Tenth Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Basel Convention

The tenth meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-10) of the Basel Convention on Controlling transboundary movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was held from 30^th May to June 2^nd, 2016 at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. 

As a Party to the Basel Convention, Trinidad and Tobago participated and was represented by Ms. Keima Gardiner, Environmental Engineering Specialist of the Environmental Policy and Planning Division. Also in attendance were Dominica who represented the CARICOM Sub-Region along with Trinidad and Tobago as well as observers from Non-Party states, representatives from Basel Convention Regional Centres, academia, industry, IGOs and NGOs. 

Ms. Gardiner (second from the left) participating at the OEWG-10 in Kenya on May 20th—June 2nd, 2016.

Matters discussed included:

• technical guidelines on environmentally sound management of waste
• guidelines for the national reporting on e-waste, used lead batteries and waste oil
• the Cartagena Declaration  with emphasis on technology transfer as proffered by the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC)
• the proposed partnership on household waste, and the developments with the World Customs Organisation (*This was important as Trinidad and Tobago has embarked on an exercise to establish an Import and Export Licensing System)

The proceedings at OEWG-10 was a useful platform to monitor the progress of implementation of the decisions adopted at the twelfth meeting of the COP (COP-12), while setting the framework for prioritizing action in preparation for the upcoming COP. As an active participant at this forum, Trinidad and Tobago is in an advantageous position to build on the momentum created and have more profound engagements at upcoming COP in 2017.

First National Interagency Workshop for the Norway ODA Mercury Storage and Disposal Project

The First National Interagency Workshop for the Mercury Storage and Disposal Project in the Caribbean was held on Wednesday 18th, May 2016 at the Ministry of Planning and Development’s Conference Room on Level 26, Tower D, International Waterfront Complex, Port of Spain.

The Project which is funded through the Norway Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), aims to enhance capacities, promote the environmentally sound storage and disposal of surplus mercury, and support the ratification and early implementation in three (3) selected countries in the Caribbean: Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

 In attendance were members of the National Working Group which is a multi-sectoral body comprised of representatives from ministries, government agencies, the oil and gas sector, dental association, civil society and academia. Ms. Keima Gardiner represented the Ministry of Planning and Development at the Workshop.

Participants at the First National Interagency Workshop for the Mercury Storage and Disposal Project in the Caribbean was held on Wednesday 18th, May 2016

This Workshop was designed to facilitate coordination of the various project activities which include:

• an inventory of mercury waste streams, 
• survey and analysis of possible temporary storage locations, 
• review of the regulatory framework, 
• assessment of basic management options, and 
• the development of a national storage and waste management action plan

The presentations delivered throughout the session focused on these project activities, along with guidance on potential local generators for use in supplying data to the inventory. The session closed with the country representatives’ presentation on the documented sources of mercury in Trinidad and Tobago and a revision of the country work plan based on the input of participants. This project is carded for completion by December 2016.

National Follow-Up Seminar on Industrial Chemicals under the Rotterdam Convention

The Basel Convention Regional Centre (BCRC-Caribbean) in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade engaged in a tri-fold programme to address the sound management  of industrial chemicals under the Rotterdam Convention. 

The 3rd phase of this programme entailed a National Follow-Up Seminar in the 3 pilot (Trinidad and Tobago, Belize and St. Vincent and the Grenadines) for which updates of their Chemical Profiles were completed in June 2015. 

The National Follow-Up Seminar was held on July 22, 2015 at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Ms. Keima Gardiner, Environmental Specialist of the Environmental Policy and Planning Division of the Ministry of Planning and Development attended the Seminar.

Objectives  of the meeting included:

• Strengthening  or establishing the National Committee for chemicals management to address the obligations under the Rotterdam Convention
• Refining the National Framework for the management of industrial chemicals developed at the Introductory Workshop which was held in October 2014 and hosted and coordinated by the same two parties.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), the Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Cooperation Limited (PLIPDECO), along with other relevant local agencies.   

Sub-Regional Workshop for the Caribbean Countries in support for the Ratification and early Implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury

The Sub-regional Workshop for Caribbean countries in support for the Ratification and early Implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury was held from 19th to 21st January, 2015 at the Hilton Trinidad, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. 

 

The Workshop was  hosted by the Interim Secretariat of the Minamata Convention in conjunction with the Basel Convention  Regional Centre for the Caribbean (BCRC-Caribbean). Designed to ensure the appropriate enabling  environment is created at the country level, the Workshop was intended to  facilitate the effective and efficient implementation of the Minamata Convention in the interim period until it enters into force.

In attendance were government representatives of twelve (12) Caribbean countries and delegates from Latin American countries. Additionally, local and sub-regional stakeholder organisations involved in the manufacture, use or management of mercury were also present. Ms. Keima Gardiner, Environmental Engineering Specialist from Environmental Policy and Planning Division, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) was among the representatives of the Trinidad and Tobago delegation.

Representatives from regional, inter-governmental, and non-governmental organisations also participated in the meeting. These organisations included: CARICOM, United  Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Global Environmental Facility (GEF), UN Development Programme (UNDP), United States Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), officers from UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC) and its Division of  Technology, Industry and Economics and IPEN. 

Permanent Secretary of the MEWR, Ms. Vidiah Ramkhelawan delivered the feature remarks at the Workshop. She encouraged participants to utilise the three day session to expand their knowledge base in an effort towards developing resolute, collaborative and comprehensive decisions with respect to the environmentally sound management of mercury in their respective territories.

The forum involved an exploration into each of the Articles of the Minamata Convention with group  activities for certain key provisions and culminated with participants creating a draft country road map for the ratification and early implementation of the Convention.

Participants of the Sub-Regional Workshop for the Caribbean on the Implementation of the Minamata Convention in January, 2015 including Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh (Head, Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit, MEWR ( Front row, second from the left), Ms. Ramkhelawan (front row, middle)  and Ms. Gardiner (back row,  first from the left)