Wednesday, November 5, 2014 - Deputy Premier and Minster for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr. the Honourable Kedrick Pickering has said that his ministry has thwarted challenges in improving and securing the health of the Territory’s waters, but that there is still more work to be done.
The Deputy Premier made the disclosure while was reporting on an international workshop he recently attended on the "Exchange of Experiences in the Caribbean Region for the Health of the Oceans" held in Cartagena, Colombia.
Dr. Pickering said: “We have declared sharks and rays protected in our Territory and we are working swiftly towards the necessary review and improvement of the Fisheries Act of 1997.”
He added, “I hope to engage and exchange experiences with those necessary, knowledgeable persons to ultimately, make for the best decisions in terms of safeguarding the future of marine life in the Virgin Islands.”
The workshop was held on October 30 and 31 and was aimed at creating a forum to address the technical and political considerations of the health and sustainability of marine and coastal areas. It also sought to strengthen cooperation among Caribbean nations on this crucial matter which has discernible implications to the development of the region.
The Deputy Premier was accompanied by Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour, Ronald Smith-Berkeley.
The workshop incorporated high-level dialog and exchange including the President of the Republic of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, representatives of Caribbean governments, international organisations and the special participation of a UK high level delegation It also included practical design and preparation to advance marine coastal management in the Caribbean region and information sharing amongst individual Caribbean Territories in these matters, as a valuable input for a purposeful and constructive dialogue.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour endeavours to effectively manage and administer the Territory’s natural resources in a manner that ensures long-term sustainability.
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