allafrica.com Visit The Publisher's Site The East African Standard (Nairobi) OPINION March 10, 2003 Posted to the web March 10, 2003 Otieno Otieno Nairobi

If the predictions of one ancient scholar by the name Malthus were right, the human species would have disappeared from the face of the earth today. Malthus contended that since the human population growth was exponential, it would soon reach a threshold and come down crashing.

But long after he passed on, humanity is not any closer to extinction. Instead, we are watching a population explosion in our time. And many of the latter day scholars have dismissed Malthus as an alarmist-which is not entirely true. Malthus' concern was somehow valid, but he had simply ignored the potential of technology, better healthcare and other factors to reverse the trend for the better.

Nigeria Competition Bill

More recently, some scientists have argued that because crude oil is a non-renewable resource, the world's oil wells would run dry soon. Yet the OPEC members are striking new wells bubbling with the product every other day. The only times there is limited supply are in the events of a pending war in the Gulf or violent demonstrations in Venezuela.

In the same breath, wanton destruction of forests in the past has sent similar panic among Kenyans. It is understandable. The country's forest cover is shrinking so fast, only about 2.5 per cent of our land area is currently under forest-a far cry from the international standard of 10 per cent required of countries. It has thus become rather unfashionable to imagine any development activity taking place in any of our forests. That is why a lot of heat has been generated by the recent revelation that an American investor had bought a section of Karura forest to build a tourist hotel.

Whether or not he acquired it on the strength of a legal notice may not matter much now. But the transaction has not failed to raise some serious issues about environmental conservation in Kenya. Do forests have any other benefits to Kenyans apart from the crucial natural values of attracting rain and acting as water catchment areas? Should we preserve our forests just as part of our national heritage and for their aesthetic value?

At face value, it seems difficult to appreciate that economic benefits can accrue from our forests without undermining conservation efforts. How do we put in check the common economic greed that comes with investments?

The whole world was once locked in a similar dilemma. With high population growth and the zeal to attain economic development, the world's natural resources came under a lot of pressure. It suddenly emerged that the resources were getting depleted at a faster rate than they could recover.

But it was not until 1972 that the problem gained significant international attention. Governments and environmentalists who converged for a conference in Stockholm, Sweden, left with a loose agreement to improve the status of natural resources.

When a similar meeting was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992, the resolve was much stronger. They even came up with a plan of action, which was compressed in the now popular document with environmentalists, Agenda 21.

One remarkable lesson in the document is the recognition that the environment and economic development are two sides of the same coin. It correctly emphasises the need to strike a balance between ecology and economics using a tool called Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The environmental expert's version of a cost/benefit analysis, any EIA's twin objectives are to identify and mitigate the dangers posed by the development project on the environment. Where a serious conflict arises, an independent EIA can be relied upon to establish the truth.

Kenya set in earnest to domesticate Agenda 21 in her environmental policy in the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) of 1994. The content of NEAP later fed heavily into the authoritative legislation-the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act, 1999.

Notably, the Act also prescribes an independent EIA for major development activities in the country.

Public opinion may tie the government's hands on such matters.

But in future, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Environment should find it valuable to subject all development projects to independent EIAs before approving or dismissing them.

One more thing. The government should demand of investors a high degree of corporate responsibility to help conserve the natural resources. But a balance must be struck between ecology and economics-however delicate.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Sunday, March 09, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Hidrocapital public water utility has started to ration water in the Metropolitan Caracas area after confirming that levels at the Camatagua reservoir are getting lower.

The summer drought, meteorologists forecast, will continue through March and Hidrocapital engineers report that the reservoir is 23 meters below its normal level.

• Rationing is necessary because current levels indicate that supplies will otherwise run out in 120 days. 

The company has notified the public about areas, times and timetable of the rationing process.

www.vheadline.com Posted: Friday, March 07, 2003 By: Thais J. Gangoo

VHeadline.com lifestyle correspondent Thais J. Gangoo writes: A light blue sky is our roof and we all try to see what it is under it.

But, do we really see what we have? Do we know the things we can’t touch with our hands, but we can see with our eyes ... and feel in our hearts?

Being adults is the 'real world' for some ... however, for some others, trying to be kids for a minute seems to be what they have always been waiting for since they grew up.

Have you ever wondered if it's possible for us to feel what our Venezuelan kids feel?

Some people have found an answer to that question and it's is very true when we say that … “the best things in the world are for free.”

Venezuela has some of the most amazing places on Earth. Moreover, we have what some friends of mine call “Our Sacred Mountain” ... El Avila ... a place where you can feel completely free and it’s all yours…

No matter if you are kid or an adult, people just seem to find “El Avila” a place they can share with friends, exercise, enjoy and even play like kids again. Each weekend, people from all over the place climb that mountain with nothing else in their minds but joy.

Parents with their kids walk to “Sabas Nieves” and “La Julia,” and some others who like to challenge themselves, go to beyond “Estribo de Duarte,” “Pico Oriental” and even get to the Humboldt Hotel ... it's impossible to forget to enjoy what we see from El Avila.

What do we see? We see ourselves ... we see a country and its people.

We see no color, no race, no ages, no political divisions…

We see a whole family under the blue sky and bright sun inviting us to believe deeply that there is always tomorrow.

Being around the beautiful valley of Caracas, El Avila represents this paradise of hope that we call Venezuela. It sure is the place where some go to get away from their problems ... forget their sorrows ... and to dry away their tears.

Even though it's hard to believe, that sacred mountain has been witness of some of the most difficult times we have gone through these last years …

“Red hills of hate that see it all ... in a paradise of hope we must all build up.”

www.alertnet.org 06 Mar 2003 23:52

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday it would bar some shrimp imports from Honduras and Venezuela, apparently because their fishermen may be drowning sea turtles in their nets.

The State Department said U.S. law bans imports of shrimp harvested in a way that harms turtles unless a country has a "sea turtle protection program" like United States or has a fishing environment "that does not pose a threat" to turtles.

The key element of the U.S. sea turtle conservation program is that commercial shrimp boats must use sea turtle "excluder devices" to prevent the accidental drowning of sea turtles in shrimp trawls, the department said.

Such devices direct turtles to an opening in the trawl -- a large bag-like net dragged by a boat -- so they are not trapped and drowned.

The department said it determined on Jan. 29 that Venezuela and Honduras were not meeting the U.S. requirements, triggering the suspension of imports of shrimp harvested with commercial fishing technology that may hurt the turtles. Shrimp harvested by "artisanal" and other methods may still be imported.

The State Department said it hoped the suspension would be brief and it may send teams of experts to the two countries to assess what they are doing to protect sea turtles.

usinfo.state.gov 06 March 2003

(State Department suggests trade measure need not last long) (530)

The Department of State has banned U.S. imports of shrimp from Honduras and Venezuela harvested from the wild because of inadequate protection for endangered sea turtles, the department has announced.

In a March 6 media note, the department said that imports of those countries' shrimp harvested by aquaculture and artisanal (non-mechanical) methods are still allowed.

"The Department expressed the hope that the import prohibition will be a brief measure," the note said, adding that it could send U.S. experts to work with officials of the two countries on improving turtle protection.

U.S. law requires that U.S. fleets shrimping in waters where turtles are known to migrate must use turtle-excluder devices -- which allow turtles to escape the shrimp nets. The World Trade Organization (WTO) has upheld later U.S. law that applied the same requirements on imported shrimp.

In May 2002 the State Department banned shrimp imports from Haiti and Indonesia.

Following is the text of the media note:

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC

March 6, 2003

Sea Turtle Conservation and Shrimp Imports

On January 29, 2003, the Department of State determined that Honduras and Venezuela no longer meet the requirements set by Section 609 of P.L. 101-162 related to the protection of sea turtles in the course of commercial shrimp harvesting. As a result of this determination, importation of shrimp harvested in Honduras and Venezuela with commercial fishing technology that may adversely affect endangered sea turtles will be prohibited. However, imports of shrimp harvested in Honduras and Venezuela by other means, including by aquaculture and with artisanal methods, may continue.

In making this determination, the Department expressed the hope that the import prohibition will be a brief measure. The Department will work closely with the Governments of Honduras and Venezuela to address concerns that led to this determination. In particular, the Department will explore the possibility of sending teams of experts to Honduras and Venezuela to work with fisheries and law enforcement officials and to assess steps taken by the Governments of Honduras and Venezuela to enforce their requirements to protect sea turtles in the course ofshrimp harvesting.

P.L. 101-162 (Section 609) prohibits the importation of shrimp harvested in ways harmful to sea turtles unless the Department of State certifies that the harvesting nation either has a sea turtle protection program comparable to that of the United States, or has a fishing environment that does not pose a threat to sea turtles.

The chief component of the U.S. sea turtle conservation program is a requirement that commercial shrimp boats use sea turtle excluder devices (TEDs) to prevent the accidental drowning of sea turtles in shrimp trawls.

The nations and economies that remain certified follow: Argentina, Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Russia, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom and Uruguay.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)