A delegation from the Turks & Caicos returned to the islands over the weekend after a mission to Tortola, British Virgin Islands attending the third Steering Committee Meeting of the Management of Protected Areas to Support Sustainable Economics Project. The trans-territorial project is co-funded by the European Union and the National Trust of the Cayman Islands, BVI National Parks Trust and Turks & Caicos National Trust.
The four-member delegation comprised of the Chair of the Steering Committee and Territorial Authorizing Officer, Mr. Delton Jones, Chair of the Turks & Caicos National Trust Mr. Princie Harris, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment & District Administration, Mrs. Mary Harvey and Project Manager, Ms. Ethlyn Gibbs. Also traveling from TCI to attend the meeting was Dr. David Alizondo, Technical and Financial Assistance Officer to the Project. Other delegates included representatives from the Cayman Islands, the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum, the EU Delegation in Jamaica and the BVI National Parks Trust.
The meeting agenda covered topics on progress reports from the three national trusts, challenges and solutions, best practices guidelines and sharing of experiences.
While the business sessions were conducted at the BVI Parks Trust Botanic Gardens in Tortola, participants welcomed the opportunity to visit site locations in Virgin Gorda. These specific sites are earmarked for project activities to improve management and infrastructure. The purpose of the sites visit was to allow delegates to experience the sites first hand in order to participate knowledgeably in subsequent discussions pertaining to best practices.
The next trans-territorial Steering Committee Meeting is slated to take place in the Cayman Islands in May of 2012.
