The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States 3rd Council of Ministers Environmental Sustainability Meeting got underway in Dominica on Wednesday, May 4th.
The Hon. Prime Minister, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, addressed the opening ceremony at the Fort Young Hotel.
In addition to several ideas which he put forward for the consideration of the Ministers when the meeting convened at the State House, the Hon. Prime Minister reaffirmed his belief that to be effective, OECS States must work as a unit.
“I think it strengthens our position when we speak not just for one member country but for all of us as one group. I believe we will get greater attention and respect this way. Let’s us understand that we are competing with ideologies, politics in developed countries… and much larger populations.
“Our experiences and lessons from Paris are testament to the fact that by working together and consolidating our ideas, we can in fact be listened to, respected and reacted to positively to our lasting benefit.”“If you put all of us in the OECS together, that’s one street in China or one apartment building. So we have to understand that we are not on equal footing notwithstanding the fact that in some instances we each have one vote.
Hon. Minister for Health and Environment, Dr. Kenneth Darroux, who is chair of the proceedings referred to Dominica’s Growth and Social Protection Strategy which reaffirms Government’s commitment to sustainable development.
“Dominica has updated its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and successfully completed a sustainable land management project with a strategy for up scaling in 2017.
“Government has also adopted the Low Carbon Climate Resilience Development Strategy 2012-2020 which outlines sectoral and national interventions to mitigate and adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change that will create employment by diversifying and growing our economy.
“By 2014, with the Environmental Coordinating Unit leading, Dominica had drafted the Climate Change Environment and Development Bill- the cutting edge legal and institutional framework which will position Dominica to gain improved access to international climate financing particularly from the Green Climate Fund,” he reported.
The Environment Ministers and Climate Change Ambassadors of the OECS will engage in discussions on ocean governance, water resources management, energy and climate change among others.
Helen Royer is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and the Environment.
She explained, “The main purpose of the meeting is to operationalize Article 24.1 of the Revised Treaty if Basseterre which states that ‘each …member state shall implement the St. George’s Declaration of Principles for Environmental Sustainability in the OECS to minimize environmental vulnerability, improve environmental management and protect the region’s natural resource base for optimal social and economic benefit for member states.’”
Director General of the OECS Commission, Dr. Didacus Jules says finding a sustainable pathway is an urgent subject for the region.
He hails the St. George’s Declaration as the most visionary environment-related document to come from any grouping of Small Island Developing States.
He says the region’s individual challenges provide a unique opportunity to deepen ties.
“The Governments and peoples of the subregion will, during this month of May, celebrate 35 years of solid and tangible cooperation through the Treaty of Basseterre which established the OECS and five years of deepening integration in pursuit of economic unions since the revised treaty.
“The limitations and vulnerabilities which challenge and threaten us individually including small physical size and economies, limited infrastructure and resources and high exposure to environmental hazards also unite us. These limitations and vulnerabilities can also prove to be opportunities if approached differently,’ he shared.
He adds that Article 24 of the Treaty “illuminates the shared conviction of member states in their shared commitment to implement the St. George’s Declaration.”
While here, the Environment Ministers will visit the areas worst impacted by Tropical Storm Erika
