Tobago now has its own equipment to address the influx of sargassum during specific periods of the year.
On Tuesday, the handover ceremony was held for the equipment donated by the United Nations Development Programme in Trinidad and Tobago and the Japanese Government.
Director of the Tobago Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Allan Stewart, described Tuesday’s sargassum management equipment handover by the Japanese Government and the UNDP as a historic moment.
“Capacity building is a critically important one in the level of preparedness that the SIDS of the Caribbean need to pay attention to as we move forward. What the Japanese have demonstrated to us today is that they have presented what we consider to be the tangibles of all these discussions at whatever level it may be said.”
Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, Farley Augustine, said he was happy to see the presence of tourism stakeholders at Tuesday’s event. He recalled that in 2011, sargassum made its presence in Tobago East for the first time.
“We know the impact on our environment. We know the impact on our fish stock, impact for our fishers, impact for our hoteliers and restaurateurs, especially those on the coast, and so we are eternally grateful for this investment for the people of Tobago.”
The Japanese Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Akima Umezawa said after seeing the blankets of sargassum in Tobago East, he made a solemn vow to collaborate with Tobago to restore the island’s coastline.
“We decided to support to clean up for the beach and make a good cooperation with the UNDP to decide to clean up operation of the sargassum. So this is one of the symbols of the cooperation so thisis the tractor to remove the sargassum.”
While stakeholders continue to explore opportunities to be created with sargassum, UNDP Resident Representative Ugo Blanco indicated they are willing to engage in efforts to prevent it from affecting the beaches and stakeholders.
“What do we do with it? Can we process it? There is experience with bio-gas, there is experience doing plastics, but is this feasible? Is it profitable? Is it something sustainable? I think that’s the next conversation we would like to have.”
This equipment handover is a five-country arrangement, and Chief Secretary Augustine noted this is just the start. He indicated additional equipment, such as boats and booms, to help in the fight against the challenge of sargassum, will be brought to Tobago soon.
Additionally, the CERT Speyside Response Centre was also funded by the Japanese Government and was officially opened on Tuesday.