Assessed outside the realm of the usual CORD and Jubilee political antagonism, the debate generated by the Northern Water Collector Tunnel points to an emerging consciousness. One aspect of this consciousness is the rising ecological awareness; questioning the allocation of natural resources and the balance between conservation and development.
Citizens demand free prior and informed consent before ecologically sensitive resource utilisation and development projects are initiated. Secondly is the question of benefit sharing, particularly monetary proceeds emanating from utilisation of resources in which they have a legitimate stake.