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Contact:
Julita Peter
Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - Minister for Physical Development, Environment
and Housing Honourable Ignatius Jean has expressed the view that information
will be a key ingredient as the ministry continues its work in the area of
sustainable development. Speaking at the opening of a two day workshop on
Tuesday May 27th , 2003 dubbed “Using information for decision-making on
Sustainable development-issues and challenges for Small Island Development
States,” minister Jean remarked that the quality and relevance of the decisions
that his Ministry is required to make will depend on the quality of the
information available.
Minister Jean suggested that the way forward in confronting the challenges of
sustainable development may require a change in the way national development
planning is pursued. The Minister is of the view that this process must begin
with a long term vision. “This vision we feel must be deliberately translated
into non-sectoral development principles developed on a platform of social,
economic and environmental consideration. These are indeed difficult times, but
rolling over and letting events dictate our future is not an option,” Jean said.
Recognizing the vulnerability of small island developing states to global
climate change and the challenges in establishing and accessing information
systems due to their geographical location and limited economic resources, the
United Nations Division of Sustainable Development and the OAS are facilitating
the establishment of an appropriate network on workable solutions to improving
information management for sustainable development in the region.
According to Birgitte Alvarez –Rivero of the Division of Sustainable
Development, “ It is recognized that knowledge and information are increasingly
the most valuable economic assets in moving towards sustainable development. The
pulling of knowledge and information exchange within and among SIDS is a
rewarding and cost effective approach that needs to be fully utilized.”
The workshop was organized by the Division of Sustainable Development of the
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, OAS and the Government
of St. Lucia.
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