STRIKING A “FINE BALANCE” BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

As well as a magnet for North  American tourists seeking warmth from the winter, Turks and Caicos was an attraction for experts from all the other Caribbean Overseas Territories last week, together with representatives from as far away as Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.  The occasion was a meeting of environment specialists to consider how to preserve the Territories’ environment by the best use of scientific information, particularly derived from freely available satellite imagery.

I was able to meet the whole group at the start of the workshop, which was run by experts from the British Joint Nature Conservation Committee  (JNCC) and the National Oceanographic Centre. I’m delighted to say that Turks and Caicos was chosen to host the event because of its work in mapping, which the UK experts said was of a high standard. The event was also a good illustration of how the Overseas Territories can benefit from their link to the UK by securing expert advice from world-recognised bodies.

At the start of the three  day seminar  we had a lively discussion about the wider implications of how we care for our environment, and the pressures on Governments. I mentioned the valuable work done in Turks and Caicos by non-government organisations, based here and in the UK. For example the National Trust, which is being supported by the powerful UK NGO The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds(RSPB), is doing essential work to preserve the man-made and natural environments, especially in locations like Little Water Cay and North Caicos.

Another big contributor to our coastal attractions is the Reef  Fund, whose founders and Board give – at no cost to the citizens of TCI – hours and hours of their time to help to maintain our pristine waters, which are the envy of other Territories. They deserve our constant appreciation.

At the seminar we also considered the pressures on our elected Representatives to balance the need to stimulate developments in TCI to boost the economy, while at the same time ensuring our Territory remains a destination of choice because of its environment. These interests can sometimes put Ministers in a difficult position, for example where a new resort development might be seeking to ensure its guests have views of the sea while local residents can still enjoy their weekends partying in the same neighbourhood.

These conflicting interests can be difficult to resolve, and I suggested to our overseas visitors that it was often necessary to achieve “a fine balance” between the push to see more tourism facilities on our islands, while preserving their wonderful environment.

Although the UK is happy to provide experts to help in this decision-making, it’s important to make it clear that  final decisions rest,  not with my office or London,  but with the Turks and Caicos elected government. I hope that they, with the oversight and checks and balances of the opposition,  can achieve that fine balance we discussed at our workshop.