ST GEORGE’S GRENADA, 7TH APRIL 2009: Minister of State in the Ministry of Works Physical Development Public Utilities and the Environment with responsibility for the Environment Hon. Sylvester Quarless has called for action to eliminate direct discharge of effluents and solid waste into the sea. He is also concerned about land runoff into the coastal zones by rivers, and the atmospheric fallout of pollutants transferred by the air mass onto the sea surface. The comments of the Minister were made at the opening of a two-day environmental workshop held in Grenada this week. The Land-Based Sources (LBS) of Pollution of the Marine Environment Protocol workshop was organised by the ministries with responsibility for the Environment and Agriculture, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Planning, Economy, Energy, Foreign Trade & Cooperatives, with the support of the Global Environment Facility-funded Integrating Watershed and Coastal Areas Management Project. Minister Quarless told the participants that human activities have a significant role to play in marine pollution and it is important to raise awareness on this issue. He urged everyone to consider approaches that will mitigate and eventually significantly reduce issues related to marine pollution. Chris Corbin, a representative from the United Nations Environment Programme, noted the involvement of leadership at the political level, saying such leadership cannot be underestimated. He congratulated Mr. Quarless for his commitment and participation in the process. The LBS of Marine Pollution Protocol of the Cartagena Convention is a regional agreement for the prevention, reduction and control of marine pollution from land-based sources and activities. At least nine countries must ratify the Protocol before it can have legal force and effect, but only six have so far done so. This week’s workshop, which was attended will by representatives from government, non-governmental agencies, community groups and the private sector, was aimed at assisting Grenada in its deliberations related to ratification of the Protocol. INSIDE GRENADA NEWS