Caribbean Times 75th issue - Wednesday 23rd March 2016

10 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Wednesday 23rd March 2016
Richard Branson discusses solutions for
Sargassum Seaweed with OECS Ministers
Montserrat is participating
in a meeting with entrepreneur
and philanthropist
Sir Richard Branson this
week on Moskito Island.
Hon. Minister of Trade and
Environment Claude Hogan
and Chief Fisheries Officer
Alywn Ponteen joined colleagues
from the British Virgin
Islands, Anguilla, Dominica,
Antigua & Barbuda
along with leading scientists
and experts from around the
world to discuss the ongoing
issue of Sargassum Seaweed
which is affecting the Caribbean
and the very important
tourism industry. It is a high
stakes event involving the
UK’s FCO with expectations
of immediate solutions to
stem the problem to include
making a business from Sargassum.
Branson is working with
the OECS to develop a regional
strategy to be implemented
locally by member
states. The OECS is acting as
the technical moderator for
the conference along with
On March 9 2016 the German Government
and the Caribbean Community
have agreed to extend their joint
programme, “Renewable Energy and
Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance
(REETA)”. The REETA Programme
aims at strengthening, at the regional
and national level, sustainable development
within the Caribbean Community
through the increased use of renewable
energy technologies and increased energy
efficiency in the building sector.
Under this new phase of the German-Caribbean
cooperation, the German
Government is providing 3 Million
Euros to support the institutional and
technical requirements for improving
the financing environment for sustainable
energy projects within the Region.
The latest contribution brings to 8,02
Million Euros, the total support by the
German Government under the REETA
BVI technicians and Branson’s
own team of environmentalists.
“Sargussum seaweed
is a threat to tourism,
the livelihood of fishers and
the marine environment,”
Hogan noted.
“Finding a strategy which
we can action locally is the
dominant theme of the conference.”
The environment ministers
of Montserrat, the BVI,
Anguilla and Antigua have
been asked to champion the
project to work with Branson
and his Virgin Unite charity
to find solutions to the problem.
Minister Hogan said
they have identified some
of the main issues but no
single solution has yet been
formulated. “One of the bullets
is public education and
information on Sargassum,”
he said. There’s also the use
of Sargassum as an animal
feed.
Branson has also shared
that energy must be given
to conserving seafood
and managing the catches
of lobster in particular. According
to Minister Hogan,
the investor is willing to pay
for his methods to be implemented
and he has already
agreed a marine project for
Montserrat.
The billionaire who
owns Moskito Island, along
with nearby Necker Island
in the British Virgin Islands
has more than 400 companies
under his Virgin Brand.
Many of these companies,
including Virgin and Virgin
Holidays are in the travel industry.
Moskito Island is part
of the Virgin Limited Edition
franchise, which features
three villas and can house
up to 22 guests for exclusive
use according to the website.
German government and CARICOM in joint REETA program
Programme.
REETA builds on the foundation
of the CREDP Project, which has been
implemented by GIZ between 2003 until
2016, and is based in Guyana at the
CARICOM Secretariat. The programme
focusses on five priority areas including
policy, private sector development and
participation, regional model projects,
financing of energy infrastructure and
capacity development.