Final National Workshop for the Project “Development of Minamata Initial Assessment for the Caribbean

Mercury is a highly toxic chemical, exposure to which can have serious health implications such as neurological and behavioural disorders, impairment of the digestive and immune systems, and in extreme cases death. The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international agreement developed in response to the immensely hazardous characteristics of this chemical. In an effort to facilitate the ratification and early implementation of the Convention, a sub-regional project entitled, “Development of Minamata Initial Assessments (MIA) in the Caribbean” was initiated. Trinidad and Tobago, in conjunction with three (3) other territories of the Caribbean participated in the project to conduct a mercury inventory for each island, and to determine the main mercury sources, legislative gaps and health and environmental impacts. There were also several communications materials developed under the project, and these along with the project’s results were shared over a series of Final National Results Workshops in October, 2018 in North and South Trinidad and in Tobago.

The aim of these Workshops were dissemination of the main aforementioned outputs of the project, inclusive of the communications materials which included vivid infographics as well as both national and regional videos. These were developed on both regional and national scope, to raise awareness and prompt action on the need for holistic mercury management. The format of the Workshops were designed to capture the audiences composed of key stakeholders but predominantly secondary school students, through the use of dramatic performances from the Drama Making a Difference (DMAD) Production Company.

Trinidad and Tobago is not yet a Party to the Minamata Convention on Mercury and thus we were pleased to have been given the opportunity to participate in this Minimata Initial Assessment (MIA) Project, as it afforded a more holistic and quantitative assessment into the status of mercury locally. Moving forward, the results of the study will be analysed and used to assist with the development of the policy directive, as the country develops a more definitive country position on signing the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Concurrently, it will also encourage more focused action on those sectors requiring more attention.

Ms. Keima Gardiner - Waste Management Specialist,  presents at the Workshop

DMAD Company during their performance

Student participants in Tobago

Student participants in North Trinidad

A student raises a question during the South Trinidad Workshop

Student participants in South Trinidad

National Inception Workshop and Mercury Inventory Toolkit Training for the Project Minamata Initial Assessment in the Caribbean (Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago)

Human activity has led to the re-mobilization of mercury within the environment. Mercury is a chemical of global concern since once it has entered the environment it persists, continuously cycling between land, air and water. The chemical also bioaccumulates up the food chain where it could eventually be ingested by humans.  As a mechanism to treat with the adverse effects of this hazardous chemical on humans and the environment, the Minamata Convention on Mercury was established.

Trinidad and Tobago has not signed the Minamata Convention on Mercury, however, steps are being taken to assess the local mercury status. To this end, the country is participating in the project ‘Development of Minamata Initial Assessments in the Caribbean’. The Project seeks to allow participating countries to ratify and implement the Convention through the use of scientific knowledge and technical tools. This primarily refers to UNEP’s Toolkit for the identification and quantification of mercury releases, through the population of an inventory of mercury sources in the country.

 Dr. David Persaud, Environmental Manager
delivering the feature address. Seated to his
 right are Dr. Ahmad Khan, Director,
BCRC-Caribbean and Dr. David Buck of the
BRI Institute

Workshop Participants at the National Inception

 Workshop engage in an interactive session

To officially initiate the project a National Inception Workshop was hosted by the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer in the Caribbean Region (BCRC-Caribbean) at Cara Suites Hotel and Conference Centre on March 21st, 2017. The key objectives of the Workshop were to introduce stakeholders to the Minamata Initial Assessment Project; explain the data requirements of stakeholders; briefly explain the UNEP’s Toolkit for identification and quantification of mercury releases Inventory level 2; and facilitate meetings and site visits with the consultants and relevant stakeholders.

The participants at the Workshop comprised the key stakeholders required for the inventory component and ranged from public to private sector entities including: Ministries, academia, waste management, energy, manufacturing and NGOs.

Following the delivery of opening remarks by the Director of the BCRC-Caribbean, Dr. Ahmad Khan and Dr. David Persaud, Environmental Manager of the EPPD, Mr. Kishan Patloo, the National Project Coordinator for the Inventory Component gave an overview of the project and explained the role of stakeholders. This was followed by Dr. Winston McCalla, the Legal Consultant, who discussed his role of conducting a legislative review for the project. Dr. Buck, the Lead Technical Consultant for the Inventory Component coordinated the remainder of the proceedings, briefing the audience on the Toolkit and the inventory, highlighting numerous potential sources of mercury in the country, as well as sources of data for the Minamata Initial Assessment Report. During a highly interactive session prior to the closure of the Workshop participants were invited to confirm these sources and provide any additional data. They were also reminded of the importance of their cooperation to ensure the successful completion of the Project.