The draft updated Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan is centre stage this month as the Public Enquiry for stakeholders and the wider public to share their views on the Plan continues.

The process was launched virtually on June 7 ahead of World Oceans Day. In her address Prime Minister of Barbados Hon. Mia Amor Mottley said that the Plan was “an important milestone for our nation” and presented an opportunity for stakeholders to become more aware of the severity of the climate crisis and developments affecting the country.

“I think we use that phrase ’climate crisis’ almost every day now since I've been in office. Why? Because it is real. We believe that the seriousness of this threat will be a catalyst for all kinds of programmes (as) we've already started with our own flagship Roofs to Reefs programme which is intended to be holistic and an integrated national initiative for the resilient development of our nation.  This programme provides for a response at the individual level, at the community level, at the level of the nation,” the Prime Minister explained.

“All of this is aimed to make it easier to help us recover quickly after a disaster. We know that disasters will come but how quickly can we pick up and get on with the business of the country, the business of individual households, the wellbeing of individual citizens after a disaster?” Ms. Mottley added.

Speaking on behalf of the Hon. Kirk Humphrey, Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Permanent Secretary Sonia Foster echoed the Prime Minister’s statement saying that the development of the Plan was a “significant achievement for Barbados.”

“The Plan aligns my ministry’s and by extension the Government of Barbados’ mandate of preserving our blue ecosystem through the development of best practices for sustainability and protection of our marine environment. This Plan is therefore a critical step as we seek to provide the framework to guide a coordinated and integrated response to coastal zone management,” Ms. Foster noted.

See the related article on the Government Information Service website here.