VIII. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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F. Protective measures and monitoring mechanisms

A large number of measures exist which are aimed at protecting the environment. In type they range from statute-based measures, which are the most common, to policy directives, user pays principle measures and externally-imposed mechanisms. Unfortunately, those measures are not integrated at the national level; many of the legal ones are deficient, while the enforcement and penalty regimes are inadequate. Similarly, some of the existing monitoring mechanisms are deficient and ineffective.

Those shortcomings stem from the low priority accorded the environment, the lack of awareness of the true dimensions of the environmental problems, the absence of an effective, institutional coordinating framework and the lack of comprehensive environmental legislation.

Recommendations

It is recommended that:

• The statutory penalties against environmental abuses should be revised, to make them effective;
• A thorough review of some of the dated environmental legislation, such as that undertaken by Lodge (1996) in respect of agriculturally-related statutes, should be carried out;
• Particular attention be directed towards ensuring that protective measures, and monitoring and enforcement mechanisms are nationally coordinated and fully effective;
• Technical expertise be recruited to undertake the above tasks and train local counterparts.

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