PRIME MINISTER FRUENDEL STUART has been having talks in Brazil with a number of key politicians and representatives of non-government organizations (NGOs) and agencies.
Stuart led the Barbados delegation to the Rio+20 conference organised by the United Nations in the South American nation, where he addressed delegates on Wednesday and outlined Barbados’ plans for a green economy and it’s willingness to share these experiences with other small island developing states.
Stuart used the opportunity to hold bi-lateral discussions with the Bahamian delegation led by Foreign Minister Fred Mitchel at the conference in Rio de Janeiro.
Issues pertaining to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the CARICOM Single Market and Ecomony (CSME) and continuing regional integration efforts were central to the talks.
He gave the assurance that “despite what some persons were hinting and a few hiccups along the way, CARICOM is very much alive and well”.
“We just have to make those institutions and organs work to our benefit. As a region, we have achieved a lot over the years.”
He stressed that there were a lot more positives to report than there were negatives.
Stuart also had talks on renewable energy, waste to energy technology, and the benefits of solar-driven energy with officials of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), led by its managing director, Adnan Amin. Minister of the Environment, Dr Denis Lowe, also attended this meeting.
Stuart said the amount of money Barbados spent every year on its energy requirements was unsustainable, and that was why the country had to explore alternatives to its dependence on fossil fuels.
At the summit, world leaders, ministers of government and senior civil servants, along with thousands of participants from the private sector, NGOs and other groups, including environmentalists, came together to fashion a way to reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection across the globe.
Official discussions focused on two key themes: how to build a green economy to achieve sustainable development and lift countries (people) out of poverty; and how to improve international coordinated action for sustainable development.
The conference was portrayed as a historic opportunity to define pathways to a sustainable future – one that will see more jobs, clean energy, greater security and an acceptable and decent standard of living for all. (BGIS/ES)