An Opposition parliamentary candidate has chimed in on the debate about pollution from Belco, blaming the Government for lack of action.

Nicky Gurret, the candidate for Pembroke West Central, said that the Progressive Labour Party leadership has done little to address the problem of soot and other emissions that have plagued the lives of residents, not least since the commissioning of the North Power Station in April 2020.

Ms Gurret said: “One could surmise that the PLP does not care one bit about the schoolchildren, teachers, businesses and those living around the power station who are subject to the unhealthy emissions of Belco.

“I say this is because the PLP is not effecting any change from Belco.

“MP Wayne Caines, who is the president of Belco, says he is well aware of the environmental impact to the neighbouring houses surrounding Belco, but it feels as if little is being done to address the unhealthy emissions.

“His fellow PLP colleagues, ministers Jason Hayward [area MP], Walter Roban [the Minister of Home Affairs] and Michael Weeks [the Minister of National Security] and the person with the most power, Premier David Burt — where are their voices?

“Health minister Kim Wilson needs to urgently write to Mr Caines and tell him his company emissions are a nuisance and health hazard.”

Emissions are regulated by the Environmental Authority, which falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The authority is able to put forth new conditions for Belco’s operating licence to guide it to address problem emissions, which it continues to do.

Ms Wilson has the power to rule emissions a statutory nuisance under the Public Health Act 1949 and have them abated.

The Regulatory Authority regulates the electricity sector and sets retail tariffs for fuel. It has said that any increased cost in using a cleaner fuel, a method identified as being able to reduce emissions, would fall to the customer under the Electricity Act 2016.

The Ministry of Finance has said it would consider any application from Belco for relief on a more environmentally friendly fuel. When approached, Belco refused to answer whether it would do so.

Home Affairs Minister Walter Roban said, “To suggest that the Government does not care about the impact of BELCO's power plant emissions on area residents, schools, and businesses is disingenuous and utterly ridiculous.”

“This Government has always made clear its commitment to address the unacceptable situation area residents, businesses, and schools face from Belco's emissions and is hard at work to resolve it.”

The Minister of Home Affairs Walter Roban said: “To suggest that the Government does not care about the impact of Belco's power plant emissions on area residents, schools, and businesses is disingenuous and utterly ridiculous.

“This Government has always made clear its commitment to address the unacceptable situation area residents, businesses, and schools face from Belco's emissions and is hard at work to resolve it.”

• This story has been updated to make it clear that Nicky Gurret is not an MP but is an OBA parliamentary candidate and to add comments from the Minister of Home Affairs.