Government pursuing shared environmental recovery with Latin America and the Caribbean
Promoting environmental resilience: Ministry of Planning, Institute of Marine Affairs and volunteers from the public engage in a mangrove replanting exercise in the Caroni Swamp.
The Ministry of Planning and Development is announcing to the public that matters related to the environment, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity loss and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change among others are still among the top of the Ministry’s priorities going into 2021. This is further strengthened by the Ministry’s current representation of Trinidad and Tobago in the XXII Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, which takes place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday February 1-2, 2021. The Government of Barbados currently holds the Presidency of this Forum.
Expert: Shark attacks in TT waters rare
A large number of beachgoers enjoy the sand, sea, sun and scenery at Maracas Bay. - SUREASH CHOLAI
Two recent shark attacks in Caribbean, one of them fatal for a UK tourist, have sparked some fear and concern among those who swim in the ocean.
But Dr Farahnaz Solomon, a fisheries biologist at the Institute of Marine Affairs, does not think there is a greater chance of someone being bitten in TT waters.
“In general, there is always the possibility of a shark attack once sharks are present. However, that probability is incredibly low. The likelihood of being attacked and killed by a shark are 1 in 3.75 million – less than the chances of dying by lightning strike or excessive cold.”
Maritime law expert urges Philippine gov’t to carefully review South China Sea COC By MA. ANGELICA GARCIA, GMA News
Published December 14, 2020 4:46pm The Philippine government should carefully review the draft of the code of conduct in the disputed South China Sea as Beijing wants to fast-track sea code talks and follow the 2021 deadline, a maritime law expert said Monday. Jay Batongbacal, director of the UP Institute of Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said the Philippines should examine the negotiating texts and important provisions China put in the COC. “So nakikita natin na yung code of conduct negotiation ay maaaring maging paraan upang ma-undermine nila itong arbitration award. May mga proposal siguro sila diyan na in effect parang binabaligtad na ‘yong tama dito sa South China Sea. ‘Yon ‘yong dapat nating iwasan,” he said in an interview on Balitanghali.