A collaboration initiative among the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), the Embassy of Chile and the National Directorate of Maritime Territory of Chile (DIRECTEMAR) is actively advocating for the sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resource within the Caribbean region through a workshop titled “Major aspects of Coastal Environmental Management Workshop” from October 17 to 20 in Kingston.
The workshop took place under the framework of the cooperation agreement between the DIRECTEMAR and (CHILE/UNDP) – which forms part of Chile’s effort to implement a technical cooperation for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). In her presentation, CMU’s VP of Legal and International Affairs, Ms. Deniece Aiken, lauded the DIRECTEMAR and the Embassy of Chile for their contribution to environmental development in the Caribbean.
“This partnership with CMU represents an important milestone in engaging the Caribbean region about the protection and sustainable development of the marine environment,” said Ms Aiken. “CMU will be establishing a Centre for Renewable Energy and Climate Change, that will drive further research and introduce possible solutions to the issues being faced,” she added.
The overall objectives of the workshop were to develop the capabilities among the participants, and to contribute to the protection of the marine environment through environmental education and the management of liquid industrial residues, and the developments of contingency plans in cases of accidental oil spills and dumping.
The mode of delivery at the workshop was lectures from experts within the maritime industry in Chile who shared their environmental best practices in environmental management, climate change and marine life—with participants locally and across the region. They included: The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPEM), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), United Nations Environmental Report (UNEP), and various ports and environmental agencies across the region.
At the closing ceremony, Capt. Jorge Imhoff, of DIRECTEMAR expressed to participants the benefits of the workshop to the overall development of the maritime life and thanked CMU for its collaboration.
In order to maintain the mutual collaboration of this workshop, seven participants of the Workshop in Kingston will be invited to a second phase of the program, to be held in Chile in March 2018. The seven participants will be selected based on the progress status of their environmental management instrument in the subsequent months.
