OPPOSITION spokesman on environment and climate resilience Omar Newell has warned against rushing into offshore oil exploration without clear environmental safeguards.

He is also questioning whether the country has the capacity to respond to a major spill or protect industries such as tourism and fishing from environmental disaster.

Making his contribution to the sectoral debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Newell said the Government had not provided sufficient clarity on the environmental implications of future offshore drilling or the protections that would be put in place if exploration moves forward.

“The country deserves some amount of clarity or conversation. What is the environmental position regarding offshore oil exploration? What marine risk frameworks exist? What spill response capacity exists or will be built? What environmental liability regime exists? What protection exists for fisheries and tourism?” Newell asked.

His comments come amid renewed public attention surrounding offshore oil exploration after United Kingdom-listed company United Oil & Gas Plc announced earlier this year that seabed testing within the Walton-Morant licence identified hydrocarbons consistent with what the company described as “an active petroleum system” offshore Jamaica.

The company, which holds the offshore exploration licence covering sections of Jamaica’s southern waters, has been carrying out geochemical surveys and piston core sampling as part of efforts to determine whether commercially viable oil deposits may exist beneath the seabed.

The findings sparked widespread public interest and optimism, with Energy Minister Daryl Vaz later disclosing that several major international oil companies had reportedly begun expressing interest in the project following the survey results.

Vaz has also indicated that exploratory drilling could potentially begin between late 2027 and 2028 if United Oil & Gas secures the necessary investment and regulatory approvals.

United Oil & Gas has estimated that the Walton-Morant licence could contain more than seven billion barrels of unrisked prospective resources, although no commercial oil discovery has yet been confirmed and further drilling would still be required to determine whether extraction is economically viable.

However, during his presentation, Newell stressed that he was not opposed to examining economic opportunities, but argued that Jamaica could not afford to make irreversible environmental decisions without strong regulation, public consultation, and independent scientific oversight.

“I am not here to say Jamaica should never examine economic opportunities as they arise. I am here to say that the country deserves clarity before irreversible decisions are made. And we deserve to be a part of the conversation and the discussion,” he said.

The Opposition spokesman also questioned whether adequate consultation had taken place with sectors likely to be directly affected by offshore drilling.

“What consultation has occurred with coastal communities? What insurance requirements would apply? What independent scientific assessments have been completed?” he asked.

Newell further warned that offshore drilling could expose Jamaica to growing international environmental liability and climate-related litigation at a time when global scrutiny surrounding fossil fuel projects continues to intensify.

“This House must understand that drilling and associated industries has the potential to move us from a minor contributor to global warming to a major contributor opening us up to emerging litigation and claims,” he argued.

“Jamaica must ensure that any future extractive activity is governed by strong independent regulation, robust environmental standards, transparent scientific review, modern liability frameworks, and enforceable polluter-pays principles,” Newell added.

The Opposition spokesman also argued that environmental governance could no longer be treated as secondary to economic development.

“The world is changing. Environmental protection is no longer peripheral to development. It is central to investment credibility, climate financing, public trust, and national survival,” he declared.

SERVICE to country begins not with programmes or policies, but with transformed hearts and minds willing to work together for the good of others.

That was the central message delivered by Reverend Stephenson Samuels at the Kiwanis Club of New Kingston Prayer Breakfast held Saturday at the Stella Maris Pastoral Centre, under the theme ‘Transforming Hearts and Minds through Partnerships’.

Addressing Kiwanians and guests, Samuels urged members to view transformation as more than outward behaviour, describing it instead as “a complete inward change” capable of shaping communities and ultimately the nation.

“If we are going to serve, then there has to be some level of transformation in our lives,” he said. “And that transformation must be in hearts and minds. It cannot happen at the individual level only; it has to be collective.”

Drawing from the scriptures, in Romans 12, Samuels contrasted transformation with conformity, warning against simply adjusting to negative social behaviours rather than creating meaningful and lasting change.

“You are either being transformed or you are being conformed,” he said.

The reverend also pointed to increasing violence among young people, particularly in schools, arguing that many children are influenced by peer pressure and a lack of guidance.

“A lot of those boys just need somebody,” he said while recounting his own experiences as a teenager. He credited the intervention of a caring teacher with helping to redirect his life at a critical time.

Samuels praised the Kiwanis movement for its continued investment in children through mentorship, feeding programmes, leadership initiatives, and community outreach.

“And in the midst of all of this, Kiwanis clubs are still serving their mission and giving themselves away for the betterment of others,” he said.

The breakfast also featured the recognition of three distinguished Jamaican women for their work with children and contribution to nation-building.

Among the honorees was Dr Elizabeth Ward, physician, researcher, and chair of the Violence Prevention Alliance Jamaica, who has spent decades advancing violence prevention and citizen security through public health approaches and policy reform.

Also recognised was Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan, noted child and adolescent psychiatrist and advocate, whose work has significantly influenced child development and protection policies in Jamaica.

Distinguished Kiwanian Pauline Bowla was also honoured for her long-standing commitment to volunteerism, community development, and service through the Kiwanis movement.

The event formed part of the club’s continued emphasis on partnerships, leadership, and community transformation through service.