Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr. the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering, represented the Territory at the recently  held UK Overseas Territories Ministers of the Environment Meeting in Gibraltar where he joined other attendees from July 13 to 18 to discuss matters including: EU support; environmental management; environmental governance, as well as leadership and meeting outcomes.

Minister Pickering gave remarks during the closing plenary of the conference, and then attended a meeting of Environment Ministers from the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.

During his closing remarks at the ministerial meeting he said, “Islands and coastal areas are an integral part of the global ecosystem.  Our current environmental challenges are an opportunity to make our collective voices heard internationally on issues such as climate change that affects us greatly.  It is more important than ever that we work together and coordinate our activities to preserve, protect and promote the environment in a meaningful way.”

The Environmental Meetings included representatives from several Overseas Territories including: Gibraltar, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Isle of Man, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Anguilla, Falkland Islands, Tristan da Cunha and Alderney.

The Government of the Virgin Islands aims to advance efforts to protect, conserve and manage our environment while pursing the development of our Territory.