By Deanna Isaac, Carriacou Hillsborough, Carriacou: October 6th, 2009- Officials in Carriacou are optimistic of the commercial viability of the Sandy Island/Oyster Bed marine protected area (MPA). At a meeting on Monday, October 5th, at Sea Wave Upper Level Conference Room, officers were elected to a Stakeholders Management Committee for the protected area. It’s the latest move in the MPA plan in which most of the groundwork has been completed for its implementation. Officers elected included Luther Rennie as chairman of the Stakeholders Management Committee, with Allison Caton as secretary. Ms. Caton is also the Tourism Development Officer for Carriacou & Petite Martinique. The Sandy Island/Oyster Bed area was declared a MPA by government after strong lobbying from several individuals and organisations, including the Ministry of Carriacou & Petite Martinique Affairs, and the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture. The project has the backing of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which have sponsored the development of a communication strategy for the MPA. Roland Baldeo, the MPA Coordinator, said the strategy has been prepared by a Jamaican company which will present a report to the Management Committee shortly. Mr. Baldeo also announced that mooring and demarcation buoys procured from the United States by the OECS for the MPA are expected to arrive in Carriacou within the next six weeks. Studies have indicated that there are huge potential for generating income from the MPA when it is fully implemented. It is anticipated that within one year of its establishment, user fees collected from the MPA will be able to cover the expenses of running it. Prime Minister Hon. Tillman Thomas, since assuming office in July 2008, has been one of the leading voices regionally and internationally on environmental issues. His cabinet recently approved the establishment of the National Marine Protected Area Management Committee. The responsibility of the committee is to manage the Sandy Island/Oyster Bed and other MPAs throughout Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.