55
•
East Port of Spain – creative industries, music and entertainment, craft and small
and micro-enterprise development
•
the North Coast of Trinidad – hotel development, fishing, marina, agriculture and
services
•
the North-East Region of Tobago – tourism specialising in dive tourism, agriculture,
horticulture and community events
204.
These initiatives will continue to provide the impetus for comprehensive regional
development planning even as Government moves to debate and rollout the implementation of
the Planning and Development of Land legislation, devolving physical planning to the Local
Government Authorities.
Environment
205.
Sustainable development entails striking the delicate balance between the nation’s
economic development, and environmental conservation and management. This balance is key to
meeting present demands without compromising the wellbeing of future generations.
206.
In this regard, efforts by the various arms of Government, charged with the responsibility,
for environmental management will continue towards implementing the environmental agenda.
The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and its Divisions and Agencies,
along with the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL),
and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), will continue to advance the environmental agenda
over the 2014-2016 period.
207.
A number of key initiatives will be advanced under the three (3) year PSIP 2014-2016 at
a revised estimated cost of approximately $110 million. Among these is the implementation of
the EU-funded Environment Programme which was approved in 2013. The MEWR will steer the
implementation of this Programme, over the period 2014-2019, utilising grant-funding from the
European Union (EU) totaling €8 million (approximately TT$68 million). This Programme will
support Government’s effort in pursuing a low-carbon development path through the
implementation of the National Environment Policy, the Forest and Protected Areas Policy and
the National Climate Change Policy. In doing so, the programme will promote sustainable
management of environmental resources in the extractive, transportation and forestry sectors.
208.
The Environmental Programme will have the following as its performance targets:
•
establishment of 9,180 hectares of protected forest areas for carbon sequestration
and climate resilience
•
an increase of community environmental awareness of the extractive sector by
10%;
•
the rehabilitation of 24% of abandoned stated owned mined areas for carbon
sequestration and climate resilience
•
the reduction of CO
2
emissions in the public transportation sector by 12,000 metric
tonnes
