Under the theme, ‘A global effort with local importance towards managing trade, protecting wildlife and preventing crime’, the Department of Environment, launched its CITES training workshop on Tuesday September 21st at the Teachers Resource Centre.

Facilitators of the workshop

In an opening ceremony chaired by the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr. Merwyn F Rogers, the Minister with responsibility for the Environment, Mr. Walcott Richardson, declared: “This activity is quite timely, and I am certain it will assist Anguilla in part in addressing some of the existing and emerging challenges that we are faced with in conservation”. He continued, “Internationally, in academic and business spheres, the illegal species trade and its economic consequences are now given the attention they deserve. Rapid changes in global biodiversity, ecosystem destruction and species loss, can be compared to the recent economic meltdown. Anguilla is not exempted from these changes which threaten, directly or indirectly, our social progress as a small island developing state. As I speak to you today, the international trade of exotic species is a multi-million dollar business. It therefore has implications for the destruction of our local biodiversity resources, the spread of foreign diseases, organized crime, trafficking in endangered species and more."
Mr. Richardson closed by saying that "biodiversity conservation is in essence protection and effective management of the physical, cultural and historic resources which are so integral to our development and identity. We have to invest sustainably and holistically in our environment as it is our moral obligation to do so and ensure that all species live on."
The head facilitator of this workshop, Mr. John Hounslow, U.K CITES Management Authority (DEFRA), said in his remarks that the “ratification of the CITES Convention requires several things to be in place – above all else it requires political will. It requires officials who are trained to carry out their responsibilities but, above all, it is the act of a government that recognizes that responsibility for conservation of the world’s biodiversity is not simply a responsibility of any one range state but is shared, joint responsibility of all parties to the Convention”.
He went on: “We bring a wealth of experience both good and bad to this workshop. As we talk over the next couple of days of how we do things, and what structures we have in place, I would ask you to put this question to yourselves: I understand how the U.K does it but how can we take their experience and apply it to the Caribbean Region structure? While we have a similar system of government, what works well in the U.K may not always be precisely what will work best in Anguilla”.
Mr. Hounslow concluded: “This process of how we can best achieve the same effect within Anguilla, should be at the forefront of your minds over the next few days”.
The ceremony was attended by a cross section of stakeholders and government departments including representatives from the Royal Anguilla Police Force, H M Customs and Immigration.

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