Local News

Former minister says maritime resources need single management agency

St. George’s, August 24, 2012 – A former Grenada government minister has recommended that energy matters should be removed from under the auspices “weighty’’ Ministry of Finance.

Attorney Arley Gill, an executive member of the ruling National Democratic Congress and a former senator with responsibility for information and culture, told a meeting in St. George’s that oil, gas and other maritime resources ought to be harvested in a “sustainable manner’’ for economic development.

To achieve this objective, Gill has suggested an end to the practice in Grenada and other Caribbean countries where ocean governance and maritime resources are administered by various government ministries, institutions and agencies in a “highly ineffective and chaotic’’ manner.

“In Grenada, there is no single agency that is responsible for the management of our ocean; in some areas there may be no identifiable institution,’’ said Gill, a maritime law specialist.

He noted that issues relating to the nation’s fish stock are handled by the fisheries department of the Ministry of Agriculture.

“With regards to shipping,’’ added Gill, “it is the Grenada Ports Authority which comes under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance. Oil and gas exploration and exploitation come under the Ministry of Energy, which is an appendage to the Ministry of Finance. Needless to say, that the Ministry of Finance is already an extremely weighty ministry. Considering that Grenada has real potential in that sector one may want to suggest that it be given more specific attention.’’

According to the former senator, “there needs to be a single agency, institution or ministry established to properly manage our ocean space and resources. At the very least, there must be put in place some organised structural mechanism to facilitate a harmonious cross-sectoral approach to ocean governance.’’

Gill, Public Relations Officer of the NDC, made the comments Wednesday in a presentation to delegates attending a two-week course on ocean governance and multilateral environmental agreements.

It was sponsored by the Grenada government, the United Nations Environmental Programme and the University of Eastern Finland.

“The maritime resource, to which reference is made, ranges from hydrocarbon deposits to fisheries; shipping to yachting; dive tourism to wind farms; and the list can go on. Whatever the resource may be, it must be harvested in a sustainable manner,’’ Gill said.

“The ocean provides significant economic, social and cultural resources which, in turn, make an invaluable contribution to the sustainable economic development of our region. After all, the islands in the region have more maritime space than terra firma.’’

Proper ocean governance, said Gill, also requires “a national political consensus’’ among all stakeholders, including political parties.

Gill was a member of the joint commission that negotiated and concluded a maritime treaty between Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago.

He admitted to being disheartened at the position of the Grenada parliamentary opposition party to the signing of the treaty.

However, Gill is calling for more involvement of the opposition in efforts to explore and exploit Grenada’s oil and gas resources as part of the treaty signed in April 2010.

“I am of the considered view that the government of Grenada should involve the opposition in a serious way, have some meaningful engagement, with regards to its approaches in the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon deposits; so that this thrust to claim and secure an unprecedented benefit that can transform our country is not plagued by partisan politics,’’ said Gill. “Political maturity can economically benefit Grenada on this issue. This may be a good starting point for effective and sustainable governance of our oceans.’’

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