Basseterre, St. Kitts (December 1, 2005): Small Island's Voice, National Coordinator, Antonio Maynard called for committee members to assess the year's SIV activities and to conceptualize new ideas for 2006.
The national coordinator commended his team for its impact during 2005 in raising awareness about environmental and other pertinent issues surrounding sustainability.
Mr. Maynard said he felt confident that the youth population especially was given, through the activities of Small Islands Voice, a greater awareness of the environment around them and the impact of development on it.
"A number of field trips and open discussions as well as opportunities to become proponents of planned development projects which give consideration to environmental impact have heightened student's enthusiasm," Maynard said.
On the agenda for these students are a trip to Montserrat to continue to improve their knowledge of environmental awareness. Plans are also underway to give the most active students a visit to the Cook Islands in the South Pacific.
Committee members discussed the need for a project in 2006 which would focus on the protection and documentation of marine protected areas in the Federation, following a suggestion by Committee member, Mr Greg Pereira. The project would include field trips and mapping of all the natural marine environments and the bird sanctuary in the Federation.
Mr. Maynard welcomed as many new ideas as possible before the end of the year to enable funding requests. He also asked members to submit their annual reports at the final meeting of the year which will be held in December.
The national coordinator welcomed suggestions from the general public concerning sustainable development projects. He called specifically for ideas on projects that can address threats to sustainable development as well as for persons in the general public to alert SIV of any such development at 466-8581.
