The LECB Project

The Low Emission Capacity Building Programme (LECB) received approval from the Cabinet. The project document of the LECB Programme for Trinidad and Tobago was signed by the Minister of the  Environment and Water Resources, Senator, the Honourable Ganga Singh and the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Richard Blewitt.

The LECB Programme partners with governments to implement national projects that support sustainable mitigation actions in both the public and industrial sectors. It was launched in January 2011 as part of a joint collaboration between the European Union (European Commission and Member States) and the United Nations Development Programme. This  collaborative programme aims to strengthen technical and institutional capacities at the country level, while at the same time facilitating inclusion and coordination of the public and private sector in national initiatives addressing climate change.   

The Ministry anticipates that the work of the LECB will commence in the near future. The next step is the hiring of a Project Manager and Technical Assistant; following which, the activities of the project shall begin. The main expected outputs include:

•  a greenhouse gas inventory 
• at least three Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), 
•  a Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system.

Official Hand-over of the NIP on POPs

With an aim to further enhance the management of toxic and harmful chemicals affecting human health and the environment, Trinidad and Tobago fulfilled one of its obligations as a signatory to the Stockholm Convention through the development of a National Implementation Plan (NIP) on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The completion of the NIP was commemorated through an official handover ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Friday 23 May, 2014.

  

The official handover of the NIP between the UNDP  represented by Ms. Rosemary Lal (left) and the MEWR  represented by the Honourable Minister Ganga Singh, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (right).

This NIP was developed with grant funding provided through the United Nations Development Programme – Global Environment Facility (UNDP/GEF) and with technical support from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

 As part of completing the NIP, an assessment of the major types and sources of POPs in the country was conducted. Some of the main findings arising from the study include:

• there is no production of POPs pesticides or  chemicals in the country; 
• importation of POPs is effectively prohibited; 
•  there are no POPs chemicals presently on the market apart from some PCB transformers that are reaching the end of their useful life and; 
•  Trinidad and Tobago’s main concerns relate to the unintentional release of POPs (uPOPs) primarily through flaring in the petrochemical industry and open burning  of waste and agricultural residue. 

To minimize the risks posed not only by the original “dirty dozen” (an initial twelve chemicals or chemical groups identified by the Stockholm Convention needing priority action) but also the latter additions of POPs, the NIP recommends a series of actions to be implemented over a five (5) year period.  These measures outline the main actors involved in each process, estimated budgetary requirements, as well as a metric for evaluating  implementation success.

Consultation with Monthly Paid Forestry Division Staff on the FPAMA

On January 15, 2013, a meeting was held at the Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce, Couva with the monthly paid Forestry Staff on the transformation of the Forestry Division to the Forest and Protected Management Authority (FPAMA) from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. 
 

View of Monthly Paid Forestry Division staff in attendance

The purpose of this consultation was to sensitise staff members about the FPAMA and the potential of benefits this transition. Most importantly, it was to give monthly paid staff a forum to voice their concerns and comments regarding the Authority

Mr. Courtnay Parks, Acting Conservator of Forests; Forestry Division opened the meeting with welcoming remarks which was then followed by a presentation by Dr. David Persaud, Environmental Manager of the Environmental Policy and Planning Division; Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. 

Dr. Persaud updated staff on the status of the transformation process of the Forestry Division to the FPAMA.  Monthly staff of Forestry was also given an overview of the draft legislative framework for the FPAMA by Dr. Rajendra Ramlogan, Legal Drafting Consultant for the Forestry, Protected Areas and Wildlife Conservation Bill.

After the presentations, there was an open discussion facilitated by the Honourable Minister of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR), Ganga Singh. During this session, staff had the opportunity to raise concerns and pose questions to the Minister and other members of the head table which included the Permanent Secretary of the MEWR, Dr. Persaud and Dr. Ramlogan.

Head Table during Q&A session. L-R: Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Ramkhelawan, Honourable Minister Ganga Singh, Environmental Manager, Dr. Persaud and Legal Drafting Consultant, Dr. Ramlogan.

Many issues were raised and suggestions made about the transformation of the Forestry Division to the FPAMA. These issues included, among other things, job security and employment options and benefits, consideration of education/qualifications and current officers with specialized experience in job selection criteria, remuneration and special allowances, consultation during every step of the process, safety on the job and accountability as well as training and re-training of staff with emphasis on younger officers.

At the end of the session, the Honourable Minister thanked the staff for their time and airing their views. He reassured the staff members that concerns have been heard and would be further addressed especially with the Change Management Consultants coming on board. 

>> For further updates on the status of the transition to the FPAMA and/or to give comments, stay tuned to the Green Days by EPPD blog. Presentations and written comments from this meeting can be accessed below: 

• Transformation of the Forestry Division to the FPAMA (Status Update)
• Overview of the Draft Legislative Framework 
• Written Comments 

Trash Free Seas! - ICC 2013

The International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) took place on Saturday 21^st September, 2013. Volunteers across Trinidad participated in the removal of litter and marine debris from eighteen (18) beaches and waterways, with a separate event in Tobago.

The Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) is the major sponsor of the local chapter of the ICC. Thiis year the Ministry comprising of its Divisions and Agencies engaged in coordinated efforts to clean up one designated site, Chagville, Chaguaramas.

The Honourable Minister, Ganga Singh came out to actively participate in the removal of materials that threaten wildlife, human health, ecosystems, livelihoods and revenue generation. In addition, representatives from the Environmental Policy and Planning Division (EPPD), the Ministry’s Head Office, Forestry Division, Drainage Division, the Water and Sewage Authority (WASA), National Reforestation Watershed and Rehabilitation Programme (NRWRP), Green Fund and the Meteorological Services also participated.

Staff of the Ministry with the Honourable Minister of the Environrment and Water Resources, Ganga Singh (front row, third from the left)

4,325.5 pounds of garbage was collected by 1,142 volunteers from Chagville Beach alone. The efforts of those willing participants helped to restore the aesthetics and increase the ocean’s resilience, but also worked towards raising the environmental consciousness by providing tangible evidence on the need for us to alter our behaviour and implement long-lasting, resounding solutions. The overarching purpose of the clean-up effort was in the hope of creating Trash Free Seas in Trinidad and Tobago.

Special thanks go out to the local organizer of the event, the Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development (CNIRD) and the National Planning Committee (NPC), all sponsors, site captains and volunteers as it was because of their support this event was a huge success.

 

4th National Workshop to Discuss and Endorse the NIP for Trinidad and Tobago

The fourth national stakeholder workshop for the development of the national profile for the Stockholm Convention convened on  September 11, 2013 at the Capital Plaza Hotel, from 8:30am – 4:00pm. 

The intention of the fourth of a series workshops was to update  stakeholders on the progress of the POPs Project, while engaging them in the process of endorsing the National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention. Key actions which are intended to occur over the next  five (5) years (2014 to 2018, inclusive) were recommended in this NIP project document and also indicates the timing of each action, as well as the budget requirement for each. 

These key actions included: 

• Strategic legislative actions including the enacting of local enabling legislation for the Stockholm Convention and the amendment of the negative list to include Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) consequently revising customs regulations;
• Providing technical assistance and capacity building opportunities for industries, farmers and other relevant stakeholders;
•  Investigating the effects of POPs while promoting alternatives and remediating sites contaminated by POPs;
• Implementing a public awareness and information exchange programme.

 

  >> Report on the Draft NIP Workshop Report 

 

L-R: Ms. Rosemary Lall (UNDP), Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh (Head, Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources - (MEWR)), Honorable  Minister  Senator Ganga Singh (MEWR), Ms. Vidiah Ramkhelawan (Permanent Secretary, MEWR) and Mr. Hans Schulz (Project Manager, NIP) at the fourth and final National Workshop to  Support the Implementation of the Stockholm Convention in Trinidad and Tobago hosted by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at Capital Plaza, Port of Spain.