Executive Summary

This media brief is a key resource tool for Journalists as itprovides an extensive look at how the Caribbean EnvironmentProgramme (CEP) of the United Nation Environment Programmeis working in the wider Caribbean region to protect wildlife.It gives case samples of how some of the different islands — suchas Jamaica, Belize and Dominica — are working with the CEP totackle the legislation necessary to ratify the Protocol on SpeciallyProtected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW).It explores the far reaching effects of overfishing and otherharmful practices on the region’s key income generatingactivities such as tourism and fisheries.It also provides an extensive listing of resource persons forJournalists to contact for more information. The story ideas andmaterial provided can also generate ideas for further research.

NEWS FLASHIn 2008 Belize ratified the SPAW Protocol

and the Protocol on Land Based Sources of Pollution.

Introduction

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP)

Promotes regional cooperation for the protection anddevelopment of the marine environment of the Wider

Caribbean Region.

The Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP) is aconglomerate of legislative, programmatic and institutionalframeworks and entities working together in assisting the

nations and territories of the Wider Caribbean Region to protecttheir marine and coastal environment and promote sustainable

development.

The Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP) is one of theUnited Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

administered Regional Seas Programmes. The CEP is managedby and for the countries of the Wider Caribbean Region through

the Caribbean Action Plan (1981) addressing regionalenvironmental challenges.

The Action Plan led to the 1983 adoption of the Convention forthe Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of

the Wider Caribbean Region (Cartagena Convention), whichprovides the legal framework. The Convention has been

supplemented by three protocols addressing specificenvironmental issues namely, oil spills, specially protected

areas and wildlife and land-based sources and activities of marinepollution. The CEP provides the programmatic framework for

the Cartagena Convention.

The Caribbean Regional Co-ordinating Unit (CAR/RCU)located in Kingston, Jamaica was created in 1986 and

serves as secretariat to the CEP. The CEP has three mainsub-programmes:

Assessment and Management of Environment Pollution(AMEP).

Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW).

Communication, Education, Training and Awareness (CETA).

CREDITS:Written by Andrea Downer

Editing team: Indi Mclymont-Lafayette, Christopher Corbin, Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri

Layout & Design: Hevol BensonSpecial thanks to all the persons and organisations in the region

that contributed to this briefing.

By Andrea Downer

SPAW is the only region-wide environmental treaty that protectscritical marine and coastal ecosystems and their species, whilepromoting regional co-operation and sustainable development.

It is likely that a collective sigh of relief was uttered amongenvironmental interests in the Wider Caribbean Region, when in 1990, theSpecially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol, (SPAW) was adopted.

SPAW evolved from the Convention for the Protection andDevelopment of the Marine Environment for the Wider Caribbean,(Cartagena Convention, 1983) and took effect in June 2000 when it wasratified by a ninth Contracting Party from the Wider Caribbean.

The Protocol makes provision for the establishment of protected areasand buffer zones for conservation of wildlife habitats and ecosystems. Itworks through national and regional co-operative measures for theprotection of critical animal and plant species and their habitats. It notonly protects species by regularly their habitats but also by prohibitingfishing, hunting, harvesting or trade of a number of critically threatenedand endangered species. For less vulnerable species or those withhealthier populations, management measures apply to ensure their use is

sustainable through time. What compliance would mean for the region

According to the Cartagena Convention, “The objective of thecompliance procedures and mechanisms (of the Convention) shall be topromote compliance with the provisions of the Protocol, to address casesof non-compliance by Parties, and to provide advice or assistance whereappropriate.”

In addition, the Convention states, “The compliance procedures andmechanisms shall be simple, facilitative, non-adversarial and cooperativein nature.”

Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean, a publication of the World ResourcesInstitute and UNEP published in 2004, states that ineffective managementof protected areas poses a threat to Caribbean coral reefs. According tothe report, the growth of tourism, fisheries, and other development incoral reef areas is negatively impacting those very productive but fragileecosystems. The establishment of marine protected areas, MPAs, is animportant tool for safeguarding coral reefs.

However, the report states that out of 285 MPAs have been declaredacross the Caribbean, only about six percent are rated as effectively

What the Specially Protected Areas and WildlifeProtocol (SPAW) means for the Caribbean

4

managed and 13 percent as having partially effective management. Anestimated 20 percent of coral reefs are located in MPAs, but only 4percent are located in MPAs rated as effectively managed.

The long-term effects of the destruction of coral reefs are devastatingand could actually result in large scale loss of life. Reefs at Risk in theCaribbean states that in 2000, net benefits from dive tourism in theCaribbean total an estimated US$2.1 billion per year.

According to the report, “Dive tourism is high-value tourism, withdivers typically spending 60-80 percent more than other tourists.” Thepublication estimates that by 2015, coral reef degradation could result inannual losses of US$100 million to US$300 million to the Caribbeantourism industry.

It is estimated that losses to particular areas within the Caribbean couldbe (much) greater, as tourism shifts away from areas where coral reefshave become degraded and towards remaining intact reefs. Thepublication showed that coral reefs provide valuable goods and servicesto support local and national economies, and their degradation can lead tosignificant economic losses, particularly in the coastal areas ofdeveloping countries, through loss of fishing livelihoods, malnutritiondue to lack of protein, loss of tourism revenues, and increased coastalerosion. Coral reefs also contribute to US$310 million annually in theregion’s fisheries. Degradation of reefs could reduce those fisheriesrevenues between US$95-140 million per year by 2015.

Case study of JamaicaJamaica’s coral reefs threatened

It is no secret; Jamaica’s coral reefs, protected areas and endangeredwild life species are under threat. These issues have formed the basis

for many fierce verbal and even courtroom battles by local

environmentalists and the Jamaican government. Environmentalists seemconvinced that the National Environmental Planning Agency, NEPA, thegovernment body responsible for ensuring that development projectsconform to guidelines that do not endanger the environment, are failingmiserably at that task.

Local environmentalist groups have often leveled charges of flaweddevelopment approval practices, and even more frequently, charges offlawed or inadequate impact assessments at NEPA.

The agency has denied all those charges. Chief Executive Officer ofNEPA, Leary Myers, told Panos Caribbean recently that The NationalStrategy and Action Plan for Biological Diversity, developed by theMinistry of Land and Environment, provides an adequate framework forJamaica’s sustainable development. Local environmentalists havecharged that developments have been approved for areas that areprotected, eg, Pear Tree Bottom in Mammee Bay, St. Ann, as well asaborted attempts to mine parts of the cockpit country. They feel that theNational Strategy and Action Plan on Biological Diversity in Jamaica hasfailed to adequately protect those vulnerable areas.

Having lost faith in the ability of local authorities to properly balancedevelopment while protecting the environment, local environmentaliststhink that while a regional treaty to protect local specially protected areasand wild life would not carry specific penalties, such a treaty wouldprovide the kind of objective atmosphere which would foster greatertransparency and accountability during the development process.

Jamaica was one of several countries in the region which signed theSPAW Protocol in 1990. However the country still has not ratified thisinstrument to make it national law within the country. Trinidad andTobago, St. Lucia, Barbados, The Netherlands Antilles (Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba,) the United States, Cuba, Dominican Republic,Colombia,Venezuela, France (for their French Territories), St. Vincent

Development has to be done with consideration for impact on the environment

5

and the Grenadines, Panama amd most recently, Belize, have all ratifiedthe treaty. Other Caribbean countries such as Antigua and Dominica havenot signed SPAW.

According to the Ministry of Land and Environment “a comprehensiveassessment of the requirements for the ratification of the SPAW Protocolwas undertaken in 2001.” A task force of representatives from theMinistry of Land and Environment, the National Environment andPlanning Agency, the Attorney General’s Chambers, the ForestryDepartment, Fisheries Division and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs andForeign Trade, was also established to ensure that Jamaica would ratifythe SPAW Protocol by 2002.

“A deadline that Jamaica would be in a position to ratify the Protocolby 2000 when the Protocol entered into force, was not met,” said LeonieBarnaby, Senior Director, Environmental Management Division in theLand and Environment Ministry.

By 2007, after missing the self-imposed deadline, the government atthe time was still was not in a position to say when Jamaica was likely toratify the SPAW Protocol.

According to the Minister of Land and Environment at the time, DeanPeart, the government was undertaking some legislative reform first.(Note: Peart’s People’s National Party has since been voted out ofgovernment but the new Jamaica Labour Party Government is stillorganizing the environment portfolio).

“(The government is) looking at changing the laws which governNEPA and the plan is to incorporate existing legislation that governsNEPA, the Natural Resources Conservation Authority and the Town andCountry Planning Act,” he said, adding that only after that is done, can theissue of ratifying SPAW be addressed.

Ms. Barnaby said the multi-sectoral task force “recognised that therewere various pieces of legislation and policy initiatives that, withamendment, could allow the implementation of Jamaica’s obligationsunder the SPAW Protocol.” She said the task force recommended thatthe Wild Life Protection Act could be amended to address some of thelegal obligations of the Protocol. According to her, the proposal takesinto account the fact that the Wildlife Protection Act primarilyregulates hunting activities in Jamaica and governs the protection ofdesignated animals.

“The taskforce also recommended that new legislation should seek toaddress some of the requirements of the Convention on BiologicalDiversity, as some of the obligations under this Convention governs theconservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and sharing of benefitsderived from the use of specific genetic resources including the creationand management of protected areas,” Barnaby said.

“The new legislation is expected to incorporate the concept ofbiodiversity into Jamaican law, introduce provisions governing access togenetic resources, protection of endangered, threatened, endemic plantand animal, bird and fish species,” Ms. Barnaby continued. In addition,she said the new legislation would “regulate the introduction, control anderadication of invasive species and require registration of animal andplant, bird and fish attractions and persons who wish to collect thesespecies.”

She said the new legislation should “consolidate the protection ofhabitats and species through the incorporation of provisions governingprotected areas in the NRCA ACT of 1991 into the new Wild Life andProtected Areas Act.” According to Ms. Barnaby, while the EndangeredSpecies (Conservation, Protection and Regulation of Trade) Act 2000,also governs the protection and conservation of endangered species, it hasan emphasis on trade and does not fulfill the requirements of the SPAWProtocol in relation to protection and sustainable use of species.

While not giving specific deadlines, Ms. Barnaby claims that draftinginstructions have been prepared and the provisions will be incorporated inthe environment and planning legislation which is to be developed for theNational Environment and Planning Agency.

However, these explanations do very little to appease localenvironmentalists who seem eternally locked in combat with thegovernment as they fiercely lobby for environmental protection throughsustainable development and other environmentally friendly practices. Atleast two local environmentalists and one regional environmental grouphave leveled serious charges at the government. The general consensusof the trio is the government’s delay in ratifying the SPAW protocol hasmore to do with protecting the government’s and developers’ questionableinterests than with the often cumbersome business of amending existingor drafting new legislation.

UNEP urges government accession

Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri, SPAW Programme Officer, at theRegional Coordinating Unit, United Nations Environment Programme,(UNEP), says the Jamaican government’s explanations for not joining theSPAW Protocol 17 years after signing it are difficult to understand.

“They have indicated the main reasons for not ratifying the Protocol,including the fact that there is no legislation in place to support thetreaty,” she stated. Mrs. Khouri however finds this contradictory sinceJamaica became a Party to the related global agreement on biodiversity(CBD) without having all the required legislation in place, (which is alsosupported by Ms. Barnaby’s statement above).

She explained that UNEP plays a purely catalytic and coordinating roleand despite the benefits to be derived from ratifying the Protocol, theorganisation cannot demand or pressure the government to adopt a treatyas the UN recognises the sovereign rights of States. However, she notedthat environmental groups and concerned citizens can exercise their rightsby expressing their opinions on the conservation and sustainability of thenational resources of the country and thus may insist on the governmentto adopt it.

However, local environmentalist, John Maxwell says he and other localenvironmentalists have tried and failed to get the government to act on thematter.

“Efforts of Local Environmentalists are being ignored at Jamaica’speril. Arguments being put forward about the benefits of ratifying SPAWare being trashed by the Urban Development Corporation and NEPA,” heclaimed.

Mr. Maxwell said the government’s reason for not ratifying theprotocol is “a lie and an excuse.” “It upsets me profoundly to stand by andwatch the desecration of the Jamaican environment,” he lamented.

However, another local environmentalist, Dr. George Proctor of theDepartment of Life Sciences at the University of the West Indies andConsultant Botanist, has admitted that local environmentalists could havedone more to pressure the government to take action.

“We probably haven’t pushed hard enough,” he stated shouldering aportion of the blame for Jamaica’s failure to ratify the SPAW Protocolmore than a decade after it was signed.

However, Mr. Maxwell lays the blame squarely at the government’sfeet.

“It hasn’t been done because people understand that if SPAW is signedit will prevent the kind of drive by development that is now morefashionable.

(If SPAW were in force,) intrinsically valuable and important areassuch as the Cockpit Country, parts of Hellshire and Harris Savannah (aplace just outside of MayPen) North over Vernam Field, which isconsidered a world class biological treasure with plants unknown toscience), would be protected and therefore could not destroyed in thename of development,” he continued.

Dr. Proctor then hinted that corruption could be one of the key factors

6

behind the government’s failure to ratify SPAW. “(With SPAW,) it is harder for them to scrape up any money that is

lying around. One always suspects, when dealing with politicians, thatthere is corruption (involved). (It is well known that sometimes) moneypassing hands unethically,” he continued.

NEPA’s CEO, Mr. Leary Myers, was strongly opposed to the thoughtthat the development approval process was influenced by corruptpractices. According to Mr. Myers, he is not aware of any corruption inthe development approval process and, he stated that it would be virtuallyimpossible for corruption to influence the outcome of applications fordevelopment.

“My staff members are some of the most hardworking people, and itpains my heart when I see them so dedicated and these things are beingsaid about them,” he argued. “I view the charge as a personal attack onme and my office.”

Mr. Myers said that the environmentalists leveling the charges ofcorrupt practices at NEPA should explain how the SPAW Protocol wouldprevent the kind of corrupt practices that they have implied take place

under the present system.However, Mr. Maxwell maintains that there are inadequacies in the

current Environment Impact Assessment systems that NEPA utilizes.“People are allowed to do all kind of things and get away with it,” he

said while explaining that under SPAW, other countries in the regioncould complain to the governing body of SPAW and that would bringsome amount of pressure on the countries that are in breach of theprotocol. While pointing out that actual sanctions could not be appliedagainst those countries, he said that there is a lot of merit in the kind of“moral suasion” that the other countries could bring to bear to pressurethe no-compliant country/countries into compliance.

“While there are no penalties for non-compliance by countries whichhave ratified the Protocol, SPAW is part of the Cartagena Convention andif you break a Convention you can be held accountable to the governingbody of the Convention,” he added.

Mrs. Khouri of UNEP is also convinced that being parties to the SPAWProtocol will be effective in ensuring compliance by member countries asthe countries’ knowledge of each other activities, will, and does promptaccountability and because the Convention and its Protocols are based

...indiscriminategrowth of tourism,

fisheries, and other

development incoral reef areas

is negativelyimpacting on

very productive but fragileecosystems.

7

fundamentally on the principles of regional cooperation.Mrs. Khouri said parties are, to a large extent adhering to conditions

and terms of the SPAW protocol. “The region is so close geographically that through networking, if they

(the countries) were doing things against the Protocol, it would becomecommon knowledge,” she stated.

Environmentalists raise the case of Jamaica’s endangered species

While the Ministry of Land and Environment continue to drag its feetin implementing, environmentalists are still pushing the case of newlegislation that would introduce “provisions governing access to geneticresources, protection of endangered, threatened, endemic plants andanimals, birds and fish species,” according to Mrs. Barnaby, Dr. Proctorsaid there is a development now taking place in western Jamaica that isendangering and threatening endemic plant species.,

“In the long run, we will lose most of our shorelines and valuable assetsbecause of unregulated development,” Dr. Proctor claims. “There is atendency on the part of developers to start their development without thenecessary permits and then afterwards try to get the permits, meanwhile,a lot is being destroyed,” he stated.

“Environmental Impact Assessments are either inadequate, inaccurateor absent. This is a very difficult aspect of development, because peoplewho want to develop want to make as much profit as they can, and theywill destroy whatever they need to (in order to) get the profit unless theyare regulated or stopped,” he said.

“Jamaica is losing some of its important natural habitats by thatprocess,” Dr. Proctor said while adding that a very destructive processwas taking place in Negril Hills, Westmoreland, which the governmentwas ignoring.

Minister Peart and NEPA have however denied any knowledge of thedevelopment.

“Work and development began before any Environmental ImpactAssessments were done, however, when the (regulatory) body wasadvised, they put together an assessment which was faulty andinaccurate,” Proctor charged, while adding that a high-densitydevelopment in Negril Hills could very well destroy some of the rareplants that he knows exist there.

One of the endangered plants is the orchid Broughtonia negrilensis,which Proctor said was found on the site. It is one of the last places wherethe species is found in the world, said the botanist.

In addition, he said a particular type of Agave is also endangered.“Jamaica has several species of Agave and all of them are found only

on the island. This particular one is found only in the Negril Hills and itis nowhere else in the world,” he emphasized.

According to Dr. Proctor, the Agave has not been officially named andwas discovered about two years ago, by himself and fellow botanist,Andreas Oberli. He described the plant as a small, un-branched tree withthick fleshy leaves in a rosette at the top of the trunk.

“It has inflorescence, which is about 15-20 feet tall that rises above therosette of leaves that has bright, yellow, flowers in dense clusters,” hecontinued as he described the rare find. “It is being named for Mr. Oberli,so it will be known as Agave oberlii,” he continued. He was unable toprovide Panos Caribbean with a photo of the plant as he said a photo of itcould not be made public until after it is included in a publication by theInstitute of Jamaica. While not giving a specific date, he said such apublication should be ready soon.

While Mr. Leary and Minister Peart denied any knowledge of theendangered plants in that vicinity, Dr. Proctor claimed that the rare

Jamaica’s endangered Blackbilled parrot and Yellow Boa.

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species of Agave has been named in the belated Environment ImpactAssessment that was done on the area. He claims that the developmenthas been going on for approximately a year to a year and half. He saidthe development spans approximately 300-350 acres.

The case of Belize and Dominica

As Jamaica struggles to keep a promise made 17 years ago to ratify theSPAW Protocol, reports coming out of Belize indicate that thegovernment now recognises the benefits to be derived from being part ofthe regional initiative. It in fact ratified the SPAW Protocol in early 2008.However, based on the responses of a senior member of the Ministry ofEnvironment in Dominica, that country has no intention to become a partof the SPAW initiative.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Khouri was concerned by some non-involvement inthe regional initiative aimed at protecting critical areas of the environmentand endangered wild life in the region much of which constitutes rhenatural beauty on which tourism in the Caribbean is based.

“Dominica is not a party to SPAW despite being known as the ‘NatureIsland,’ the island is also Green Globe certified, so it is not understandablethat they are not part of this initiative,” she stated.

“Belize has the second largest reef in the world and they haveestablished several marine reserves... in fact implementing many of theprovisions in the Protocol even before they ratified, has participated innumerous projects and activities funded through SPAW.”

Dominica stated bluntly that that country has no intention of accedingto the SPAW Protocol. But Albert Roches, Environmental Officer in the

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Belize admitted thathis country’s delay in becoming part of the regional initiative had beendue mainly to a lack of political will and a lack of sanctions againstcountries in the region that are not involved. He disclosed that the majorfactor, which had motivated the government in Belize to attempt to comeon board, was the current threat to Belize’s almost 200 miles of worldfamous coastline. He said the reefs have been sustaining a lot of damageand added that coastal development, and cruise tourism; are two majorfactors contributing to the damage.

“One of the reasons it (SPAW) is on the agenda (now), is that we areexperiencing a lot of damage to the reef and there is a lot of pressure onthe use of the reefs right now,” he stated.

Mr. Roches told Panos that almost half of the people who come off thecruise ships want to go diving. However, he says currently, there are noset carrying capacity for some areas, which would stipulate how manypeople can dive in a particular area per day. He said this results inovercrowding at some diving sites, which not only damages the reefs’infrastructure, but scares marine life away. Explaining that Belize’stourism season runs from late November of one year until late June of thefollowing year, Mr. Roches revealed that in one year, no fishes could befound at one diving site a few months after the tourism season had started.

“Too many humans had visited the area,” he explained.

In addition, he says the failure of Belize’s government to designateareas along the coast where boats and ships can safely travel withoutsustaining damage or damaging the reefs has resulted in chaos andirreparable damage to some reefs.

Belize barrier reef system, the second largest in the world.

9

Mr. Roches told Panos Belize’s long barrier reef which spans almost190 miles is at intervals broken up by channels through which marinevessels can travel to shore. However, he said sometimes vessels misjudgeand mistake what appears to be an open area for a channel and realizetheir mistake too late when their vessels and or reefs have been damaged.

“There has been a significant increase in incidents of marine vesselsrunning aground. Sometimes they misjudge how deep a particular area ofthe sea is or the width or depth of a channel and run on top of the reefs.In some instances, we have to leave the vessels there, as moving thevessels would create much more damage than if they remain where theyran aground,” Mr. Roches explained.

He told Panos that since last year, a ship has ran aground approximatelyonce every two months and that at least 20 percent of the vessels have hadto be left on the reefs. Mr. Roches said Belize’s Port Authority hasindicated that are far more incidents of marine vessels running agroundand damaging the reefs, but a significant number of the incidents gounreported and the damage is unaccounted for.

The Caribbean Reefs at Risk publication predicts that the degradationof coral reefs that protects coastal shorelines by dissipating wave andstorm winds; could result in widespread damage and great economiclosses during hurricanes, storms and other weather activities that carryhigh winds and waves.

“The estimated value of shoreline protection services provided byCaribbean reefs is between US$700 million and US$2.2 billion per year.Within the next 50 years, coral degradation and death could lead to lossestotaling US$140 million to US$420 million annually,” the publicationstates.

According to the publication, Hurricane Mitch, a category 5 storm,which struck Belize in 1998, “caused widespread coral destruction in forereefs and outer atoll reefs. The report predicts that it will take years forthe full consequences of that event to emerge. The publication also notesthat Belize’s system of 13 MPAs is well established with most underactive co-management with local Non-Governmental Organisations.

The 2007 State of World Population report released in June 2007 by theUnited Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, also predicts that rising sealevels due to rapid climate change will pose a serious threat to coastalzones and those who live along coast lines. According to the report, “Oneof the alarming prospects of climate change is its impact on sea level riseand its potential consequences for coastal urban areas. Coastal zoneshave always concentrated people and economic activities because of theirnatural resources and trading opportunities. Many of the world’s largestcities are on seacoasts and at the mouths of the great rivers. Thosepopulations…can be a burden on coastal ecosystems, many of which arealready under stress. They are increasingly at risk from seaward hazardssuch as sea level rise and stronger storms induced by climate change. Sealevel rise, especially if combined with extreme climatic events, wouldflood large parts of these areas.”

Mr. Roches disclosed that he was currently working on a project tomark some of the channels between the reefs, and explained thatcurrently, only about approximately 25 percent of the channels have beenmarked. He said under the current project, only four more channelswould be marked. He claimed that bureaucratic bungling, the costassociated with marking the channels and the challenge of adequatelypatrolling Belize’s coastline are all factors that his government isstruggling with as Belize tries desperately to protect what is left of thecountry’s reefs.

Coral reefs also

contribute toUS$310million

annually inthe region’sfisheries.

Degradationof reefs couldreduce those

fisheriesrevenuesbetween

US$95-140millionper year

by 2015.

‘‘

‘‘10

“While my department has taken on the task of marking thechannels, it is not the Environment Department’sresponsibility,” Mr. Roches explained. “The Ports Authorityand the Fisheries Department have direct responsibility,” hecontinued.

Explaining that buoys are used to mark the channels, hesaid it costs approximately US$6,000.00 to mark one channel.

“We have a coast guard, with very limited personnel andthere is currently, only one vessel patrolling the waters, andeven so, the cost of fuel hampers adequate patrolling,” Mr.Roches stated.

According to Mr. Roches, vessels that run aground arefined for the violation, but not all of the fines are paid. He saidfunds to mark the four channels are coming from fines appliedto a vessel that ran aground last year.

Mr. Roches said negotiations are currently ongoing with theTourism Ministry to source funding to mark more channelsand that the Ministry of Environment has devised its own planfor collecting revenue to assist.

“The Ministry of Tourism collects a head tax ofapproximately US$7.00 per person from every cruise shiptourist that comes into the country. We are asking that theministry to provide funding from that pool for thedemarcation of buoys for the channels and some formooring,” he said while explaining that anchoring results in alot of damage to the reefs as well.

Mr. Roches said while his ministry’s attempts at negotiatingare currently being stonewalled, he is optimistic that they willmake progress. In addition, he said the EnvironmentalDepartment has implemented a policy that all cruise ships willsign an Environmental Compliance Plan, which sets outguidelines and conditions that the vessels must operate underwhile in Belize waters. He said the vessels would get theplans through ship agents in Belize and a monitoring fee ofUS$15,000.00 per season per vessel is to be introduced whichwould allow the monitoring of the vessels’ activities at thedifferent destination sites on the coast. He said the monitoringfee structure and environmental compliance plan has been inplace for several years but unfortunately, the tourism ministry,which had the responsibility for enforcing it, had not beendoing so.

Mr. Roches revealed that the World WildLife Fund hasundertaken a comprehensive study of the condition ofBelize’s reef structure, the findings of which are to be releasedsoon.

Dominica speaks outWhen contacted, Lloyd Pascal of the Ministry of

Environment in Dominica was very blunt.“SPAW stands in direct opposition to what we believe, it

(SPAW), i.e. people cannot touch and interfere with protectedareas, however, we believe in sustainable development andwe are not going to tie ourselves to something that goesagainst our principles,” he stated.

“SPAW is not important to us,” Mr. Pascal statedemphatically.

According to him, Dominica already belongs to otherinternational conventions which have wider appeals. He saidthe country is committed to protecting its natural resourcesand actually began practicing conservation of theenvironment before it became popular.

“Our first National Park was established in 1975!” he

Buoys are usedto mark the

ship channels...approximately

25 percent ofthe channels

have beenmarked.

‘‘’’

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declared.Mr. Pascal said one of the fundamental objectives of the Convention

on Biological Diversity which Dominica is party to; is the sustainabilityof natural resources.

“We can’t sign one agreement that is about sustainable developmentand one that is about total preservation (of the environment),” hemaintained.

In recognition of the sovereign rights of nations, Mrs. Vanzella-Khouriof UNEP noted that while she respects that position, she disagrees withMr. Pascals’ opinion on the SPAW Protocol. “We have heard thatargument before,” Mrs. Khouri stated, “but it is a major misconceptionabout the objectives and provisions of the agreement. On the contrary,SPAW is about the sustainable use of the coastal and marine resources,precisely to ensure the long-term livelihood and wellbeing of the peopleof the region.”

“Any one who says that SPAW is about “total preservation” has notread the treaty as only a couple of articles refer to total protection andonly of those species listed as threatened and endangered in the WiderCaribbean,” she said while adding that, “sustainability does not mean thatanything and everything must be allowed… there have to be regulationsand controls and even prohibition of certain activities if so required toensure that certain places or species will continue to produce and benefitthe people in the long-term …anything different from that can not becalled sustainable development but overexploitation and misuse ofnatural resources”

Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean notes that Dominica has a very narrowcoastal shelf, and reef development is limited. The report estimates thatapproximately 70 sq km of coral reef around Dominica as threatened byhuman activities. Overfishing, coastal development, and sediment andpollution from land-based sources were identified as threatening almostall reefs. Marine-based pollution was estimated as a threat to about 15percent of Dominica’s reefs.

No hurricanes have struck the island since Hurricane David in 1979.However, Hurricane Luis in 1995 caused heavy sedimentation and wavedestruction of reef-building coral along the southwest coast.

Marine Protected Areas, MPAs, containing coral reefs include theSoufriere/Scott’s Head Marine Reserve on the southwest coast andCabrits National Park. The Soufriere/Scotts Head Marine Reserve ismanaged by the Local Area Management Authority.

The report also estimates that nearly two thirds of the Caribbean’s coralreefs are threatened by human activity. The publication and estimates thatone-third of coral reefs in the Caribbean are threatened by coastaldevelopment. In addition, the report states that sediment and pollutionfrom inland sources threaten about one-third of the Caribbean’s coralreefs and that marine-based threats to coral reefs are widespread acrossthe island. Overfishing is said to threaten more than 60 percent ofCaribbean coral reefs while diseases, rising sea temperatures as well asineffective management of protected areas further threaten the region’scoral reefs.

The publication warns that coastal communities and nationaleconomies of the Caribbean region are poised to sustain substantialeconomic losses if current trends in coral reef degradation continue. Thepublication says that even in the absence of international legalinstruments, regional collaboration on issues such as fisheries andwatershed management could greatly reduce some of the threats.

According to the report, over 80 percent of the reefs in Jamaica arethreatened by human activities. “The majority of reefs are threatenedfrom multiple sources. Widespread unemployment, densely populatedcoastal zones, easy access to the reefs and narrow shelf areas result in thereef resources have been heavily used to provide livelihoods andsustenance. Unfortunately, this open and unregulated has reduced thereefs’ productivity. Illegal fishing activity and limited capacity to enforcefishing regulations; compound the problem.” However, the report isoptimistic that new fishing regulations being developed by Jamaicashould help to minimize the problem.

Possible Stories1. An investigative piece about the development in the Negril Hills that

Dr. Proctor said threatens two rare plants. Talk to Dr. Proctor more aboutthe issue, visit the site and get photos of the development and if possible,

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the endangered plants and, armed with evidence, attempt to get NEPA andthe relevant government bodies as well as local environment groups tospeak on the issue.

2. Examine the current system of approval of developments currentlyused by regulating authorities in the region such as NEPA with a view toidentifying any weaknesses in the system that could result in speciallyprotected areas and wildlife being threatened or destroyed.

3. Closely examine the legislative process of incorporating currentenvironmental and developmental laws that the relevant governmentbodies and NEPA said has to be done before the issue of ratifying SPAWcan be addressed. Find out where the process is now or if in fact theprocess has started and, if possible try to get an idea of when the processis likely to be completed.

4. Based on the benefits to be derived from ratifying regional protocolssuch as SPAW, should governments be held more accountable for failureto sign/ratify such instruments?

5. UNEP/CEP should play a key role in facilitating/encouragingcountries in the region to become party to SPAW, how effective are theyin their role?

6. Examine how the 13 countries in the region that have ratified SPAWare benefiting from the initiative. Speak to representatives of eachcountry and get actual quotes and examples from them.

7. Obtain a copy of the findings of the World Wildlife Fund’scomprehensive study of the condition of Belize’s reef structure. What arethe results of the findings in the context of that country’s current non-involvement in the SPAW initiative and the possible implications forcountry’s like Jamaica in the region that have not ratified the Protocol.

8. Are regional environmental initiatives such as SPAW useful inprotecting the environment and wildlife of countries in the region, or dothey just present an additional burden to developing countries that arestruggling to enforce new, national environmental legislation?

9. Examine whether SPAW serves the intended purpose in the 13countries that have ratified the Protocol.

10. Explore endangered species in the region – what have we lost?What species were unique to us that we no longer have in the region?

13

14

By Andrea Downer, Freelance Writer

Kingston, March 18, 2008, (Panos) - The Caribbean’stourism sector and governments must take greaterresponsibility for preserving andprotecting the Caribbean’s reefs as they

are the bedrock of the region’s tourism, urged arepresentative of the Caribbean EnvironmentProgramme – the regional arm of the UnitedNations Environment Programme.

“Coral reefs are part and parcel of the tourism industry in this regionand perhaps no other natural resource is more important for a thriving andsustainable coastal tourism activity,” said Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri,Programme Officer at the Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP)Regional Co-ordinating Unit. “Damage to the reef not only impacts on thequality of the snorkeling and diving, the beaches and the fisheries butmakes the beach properties that much more vulnerable to wave and winddamage during a hurricane.”

Vanzella-Khouri explained that during 2008 a special focus had been

declared on the state of the world’s reefs. “The emphasis of International Year of the Reef (IYOR) 2008 in the

Caribbean is on the tourism sector,” she said. During the year over 225organisations in 50 countries will be working together to raise awareness

about the value of coral reefs and the threats.Activities throughout the IYOR are geared towards: • Strengthening awareness about the ecological,

economic, social and cultural value of coral reefs andassociated ecosystems.

• Improving understanding of the critical threats tocoral reefs and generate both practical and innovative solutions to reducethese threats

• Generating urgent action at all levels to develop and implementeffective management strategies for conservation and sustainable use ofthese ecosystems.

Reefs at riskScientists have warned that warmer seas and a record hurricane season

in 2005 have devastated between 20 to 70 per cent of coral reefs in some

UN body urges Caribbean to step upcare of the regions coral reefs

15

Caribbean places. The reefs, which nurture marine life and provide abarrier from ferocious waves during hurricanes, face even more threatsfrom more frequent and stronger hurricanes which scientists havepredicted will occur due to climate change. Not to mention the impactfrom coral diseases and bleaching due to warmer seawater temperatures.In a report published in January 2008, the World Conservation Unionwarned that this severe damage to reefs would probably become a regularevent given current predictions of rising global temperatures due toclimate change.

Mrs. Vanzella-Khouri suggested actions that could be taken by thetourism industry to assist in the conservation of Caribbean reefs.

“They can implement practices that reduce pollution; one of the mainthings is to put in tertiary treatment plants on big properties as harmfulalgae overgrows and builds up on the reefs when untreated sewage isdischarged into the sea,” she said.

She said hoteliers should stick to existing building guidelines(especially those which are internationally accepted) which show how farfrom the beach facilities should be built. Maintaining the beach’s naturalvegetation, she said, was also a better and more cost effectiveenvironmental practice than removing the endemic plants and replantingnew ones as part of landscaping.

She stressed that restoring coastal habitats like mangroves and seagrass beds was a much more expensive and lengthy process thanmaintaining the integrity of the natural habitat.

She added that the region’s government’s needed to enforce regulationsto protect the reefs.

“Most countries have regulations for Environmental ImpactAssessments, (EIAs), which investigate the likely impact of developmenton the environment and make recommendations as to whether or howsuch development should take place,” she said. “However, despite the factthat some EIAs advise against some developments, there are times whenthe governments allow investors to go ahead with the project, ignoring therecommendations of the EIAs or in other instances EIAs are not properlyconducted and are biased.”

She said that having a united strategy for sustainable tourism in theCaribbean would be helpful by recognizing and highlighting the valueadded and uniqueness of each destination. It should aim at achievingmaximum economic benefits without homogenizing the product,

attracting more quality visitors with more spending power, whileprotecting the very same natural resource base on which the tourismdepends. She recognized the efforts of the Caribbean TourismOrganisation in this regard

“For example, in my opinion cruise ship tourism is not appropriate forevery island. Building ports for large cruise ships require massiveinfrastructure which causes serious environmental impacts and putsadditional demands on the towns to handle the thousands of people thatmay arrive on a given day,” she said. “Think that if each cruise shippassenger has just one drink in the town, the extra thousands of tins orcups generated on that day compared to the few dollars left that will notbe enough to clean up that trash.”

While she recommended dive tourism as a viable option for the region,she said that the success of this venture depended on healthy reefs that inturn will attract a variety of marine life.

According to Mrs. Vanzella-Khouri, the Caribbean is the biggestrecipient of dive tourism in the world and in addition the majority oftourists choose the Caribbean as a vacation destination because of theregion’s beaches and colors in the sea, both resulting from the presence ofreefs. However, unless urgent steps are taken to protect what is left of theregion’s reefs, the Caribbean stands to lose significantly.

“Unfortunately, people can’t appreciate what they don’t know, muchless if they can’t see it, reefs are underwater, out of sight, out of mind andthis is one of the major challenges we face in communicating the urgencywith which the threats to the region’s reef must be addressed,” Mrs.Vanzella-Khouri stated.

The World Conservation Union says the only possible way to sustainsome live coral on the reefs around the world will be to carefully managethe direct pressures on the reefs such as pollution, fishing and damagingcoastal developments, and hope that some coral species are able to adaptto the warmer environment caused by climate change.At the same time, the recent report by the World Conservation Unionconcluded that a dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in thenext 20 years would be “critical to control further warming anddangerously high CO2 levels that will probably reduce the robustness andcompetitive fitness of corals and limit the habitats for many otherorganisms living on Caribbean coral reefs.”

The Caribbean is the biggest

recipient of divetourism in the

world... ...unless urgent

steps are taken toprotect what is left

of the region’sreefs, the Caribbean

stands to losesignificantly. ’’

’’

One of the most important reasons for themanagement problems in Marine ProtectedAreas (MPAs) in the Caribbean has been the

lack of qualified personnel and financial resources.To address this issue, UNEP-CAR/RCU (UNEPCaribbean/Regional Coordination Unit) launchedand supported a “Training of Trainers” Programmefor MPA managers (TOT), through which managersare not only trained in all aspects of MPAmanagement but also on adult education techniquesto conduct local and tailored training activities intheir respective MPAs.

Since 1999, five Training of Trainers events wereorganized in different parts of the Caribbean with atotal attendance of 61 persons from 28 countries,most of them closely related with MPAmanagement. Specific training materials weredeveloped for these events, particularly an 8 moduleCourse Manual that was adjusted and updated alongthe process.

In 2006 UNEP-CAR/RCU decided to undertake anevaluation of the entire process in order to assess itsperformance, impact, potential for replication,M&E system and training materials. Thisevaluation was implemented between February andMay 2007.The overall assessment of the TOTProgramme on Marine Protected Areas Managementis very positive.http://www.cep.unep.org/publications/spaw/tot-evaluation.pdf

The TOT Trainees performed exceedingly well intransferring their acquired skills to other

people through different forms of training events.Ninety per cent of the participants who providedinformation for the evaluation had organizedtraining events. Almost 1,000 people (978 to beprecise) were trained by them (alone or jointly withother trainers) in 44 events held in 15 differentcountries (Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Belize,Bermuda, Colombia, Cuba, French Guiana,Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica,México, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela). Asthese numbers only account for those participantswho provided information through questionnairesand interviews, the actual number should be muchlarger considering that two out of three participantsdid not provide information. Even accepting that thereported numbers cannot be extrapolated linearly tothe entire population of participants, just theeffective numbers presented provide evidence aboutthe highly satisfactory achievement of theProgramme in this regard.

Since the evaluation was performed a sixth coursefor Spanish-speaking countries, was held on 9-22September 2007 in Tulúm, Mexico, and wasattended by 14 MPA managers and practitionersfrom Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic,Guatemala, Haiti, México, Panama, Nicaragua, andVenezuela and additional local courses are underwayin these countries.

Funding for these courses have been provided byUnited Nations Environment Programme-CaribbeanEnvironment Programme, the International CoralReef Action Network (ICRAN) and the John D. andCatherine T. McArthur Foundation, with additionalin-kind support from a number of otherorganizations and institutions.

For more information please visitwww.cep.unep.org.

16

The Training of Trainers Programme forMPA Managers of the Wider Caribbean

Bibliography

Burke, Lauretta & Maidens,Jonathan:

Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean

National Environment & PlanningAgency, National Strategy

and Action Plan on BiologicalDiversity

in Jamaica, July 2003

United Nations Populations Fund,UNFPA,

State of World Population, June 2007.

17

Ms. Leonie Barnaby

Senior Director, Environmental Management Division

Ministry of Land and Environment

Half Way Tree Road

Kingston Jamaica

Phone: 929-2792

Leary Myers

Chief Executive officer/Government Town Planner

National Environment and Planning Agency

10 Caledonia Avenue

Kingston 5

Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri

SPAW Programme Officer

UNEP-CAR/RCU

Ph: (1-876)922-9267-9

Fax: (1-876)922-9292

E-mail: avk@cap.cnep.org

Dr. George Proctor

University of the West Indies

C/o Department of Life Sciences

Mona

Kingston 7

Ph: (1-876) 890-0830

E-mail: proctorbotanist@yahoo.com

Mr. John Maxwell

Environmental Journalist

P.O. Box 762

Kingston 8

E-mail: jankunnu@yahoo.com

Albert Roches

Environmental Officer

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

Belize

Ph: 501-822-2542/501-822-2816

E-mail: aroches12@yahoo.com

Lloyd Pascal

Environment Officer

Ministry of Environment

Dominica

767-448-2401/767-245-4465

Sources in the re g i o n

Heidi Savell i

Programme Officer

Communication, Education, Training and Awareness

UNEP-CAR/RCU

Ph: (1-876)922-9267-9

Fax: (1-876)922-9292

E-Mail: hss.cap.cnep.org

Indi Mclymont-Lafayette

Regional Director, Environment

Panos Caribbean

Tel: (876)920-0070-1/852-8763

Email: indi@panoscaribbean.org

Mr. Roland Hodge

Director of Environment

P.O. Box 60

The Valley

Anguil la

Ph: (1-264) 497-2518

Fax: (1-264) 497-3389

Email: karim.hodge@gov.ai

Ms. Diann Black-Layne

Chief Environment Officer

Environment Division

Ministry of Works, Transportation and the Environment

St. John’s Street

1 Prime Minister Drive

Factory Road

St. John’s

Antigua & Barbuda

Ph: (1-268) *462-2953 / +462-6265

Fax: (1-268) *562-2750 / +462-4625

E-Mail:mail@environmentdivision.info

vanessa.matthew@antigua.gov.ag

Drs. C.A.S.D. Wever , Minister

Mr. Gisbert R. Boekhoudt ,

Ministry of Public Health and Environment

L.G. Smith Boulevard 76

Oranjestad

Aruba (Netherlands)Phone: (297)588-0123

Fax: (297) 588-0249

E-mail minsalud@setarnet.aw

Information SourcesInformation Sources

18

Dr. Donald Cooper , Under-Secretary

The Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology Commission

(BEST)

Ministry of Health and the Environment

P.O. Box N3730

Nassau Court

The Bahamas

Phone :(1-242) 322-4546 /2576

Fax: (1-242) 326-3509

E-mail bestnbs@hotmail.com; dcooper@best.bs

Dr. Leo Brewster , Director

Ms. Angelique Brathwaite, Marine Biologist

Coastal Zone Management Unit, Bay Street

St. Michael

Barbados

Phone: (1-246) 228-5955

Fax: (1-246) 228-5956

E-mail lbrewster@coastal.gov.bb /director@; abrathwaite@…

Mr. Jeavon Hulse ,

Department of the Environment (DOE)

Ministry of Natural Resources, the Environment, Industry and Local

Government

10/12 Ambergris Avenue

Belmopan City

Cayo District

Bel i ze

Phone: (501) 82-2816/ 2542

Fax: (501) 82-2862

E-mail: envirodept@btl.net; minister@mnrei.gov.bz

Mr. Elro y Turnbull

Permanent Secretary

Chief Minister’s Office

Government Headquarters

Road Town

Tortola

Brit ish Virgin Islands (U.K.)

Ph: (1-284) 494-3701/ 2143

Fax :(1-284) 494-6413

E-mail: cmo@surfbvi.com; erturnbull@gov.vg

Mrs. Gina Ebanks-Petrie

Director

Department of Environment

P.O. Box 486GT

Marco Giglioli Building

North Sound Road

George Town,

Grand Cayman (U.K.)Phone: (1-345) 949-8469Fax: (1-345) 949-4020E-mail: Gina.Ebanks-Petrie@gov.ky

Sr. Robert o Tovar Faja

Ministro

Lic. Carlos Cordero Madrial, Jefe de Departamento, Política

Multilateral

Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto

Apartado 10.27-100

San José

Costa Rica

Phone: (506) 223-7555

Fax: (506) 256-9983

Diaz Dugal , Presidente

Lic. Mario Abó Balanza , Especialista

Centro de Información y Gestión Ambiental

18 - A, No. 4114, entre 41 y 47

Playa 11300

La Habana

Cuba

Phone: (53-7) 209-6014

Fax: (53-7) 204-9031

E-mail: mabo@ama.cu

Mr. Utibe Esiet

Senior State Attorney

Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica

Government Headquarters

Kennedy Avenue

Rosseau

Dominica

Phone: (1-767) 448-2401 Ext. 3294/3298

Fax : (1-767) 448-0182/5200

Sr. Maximiliano Puig , Secretario Lic. Zoila González de Gutierrez ,Sub-Secretario de Estado de Gestión AmbientalLic. Felipe Ditren , Dirección de Calidad Ambiental Secretaria de Estado de Medio Ambiente y Recursos NaturalesAvenida Tiradentes esq. 27 de FebreroPlaza MerengueSanto DomingoDominican RepublicPhone: (1-809) 472-0626Fax: (1-809) 472-0631/ *809 567-4300E-mail: calidad@medioambiente.gov.do / fditren@ceiba.gov.do

Mrs. Lana McPhainPermanent SecretaryDr. Guido Marcelle , Chief Analytical Chemist

Information Sources

19

Min. of Agri., Lands, Forestry, Fisheries, Pub.

St GeorgesGrenada

Phone: (1-473) 440-2708 / 3078 / 440-3273, 0105

Fax: (1-473) 440-8866 / 4191/440-3273

E-mail: lana.mcphil@gov.gov/pclab@caribsurf.com

Sr. Mario Dary Fuentes

Minstro

Lica. Rita Mishaan

Directora de Cooperación Internacional

Ministerio de Ambiente y Recursos Naturales

7a Avenida 14-57

Zona 10

Cuidad de Guatemala

Guatemala

Phone: (502-2) 512-2595, 512-2654 /512-2658

Fax: (502-2) 346-0560

E-mail: marnguatemala@marn.gob.gt

Mr. Yves-André Wainright , Minister

M. Exil Lucienna ,

Ministère de l’Environnement

181, Haut Turgeau

Ave. Jean Paul II

Boite Postale 19260

Port-au-Prince

Haiti

Phone: (509) 245-7585/ 72 / 0504/ 9309 (417-4880, c)

Fax: (509) 245-7360

E-mail: exillucienna@yahoo.fr /mdecabinet@yahoo.com

Secretaria de Planificacion,

Coordinacion y Presupuesto (SECPLAN)

Apartado Postal 1327

Tegucigalpa

Honduras

Phone: (504) 235-7833/ 239-4296

Fax: (504) 232-6250

Hon. K. D. Knight , Minister

Mr. Douglas Saunders

Permanent Secretary

Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade

21 Dominica Drive

Kingston 5

Jamaica

Phone: (1-876) 926-4220-9 /4416-7

Fax: (1-876) 929-6733, 929-5112 (Min.)

E-mail: psmfaja@cwjamaica.com; mfaftjam@

Ing. José Luis Luege Tamargo , Secretario

Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT)

Unidad Coordinadora de Asuntos

Internacionales

Blvd. Adolfo Ruiz Cortines

#4209

Col. Jardines en la Montaña

Nivel 6, Ala “A”, Tlalpan

Código Postal 14210

Mexico DF

Phone: (52-55) 5628-0602-5

Fax: (52-55) 5628-0643/44

E-mail: c.secretario@semarnat.gob.mx

Internet: www.semarnat.gob.mx

Mr. Claude Gray

Director of Agriculture

Ministry of Agriculture, Land, Housing and the Environment

P.O. Box 272

Brades

Montserrat

Phone: (664) 491-2546/2075/3529

Fax: (664) 491-9275

E-mail: malhe@gov.ms

Internet: www.malhe.gov.ms

Mrs. Letitia Buth

Directorate of Pulic Health of the Netherlands Antilles

Schouwburgweg 26

Willemstad

Curaçao

Netherlands Antilles (Netherlands)

Phone: (599-9) 466-9300

Fax: (599-9) 461-0254

E-mail: mina@mina.vomil.an

Internet: http://mina.vomil.an

Sr. Cristóbal Tito Sequeira

Ministro

Ing. Elsa María Vivas Soto ,

Lcda. Flor Ivette Cortés Ruiz ,

Ministerio del Ambiente y los Recursos Naturales (MARENA)

Apdo. 5123

Km. 12? Carretera Norte

Managua

Nicaragua

Phone: (505-2) 63-1271; 63-1273, 63-1994 /2830/2

Fax: (505-2) 263-1274, 263-2617-9 / 233-1795

E-mail: fcortez@marena.gob.ni

Information Sources

20

Sra. Zoila Aquino

Jefe de la Cooperación Internacional

Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente

Autoridad Marítima de Panamá

Apartado 592

Balboa, Ancón

Panamá

Phone: (507)315-0247

Fax: (507) 315-1027

E-mail: z.aquino@anam.gob.pa

The Hon. Mr. Delano F. Bart e

Attorney-General

Government of St. Kitts and Nevis

Government Headquarters

P.O. Box 186

Basseterre

St. Kitts and Nevis

Phone: (1-869) 946-2855

Fax: (1-869) 946-2751

Ms. Marcia Philbert-Jules

Permanent Secretary

Mr. Georges James /+Crispin d’Auvergne

Deputy PS / Chief Officer – Sustainable Dev. & Env. Section

Ministry of Physical Development, Environment and Housing

Greaham Louisy, Administrative

Building

P.O. Box 709

Waterfront

Castries

St. Lucia

Phone: (1-758) 468-4458/5041 /+8746

Fax: (1-758) 451-6958

E-mail: cdauvergne@./ sde/ ps & dps@planning.gov.lc

The Hon. Dr. Douglas Slater, Minister

Ms. Verlene Saunders , Permanent Secretary (ag)

Ministry of Health and the Environment

Fisheries Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries

Kingstown

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Phone: (1-784) 457-2586

Fax: (1-784) 457-2684

E-mail: mohesvg@vincysurf.com, svgenv@

The Hon. Clifford P. Marica , Minister

Drs. S. Defares , Permanent Secretary

Mrs. Anuradha Bajnath-Khoenkhoen

Environmental Officer

Ministry of Labour, Technological Development and Environment

Wagenweg straat 22

Paramaribo

Suriname

Phone: (597) 476795 / 475241

Fax: (597) 410465

E-mail: anuradha_khoenkhoen@yahoo.com/ milieu_atm@…

Dr. Amoy Lum Kong

Acting Director

Institute of Marine Affairs

Hilltop Lane, Chaguaramas

P.O. Box 3160

Carenage P.O.

Carenage

Trinidad & To b a g o

Phone: (1-868) 634-4291 to 4

Fax: (1-868) 634-4433

E-mail: director@ima.gov. t t

Internet: http://www.ima.gov. t t

The Hon. Mr. David Jeremiah

Attorney General

Attorney General’s Chambers

South Base

Grand Turk

Turks and Caicos (U.K.)

Phone: (1-649) 946-2096

Fax: (1-649) 946-2588

Dra. Jacqueline Faria Pineda

Ministra

Dr. Douglas Marín Chirinos

Director General de Calidad Ambiental

Directora de Calidad de Aguas

Dirección General de Calidad Ambiental

Ministerio del Ambiente y de los Recursos

Naturales (MARN)

Torre Sur, Piso 28

Centro Simon Bolivar, A.A. 6623

Caracas 1010

Venezuela

Phone: (58-212) 408-1002/8; 1116/

408-1141/ 1020-1

Fax: (58-212) 408-1009

E:mail: dmarin@marn.gob.ve

Information Sources

21

Coral reefs providevaluable goods and

services to support localand national economies.

Degradation of coral reefs can

lead to significant economic losses

“By 2015, coral reefdegradation could result

in annual losses ofUS$100 million to

US$300 million to the Caribbean

tourism industry.”

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