Consultation on Trinidad and Tobago's Status on
Sustainable Development in Preparation for Rio +20

21 November 2011

Ms. Rosemary Lall (UNDPTT) presenting to the audience.

On November 14 2011, the Ministry of Planning and the Economy in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme Trinidad and Tobago (UNDPTT) Country Office hosted a consultation on the draft of the national preparatory document to be submitted to Rio +20. This document describes both the current position as well as the projected objectives of Trinidad and Tobago with respect to its goals for sustainable development.

 

This event took place at the La Lune Conference Room, Level 20 of the Eric Williams Finance Building, Port of Spain. It sought to bring together stakeholders from the private sector, academia, government and non-government organizations to discuss the status of Trinidad and Tobago in attaining sustainable development, the possible gaps that need to be addressed in order to attain sustainable development, and determine the opportunities and threats pertaining to the two themes of the Rio +20 Conference scheduled to be held in Brazil in 2012:

 

• The development of a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication;

• The institutional framework for sustainable development.

 

Opening remarks from Mr. Edo Stork (UNDPTT Resident Representative a.i.) .

 

The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Planning and the Economy, Mrs. Vidiah Ramkhelawan, and included presentations from Ms. Rosemary Lall, UNDPTT Programme Officer responsible for Energy and the Environment, and members of the Ministry’s Technical Team who presented a summary of the draft position paper on Trinidad and Tobago’s Status on Sustainable Development. After the break Dr. Marissa Gowrie, from the Ministry of Housing and the Environment, made a presentation on the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development paying particular attention to the challenges being experienced in the 21st century.

 

Significant time was allocated to question and answer discussion sessions after each presentation and careful note was taken of the verbal feedback generated by the various stakeholders present. Additionally, participants were provided with feedback forms prior to the beginning of the consultation to ensure they were provided with ample opportunity to submit their views and information. The Ministry further facilitated the consultative process by providing the participants with an email address as an additional channel through which participants could submit their comments.

  

Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Minister of Planning and the Economy (centre), Ms. Vidiah Ramkhelawan, Deputy Permanent Secretary Ministry of Planning and the Economy (far left) and the Ministry’s Technical Team fielding questions from the audience. Photo: Martin Murrell, UNDP

 

In his closing remarks, Dr. the Honourable Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Ministry of Planning and the Economy, praised the consultative process and encouraged stakeholders present to urgently submit their feedback to the Ministry so that it may be included in the final position paper that would be submitted to the conference organizers by the end of November 2011.

 

For more information on activities during the consultation, please see the below links:

 

	Newsday article	Edo Stork's Opening Remarks
Presentation by UNDP	Presentation by Ministry of Planning and Economy	Presentation by  Ministry of Planning and Economy	Presentation by the Ministry of Housing and Environment