in the context of the volatile political situation in Northern Ireland. “Not only did Poots ignore his own obligations under the ministerial code, but he failed in his responsibility to ensure that civil servants never face the dilemma of whether to act on ministerial instruction or uphold the rule of law," he told the Belfast Telegraph. Mr Penman said the court's recently published judgment made clear that Mr Poots "acted in complete contravention of his obligations as a minister to uphold the rule of law". ![]() However, Mr Justice Colton found consent from ministerial colleagues was not required. The former minister had contended that he needed approval of fellow Stormont ministers to implement the checks. The former DUP leader has yet to comment on the court ruling, the costs of which is likely to be burdened by the taxpayer. ![]() ![]() The comments relate to last month's High Court ruling, which described Mr Poots' move in February last year as an "overtly political" decision. FORMER DUP minister Edwin Poots' unlawful order to stop protocol-related checks has been criticised by a white collar trade union leader.ĭave Penman, general secretary of the FDA, which represents senior and middle management in the public sector, said the former agriculture minister "acted in complete contravention of his obligations" when he sought withdraw staff tasked with carrying out Irish Sea border checks. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |