OECS Environment Ministers Meet

Ministers responsible for the environment in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) met for the Third Council of Ministers of the Environmental meeting at the Fort Young Hotel on May 4.

"The presence of so many high level participants and the active engagement of the OECS Minister of Sustainable Environment and Development partners show the importance we collectively attach to addressing the issue of sustainable environment," said Helen Royer, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and the Environment.

She said that the meeting would focus on topics such as: ocean governance, water resource management, energy and climate change in addition to other policy issues related to environmental sustainability, natural disasters and small island development states.

Dr Kenneth Darroux, Dominica's Minister of Health and Environment said that as the Nature Island of the Caribbean, Dominica has a responsibility to be a champion and a leader for the effective management of natural resources for sustainable development.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said citizens are not concerned with the importance of the environment and effects of climate change.

"I get the impression that the governments are way ahead of the citizens in respects to advocating the importance of the environment and the risk of climate change," said Skerrit.

He added that citizen's lack of appreciation for the environment is costing the government millions of dollars to employ mitigating mechanisms to combat the effects of climate change.

"That's why we will have a magistrate to sit in strictly for environmental matters so we will the issue of environmental matters take centre stage in respect to our justice system to ensure that we send a clear message to people," said Skerrit.