The Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Lands, Housing and the Environment (MATLHE) is preparing to welcome more than 40 delegates to the island, for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) 5th Council of Ministers of Environment and Sustainability (COMES5) Meeting.
The COMES5 Meeting will be held here on Tuesday, July 10th and Wednesday, July 11th 2018 under the theme ‘Building Resilience on the Frontlines of Climate Change’. The opening ceremony will be held at the Montserrat Cultural Centre on Tuesday July 10th starting at 6:30p.m. The meeting’s Chair, the Honourable David Osborne will address the opening ceremony along with other speakers who will deliver remarks pertaining to environment and climate change issues on Montserrat and the region.
Minister Osborne noted that this year’s theme is important given the devastation experienced in the region last year. He said following last year’s catastrophic hurricane season, there is heightened awareness and drive in the region for all of us to become more resilient to these natural hazards which are influenced greatly by climate change. Minister Osborne further noted that the COMES5 Meeting provides an avenue for environment ministers in the region to take a unified position on matters affecting our environment.
The delegates will begin arriving on island over the weekend and will include OECS Environment Ministers, technical officers and regional partners. As part of the meeting, the delegates will deliberate on several matters to include strengthening disaster preparedness and response coordination; The Blue and Green Economies; and Energy resilience among others.
The 5th COMES Meeting will be preceded by an exhibition organized by the OECS and the MATLHE to showcase regional and local initiatives and products that are implementing green climate smart practices, while at the same time highlighting the progress being made to build resilience on Montserrat. The opening ceremony for the exhibition will be held at the Montserrat Cultural Centre on Monday July 9th starting at 6:00p.m., and is open to the public.
The Council is comprised of Ministers of Environment in OECS Member States who are responsible for making recommendations to the OECS Authority on matters pertaining to the environment and sustainable development.
