Grenadian Minister praises staff support, looks forward to tenure

St. George’s, October 31, 2011 – Minister for Environment, Foreign Trade and Export Development,  Hon. Joseph Gilbert,  is “extremely happy with the level of support’’ he has been getting from management and staff since taking up his new assignment at the Ministry about three weeks ago.

Mr. Gilbert was warmly received at the Ministry on his first day on the job, with staff putting on a “sumptuous welcoming breakfast.’’

Since then, Mr. Gilbert has been treated to several briefing sessions, and  said he is “looking forward to having as good a tenure in this new Ministry as I had in the Ministry of Works.’’

He held the Works’ portfolio for three years until an October 7 Cabinet reshuffle in which Prime Minister Tillman Thomas moved Mr. Gilbert to the Ministry for Environment, Foreign Trade and Export Development. The new Minister for Works, Physical Development and Public Utilities is Senator Dennoth Modeste.

Among Minister Gilbert’s most recent briefing sessions was one held last Friday, October 28, with climate change negotiators, Dr. Spencer Thomas and Mr. Leon Charles. The two have been very instrumental in asserting Grenada's role as an important world leader on climate change matters.

Others participating in last Friday’s briefing with the Minister were Dr. Bill Hare, Technical Consultant to the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), and Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment, Ms. Helen Roden.

Grenada currently holds the chairmanship of AOSIS and has been intimately involved in meetings of COP – the Conferences of the Parties – where assessment is done annually on progress being made in dealing with climate change.

Minister Gilbert is due to sit as chair for the group of countries in the upcoming COP 17 climate change negotiations and meeting in Durban, South Africa, later this year.

At the Durban meeting, the Minister will also sign an important bilateral agreement with Germany. Under the agreement, Grenada will receive five million Euros – about EC$19 million – in grant funds.

The money will be used to undertake several climate change adaptation projects in Grenada, starting next year.

These projects, according to Minister Gilbert, would be implemented through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Germany's Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Left – right are Dr. Bill Hare, Dr. Spencer Thomas, Minister Joseph Gilbert, Mr. Leon Charles and Permanent Secretary, Helen Roden.


Source: Kareen Morain, Ministry of Environment, Foreign Trade & Export Development.