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Saint Lucia to Phase Out Ozone Depleting Substances
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Saint Lucia to Phase Out Ozone Depleting Substances
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Friday,
July 06, 2001
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Saint Lucia is working with the international community towards the goal of
abolishing the use of substances, which deplete the Ozone Layer, a shield
surrounding the earth that protects human and other forms of life from harmful
ultra-violet radiation emitted by the sun. In this connection, a three-day workshop was held recently at the Bay
Gardens Hotel for customs officers and representatives of companies engaged in
handling Ozone-depleting substances used in the refrigeration and air
conditioning industries. Organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in
collaboration with the Government of Saint Lucia, the workshop sought to equip
participants with the necessary skills to monitor the import and export of these
substances. In 1994 Saint Lucia became a party to the Montreal Protocol on
substances that deplete the Ozone Layer. Parties to the Montreal Protocol have
established a Multilateral Fund through which countries like Saint Lucia have
received funding to assist in the phasing out of Ozone depleting substances. Speaking
at the opening of the workshop, Bishnu Tulsie of the Ministry of Planning and
the Environment who represented the UNEP, stressed the importance of the
workshop to Saint Lucia. He indicated that the initiative was part of a global
effort to protect human health and the environment from the threat of Ozone
Layer depletion. Minister
for Planning, Housing and the Environment, Hon. Dr. Walter Francois, emphasized
Saint Lucia’s commitment to the protecting the Ozone Layer. Dr. Francois said
since becoming a party to the Montreal Protocol, the Government of Saint Lucia
had developed a programme of activities with the intention of phasing out the
use of Ozone depleting substances. |
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