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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
Matters pertaining to local, regional and international trade fall under the mandate of the Ministry of Industry and International Trade.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
Comprehensive national legislation addressing sustainable development is currently under review.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies, and Plans
Notwithstanding the tough constraints faced, Barbados has sought to overcome them through regional and local collaboration and by emphasising the importance of social partnership (public and private sector).
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
Government recognizes the need for NGO's to be involved in many matters pertaining to sustainable development however, as yet there is no NGO which focuses specifically on issues related to trade.
Programmes and Projects
Barbados continues to work with its regional partners in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on a programme for the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade. In this respect a Common External Tariff system is being pursued.
Status
Some of the major issues related to trade, investments and economic growth that are important to Barbados include:
Challenges
Barbados’ pursuit of Sustainable Development has been hampered by a number of international and local constraints within the trade arena, viz:
International
Domestic
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available
Information
Information related to trade, investment and economic growth is made available to potential users through the Barbados Industrial and Development Corporation (BIDC) and the International Business Directory of the Ministry of International Trade and Business.
At present, information related to major changes in production and consumption patterns due to increases or decreases in trade, investment and economic growth, and the environmental impacts of those changes, is not collected.
Research and Technologies
No information is available
Financing
No information is available
Cooperation
Regional integration efforts include the use of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) as a vehicle to assist wider Caribbean states in managing the globalisation process. Barbados continues to strive toward satisfying its commitments and obligations under multilateral trade organizations such as World Trade Organisation.
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This information was provided by the government of Barbados to the 5th and 8th sessions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: February 2000.
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No information is available.
* * *
This information was provided by the government of Barbados to the 5th and 8th sessions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: February 2000.
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
There is no government body specifically charged with oversight of this policy area. However, varying agencies and departments oversee aspects of national policy which could inform sustainable consumption and product patterns e.g. Ministry of Industry and International Business and the Ministry of Commerce, Business Development and Consumer Affairs.
On an ad hoc basis, as appropriate, depending on the issue, such major groups as stakeholders are involved in policy development and other issues.
No specific strategy or policy exists in a comprehensive framework; however national policies regarding energy resources use and water, etc, would lead to sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Existing policies on water, energy, consumer policy and waste management promote sustainable patterns of production and consumption. In addition, the following programmes have begun:
Further, use has been made of solar energy for heating water. Tax incentives are used to promote the use of this alternative source of solar energy. Additionally, energy conservation devices continue to be used in some hotels in Barbados.
Specific issues such policies and programmes address include:
Programmes highlight mainly environmental, economic and social impacts. Cultural impacts are less obvious in a society as small as Barbados.
Consumer legislation is presently being considered which may impact on current consumption patterns. Also through the promotion of environmental awareness and ISO 14000 as well as issues of waste management (through levies or taxes, etc) more sustainable consumption and production patterns may be encouraged. There is at present no overall code of practice, but it is worthy of note that discussions have been afoot to look into this matter.
The Code of Practice for Industries, standards and guidelines for the activities of industry to discourage unsustainable practices and promote sustainable production patterns are as follows:
A - Codes of Practice
B - Standards and Guidelines
Quality Management
Guidelines for auditing quality systems, auditing, qualification criteria for quality systems and management of audit programmes also exist. The guideline standards on the ISO 14000 series on Environmental management systems, namely ISO 14001 and ISO 14004 has also been adopted as Barbadian National Standards. So have ISO 14000 and ISO 14002 on Environmental auditing. Standards in terms of effluent standards are adopted from WHO and CEHI. The Codes of Practice mentioned above have been established jointly by consensus of the Government and Private Sector. These are voluntary. The standards adopted from the ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 series are also voluntary. Seven (7) companies are ISO 9002 Certified while three (3) are ISO 14000 Certified; other companies have started the process and are investigating the importance os such systems.
The Government of Barbados has a significant level of policy instruments to promote effective waste management e.g. Environmental Levy for waste management and the tax rebate on solar water heaters. Additionally there is a fee for the disposal. However a wholesale policy on economic instruments does not exist but is being developed by the Environment Division and Economic Affairs.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available
Programmes and Projects
No information is available
Status
In 1999, a workshop was held to make the business sector aware of environmental performance issues and ISO 14000, wherein the issue of life-cycle analysis was looked at. It is hoped that through continued promotion, industry will take up these voluntary standards and practices in order to attain more sustainable production.
The Ministry of International Trade is presently undertaking with Barbados Investment Development Corporation and BNSI, to promote ISO 9000 and 14000. Additionally, the Environment Division will seek to promote more sustainable practices in manufacturing and industry. Further the Coconut Court Hotel is to be part of a pilot project to promote Environmental Management Systems in the hotel sector.
Many activities have been undertaken to change unsustainable consumption and production patterns such as energy efficiency awareness, waste management public awareness and water conservation activities and public awareness and education campaigns. However it is difficult to gauge the impact of such activities on public behaviour at this time.
Challenges
Priority constraints to implementing effective programmes to address the issues related to promoting sustainable consumption and production include:
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
Programmes for policy makers, industries, and/or consumers designed to educate and raise their awareness for more sustainable consumption and production patterns are undertaken through media such as seminars, workshops, pamphlets, capacity-building and training is executed. Additionally, there may be projects which specifically target training or capacity-building. Efforts are also underway to further the sensitization process of the April 98 ISO 14000 workshop by undertaking specific training for public and private sector persons.
Awareness campaign programmes to promote sustainable consumption patterns take place mainly through documentation such as the ISO 14000 fact sheet developed by the Environment Division, radio programmes and distribution of literature.
Information
Normally information for decision-makers is available through contact with the relevant
agency in the form of reports, documentation such as books, journals and newsletters such
as ISO News and UNEP's Industry and the Environment. Agencies such as the Environment
Division, BNSI, Ministry of Industry and International Business can be contacted. Further,
NGOs such as Caribbean Conservation Association and Future Centre Trust can provide
information on this topic. In terms of effluent standards regarding water, the Environmental Engineering
Department is responsible for testing as well as the Barbados Water Authority. Presently,
no auditing or overall monitoring system has been established. The relevant information is available by request and is not presently available on a
national website. Barbados is part of the UN Testing Programme on Sustainable Development Indicators.
Further to that, the Environment Division, has developed and coordinates a National
Indicators Programme (NIP) which seeks to define national indicators for all policy
areas, including consumption and production patterns. Presently, the programme is in a
data collection stage in terms of trying to discover what information is available and in
what formats.
Research and Technologies
Clean and environmentally sound technologies are promoted and applied in production
mainly on an ad hoc basis as information becomes available. However, use of
Environmentally Sound Technology (ESTs) is promoted where possible. Other technology-related issues, for instance in packaging, labelling, product design,
manufacturing and other processes that promote energy and material efficiency, reduce and
recycle wastes, and extend life expectancy of products have just recently begun being
addressed.
Financing
Financing is provided through the National Budget and private sector partnership as
appropriate.
Cooperation
Currently Barbados participates in no such mechanism directly but is signatory to these: Climate Change, Persistent Organic Pollutants and Montreal Protocol which speak to the need to reduce consumption of materials potentially hazardous to the environment.
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This information is based on Barbados's submission to the fifth and seventh sessions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: February 1999
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations, and Policy Instruments
Environmentally related economic instruments currently in use include those previously identified for waste management, namely:Besides these, economic instruments used in Barbados to promote compliance with environmental requirements, tend to be of the "command and control" type in the form of penalty fees for contravention of specific standards or harvest limits. For example the 1997 Fisheries Act provides for a large monetary penalty to be charged if:
It is proposed that a tipping fee should be charged for disposal of solid waste at the landfill as well as the bulky waste disposal site. Recommendations have been submitted for the use of various economic instruments and incentives to encourage specifically the phase out of Ozone Depleting Substances in accordance with Barbados’ obligations to the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol. Included in these recommendations are an incremental levy, a tax rebate, a licensing and certification system, and penalties for non-compliance with regulations and legislation.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies, and Plans
The Barbados Water Authority is in the process of institutional and administrative restructuring. One end result from this restructuring is expected to be a more economically efficient charging structure for water use which takes into consideration the depleted status of freshwater reserves as well as the increasing volume of demand for water from domestic and visitor populations. The existing standard fee for water use is expected to be replaced by a rising block tariff structure as well as differential charge rates for different categories of use such as domestic, commercial and industrial.
No explicit policies exist to make foreign direct investment (FDI) more environmentally friendly. However, recommendations which emanated from the Environmental Management for Land Use Planning and Sustainable Development (EMLUP 1998) project, in the form of the revised Physical Development Plan and the revised Town and Country Planning Development Act, are expected to ensure that all new developments, including Foreign Direct Investments; are more environmentally friendly. These recommendations include requirements and guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessments by proponents of development applications as well as a process for the review of such proposals by an EIA Committee composed of representatives for a variety of relevant sectors, agencies and government departments. Performance bonds have also been recommended for certain areas.
With regard to foreign direct investment (FDI), the Environmental Management and Land Use Planning Project completed in 1999, issued recommendations for legislation and policy developments with respect to environmental issues specifically, as well as sustainable development in general. A procedural process and legislation have been proposed for the conduct of Environmental Impact Assessments accompanying various classes of land use changes and building/construction developments.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available
Programmes and Projects
Government has in place a major Poverty Eradication Programme, which is administered by the newly established Ministry of Social Transformation. As part of this programme, Minimum Wage Cheques are issued to individuals who have been employed for a stipulated length of time and in receipt of salaries below a minimum level. The Minimum Wage Cheques are intended to compensate for the imposition of the Value Added Tax.
The Government continues to explore the feasibility of utilizing additional financial and economic instruments to support and encourage sustainable development initiatives in Barbados. One area of specific focus in this regard is solid waste management. The Sewerage and Solid Waste Project Unit of the Ministry of Health, is compiling comprehensive national waste management legislation, which will include additional appropriate economic instruments to promote compliance with revised regulations.
Status
Issues related to financing sustainable development and the implementation of Agenda 21 that are of concern for Barbados at the international level include the fact that:
Another issue at the regional level is that there is a lack of an effective regional coordination mechanism.
Challenges
Issues related to financing sustainable development and the implementation of Agenda 21 that are of concern for Barbados include:
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available
Information
No information is available
Research and Technologies
No information is available
FinancingThe Government of Barbados in January 1999 created a new Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources mandated in part to facilitate and support the pursuit of national sustainable development. Even though no specific component of the national budget is allocated to "sustainable development" per se, all development sectors are addressed and environmental concerns are integrated into individual projects and programmes. The information presented below, identifies the total costs of projects, actual expenditures for 1996/1997 and 1997/1998, as well as, the budget allocation for 1999/2000. Included in the list are projects that are ongoing and those that are proposed eg the West Coast Sewerage Project (Construction Phase) and the Coastal Conservation (Investment Phase).
| Project Name
|
Total Costs US$ million |
Act. Expend. 1997/8 US$ million |
Act. Expend. 1998/9 US$ million |
Budget Estimate |
| Coastal Conservation II Phase 1 |
US $3.996 | US$ 1.377 | -0- | -0- |
| Coastal Conservation Investment Phase | US$22.000 | |||
| West Coast Sewerage Study | US$4.33 | US$0.617 | US$0.282111 | US$0.987 |
| West Coast Sewerage Project Construction | US$143.490 | - | - | - |
| Water Resources and Water loss Studies | US$1.625 | US$0.043 | -0- | US$0.175 |
| Environmental Management & Land Use Planning for Sustainable Development | US$1.795 | |||
| Beautify Barbados 2000 | US$1.000 | |||
| Feasibility Studies of Harrison's Cave, Folkestone Part & Marine Reserve, and Carlisle Bay | US$1.99 | US$1.270 | US$0.531 | |
| The South Coast Sewerage Project | US$113.000 | US$15.218 | US$10.039 | US$28.00 |
| Solid Waste Management Programme | US$28.470 | US$7.779 | US$0.296 | US$5.250 |
Currently, an environmental levy is imposed to offset the disposal cost of non-biodegradable packaging material on imported items. The Environmental Levy generated revenues of US$ 2.391 million and US$ 4.799 million in fiscal years 1996/7 and 1997/8 respectively. These revenues are not currently earmarked specifically for environmental initiatives but consideration is being given to adopting this kind of approach.
Since January 1996 all new domestic and commercial buildings of stipulated sizes, were encouraged to install energy- and water-saving equipment through the provision of income tax rebates.
Cooperation
Funding assistance has been received for various sustainable development projects including:
(i) Montreal Protocol - Phase out of Ozone Depleting Substances -
(ii) National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP)
(iii) Green House Gas Inventory
Assistance for the execution of the above projects has taken the form of loans from donor countries as well as banks, for example the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Technical assistance has also been provided in the form of equipment and trained personnel.
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This information was provided by the government of Barbados to the 5th and 8th sessions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last Update: February 2000.
For information on
participating States in the Global Environment Facility, click here:
For information about
issues and projects in Latin America and the Caribbean from the World Bank, click here:
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Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technology
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available
Decision-Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Health and the Environment, Ministry of Transport and Works, and National Council for Science and Technology are responsible for the promotion and transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies (ESTs).
No organised forum exists for stakeholder involvement in the decision-making process. The involvement of stakeholders has traditionally been ensured through various mechanisms such as working groups, workshops etc, on an ad-hoc basis. Harmonisation occasionally occurs if there is an incident in which more than one group is involved and a common solution is being sought for an urgent problem. Potentially, this could be facilitated through the National Commission on Sustainable Development (NCSD).
Presently, no National Strategy or Policy for the promotion of innovation in the area of Environmentally Sound Technologies exists. However, it must be noted that the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) and the Barbados Industrial Development Corporation (BIDC) have had discussions on the setting up of an innovation centre.
Presently, there is no defined policy for the use of ESTs. Some environmentally-sound technologies (devices etc) are available in Barbados and upon serious discussion, specific incentives and economic instruments have been applied to encourage consumption. These include :
As regards Ozone Depleting Substances, a policy document is being developed to address the promotion of ESTs to complement the drive to freeze and phase-out ODS consumption.
There has been no legislation or regulation to address ESTs at present. However, the Environment Division and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, are collaborating to develop a policy on the application of economic instruments to promote sustainable development, including the promotion of ESTs.
Major efforts are also underway in the legislation of the following:
ESTs are most urgently needed in the following sectors:
As a result of their research, the Sewerage and Solid Waste Project Unit should promote innovation and transfer of ESTs as regards waste management, and the Water Resources Management and Water Loss Study should do the same for water resources management. Other areas may be addressed through more informal mechanisms. The National Environment and Sustainable Development Policy will also seek to address this issue in a comprehensive manner.
Decision-Making: Major Groups Involvement
No information is available
Programmes and Projects
No information is available
Status
No information is available
Challenges
An important constraint is the lack of a coordinated strategy and government policy. Public awareness would be more effective in the midst of such a policy.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No specific programmes to educate policy makers in the concept of and policy design for innovation and transfer of ESTs are presently in place. Through some NCST activities, there is facility for awareness and education. At the regional level, the Caribbean Council for Science and Technology is looking to host a workshop to address the specific issues of innovation and technology for sustainable development.
Science and Technology Exhibitions "Sci-Tech Expos" staged by the NCST are aimed at promoting and improving the selection, transfer and application of ESTs, wherein Science and Technology Practitioners and particularly science students of secondary schools as the major target groups, exhibit the results of their scientific enquiry. The categories selected highlight Environmental Sustainability and the potential role of science, in terms of innovation and research and development. Occasionally, efforts are made by organization like the Future Centre Trust and environmentally conscious NGOS to raise awareness of ESTs. In addition, agencies such as the Environment Division pass on information to the relevant sectors and agencies regarding environmentally-sound technologies.
Information
Information for decision-makers on ESTs is available from individual agencies through reports, issue papers as well as through workshops and any tests carried out on the technology before a decision was made. The information is usually available by request. There are no web sites on the issues of technology as yet.
Barbados is part of the UN Testing Programme on Sustainable Development Indicators. Further to that the Environment Division, has developed and coordinates a National Indicators Programme (NIP) which seeks to define national indicators for all policy areas, including science and technology. Presently, the programme is in a data collection stage in terms of trying to discover what information is available and in what formats.
More generally, the NCST is involved in the collection of information on Science and Technology Indicators. Sustainable Development Indicators are not specifically targeted but such matters will be part of the general information collected.
Research and Technologies
Decisions regarding technology choice are often made at the department/division level by officers who are directly involved in the specific programme area. Once information on a particular technology is available, the relevant Ministry will usually develop a response and a rationale for its promotion and through inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral collaboration, a decision will be made. Pursuant to this, then details for promotional incentives will be defined and presented to Cabinet for approval on the recommendation of the Ministry of Finance. Administrative support is often received in order that funds may be provided.
Financing
Most activities in this area are funded through the public sector, from the national budget or from funding resulting from loans or grants from international agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which funds a regional project in which Barbados participates. Projects which may suggest the adoption of some ESTs are partly funded by government as well as by external assistance. In addition, some innovation will result from the research of regionally and nationally funded institutions such as the University of the West Indies and UWICED, among others.
Cooperation
There is cooperation through the Regional Indicators Project, coordinated through the CDB. No convention is involved. The Caribbean Council for Science and Technology (CCST) is also involved in a regional Indicators Project in which Barbados is a participant.
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This information was provided by the Government of Barbados to the seventh session of the UN Commission on sustainable Development. Last update: January 1999.
Biotechnology
Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
The Environment Division of the Ministry of Health and the Environment is primarily responsible for this sector. Some legal elements are to be enforced by the Environmental Engineering Division of the Ministry of Health. There is only one law related to the use of biotechnology: the Pest Plant and Disease (Importation) Act, Cap. 226, which prohibits imports of bacteria and the like, with the exception of specific cases for laboratory research purposes. The NGO community initiated education programmes concerning biotechnologies.
Currently the Environmental Division is working towards establishing a National Committee on Biosafety / Biotechnology. The scientists and experts included on the committee would be responsible for advising Government on biotechnology related issues as well as for establishing guidelines pertaining to the safe import, handling, use, storage and disposal of genetically modified organisms.
Decision Making: Legislation and Regulations
See under Decision Making: Coordinating Bodies.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and PlansThere are no specific policies or strategies in place to promote the use of biotechnologies, and there are no biotechnology risk assessments or risk management mechanisms. The University of the West Indies, the Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development are involved in biotechnology projects. The following are the most important:
Decision-Making: Major Groups involvement
No information is available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Status
No information is available.
Challenges
No information is available.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
FinancingSee under Cooperation.
Cooperation
The projects mentioned have been supported by UNESCO, Barclays Bank International, Third World Academy for Science and the International Foundation for Science with approximately US$100,000 annually.
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This information is based on Barbados's submission to the 5th & 6th Sessions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1997 & 1998. Last update: 10 June 1998
Click here to link to the Biosafety
Information Network and Advisory Service (BINAS), a service of the United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which monitors global developments in
regulatory issues in biotechnology.
Click here to go to the Web Site of UNEP's
International Register on Biosafety.
Click here for the International Centre
for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Biosafety WebPages
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
No information is available.
Decision Making: Legislation and Regulations
No information is available.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and PlansThe principal threats to human health or the sustainable use of natural resources associated with industrial activity in Barbados come from the Sugar Industry which generates smoke emissions from factory chimneys. Regulations and legislation pertaining to regulating smoke emissions exist and are enforced. Recently an overhaul of the cane transport sector has reduced emissions from all old and inefficient vehicles. The Mobil Oil Refinery poses a potential risk of pollution in case of an accident. However the refinery is in the process of closing down its operations and the major focus now is to ensure comprehensive remediation of the site so that it is suitable for future developments.
With regard to implementing a national policy for ecologically sustainable industrial development, efforts are ibeing undertaken to establish a Code of Conduct procedure regarding environmental issues and Sustainable Development, to be adopted by the private sector industries in general. The Code, though not finalized, so far envisages the following:
Decision-Making: Major Groups involvement
No information is available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
Status
No information is available.
ChallengesTourism is the major economic industry in Barbados and as such is a major user of fresh water resources. The scarce supply of this resource, as well as the great number of competing demands for use, could well be a constraint to future development of the tourism industry especially if the proposed development poses great demands on water resources.
No major incidents of industrial pollution have been recorded to date. However, Atrazine from the agricultural sector has been detected in freshwater supplies. Efforts have begun to replace atrazine with alternative fertilizers including organic ones.
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
No information is available.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
No information is available.
Financing
No information is available.
Cooperation
No information is available.
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This information is based on Barbados's submission to the 6th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, April 1998. Last update: 10 June1998
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
For National Transport, the Ministry of Public Works, Transport & Housing and the Interim Transport Authority which will become Public Transport Authority are responsible. In the area of International Transport, the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport is responsible.
In the area of National Transport, the Government consults with its Social Partners, the Worker's Union and representatives of the passenger Transport Association. on Major issues. In the area of International Transport, several non-governmental organizations are consulted when necessary on proposed legislation, operational matters and major infrastructural projects. Examples would include the proposed Recreational Diving Regulations, the draft Protocol VI - Transport Policy, scheduling at the Airport and the Expansion and Reform Projects at the Air and Sea Ports. The NGOs involved include:
Decision Making: Legislation and Regulations
See under Decision Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and PlansBarbados is in the process of devising a national Strategy for National Transport within the ambit of the Interim Transport Authority. In the case of International Transport, the policy framework enunciated by Government is as follows:
The objectives listed below represent the plans that the Government will implement in air and maritime transport. The specific activities in both sub-sectors are identified subsequently.
Specific activities for Air Transport are as follows:
Specific Activities for Maritime Transport are as follows:
Relevant legislation is the area of Transportation include:
National Transport
International Air Transport
International Maritime Transport
The shipping legislation listed in the previous section was revised to be in conformity with the international maritime law instruments mentioned in 8 below.
Regulation of international transport is primarily based on standards developed in the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the International Maritime Organisation. Both of these organisations have granted observer status to a number of NGOs.
Decision-Making: Major Groups involvement
No information is available.
Programmes and Projects
No information is available.
StatusThe country is adequately supplied with maritime transport services. With regards to maritime transport, there is a problem with over-tonnage and high freight rates. Most maritime transport services are supplied by foreign carriers.
With regards to air transport, most of the services are provided by foreign carriers. It is estimated that the average load factor is 55%, hence there is a certain level of underutilised seat capacity. However, on a seasonal basis each year, there is a severe shortage of available seats.
Among the major projects and activities underway in these areas are the following: In relation to scheduled air transport services, new negotiations planned are expected to result in new air service. With regards to airline charters, the marketing efforts of the Barbados Tourism Authority are expected to result in increased activity.
The level of maritime services provided is dependent on fluctuation in trade activity. Hence as activity in the manufacturing or other industrial sectors improves, shipping lines would take steps to increase their capacity.
Challenges
No information is available.
Barbados undertakes the training of ratings (seafarers) in a co-operatives arrangement between the Barbados Port Authority, the Coast Guard and the Fire Department. Certification of this personnel is undertaken by the Director of Maritime Affairs. A project is in place to transfer this training activity to the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, which is a premier technical vocational school.
Training in air traffic control and related matters is undertaken at the Barbados Air Traffic Control School which is operated by the Civil Aviation Section of the Ministry, headed by the Technical Director (Aviation). Efforts are in train to achieve for the school TRAIN AIR accreditation by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Officers of the Ministry and related agencies, are exposed, from time to time, to both local and overseas training in transportation related areas.
The International Maritime Organisation in association with the Caribbean Community Secretariat is arranging a High Level Conference for Senior Government Officials in the maritime sub-sector to take place in the first quarter of next year. This event is intended to sensitise policy makers on matters relating to port State control and Flag State Implementation.
The Bridgetown Roads and Safety Improvement project included two (2) technical assistance components to address the need for sustainable development in the transport sector. These were:Traffic Management and control, and National Traffic Education. As a result various proposals are being submitted to the Planning and Priorities Committee for long term management, control and education in the sector.
Information
National information available to assist both decision-makers and planners working in transportation and communication includes:
For National Transport:
For International Transport:
Most of the information is in report form and available from the respective agencies. There is no web site address. All statistics are available in hard copy only and some are restricted in their circulation.
Barbados is part of the UN Testing Programme on Sustainable Development Indicators. Further to that, the Environment Division, has developed and coordinates a National Indicators Programme (NIP) which seeks to define national indicators for all policy areas, including communication. Presently, the programme is in a data collection stage in terms of trying to discover what information is available and in what formats.
Research and Technologies
Technology has not usually been a problem in the area of transporation.
Financing
The International Maritime Organisation and the International Civil Aviation Organisation have technical co-operation programmes. From time to time Barbados has accessed technical assistance under these programmes. The Barbados Port Authority, which is responsible for all of the port and harbour facilities in Barbados is self-financing. The Grantley Adams International Airport is part of the Ministry of International Transport and its operations are financed from the national budget. Major reform and expansion projects planned for both Ports will be financed from both national and external financing sources. Transport services are provided by the private sector, and no joint ventures with Government have been put in place.
Cooperation
The 1996 Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control was adopted by over twenty States of the Caribbean Region. Its main focus is to ensure that the Caribbean does not become a haven for sub-standard ships. There has been a limited acceptance of the Caribbean MOU - only ten States to date.
The Caribbean Community Secretariat is currently working with Member States with a view to adopting Protocol VI - Transport Policy which would amend the Treaty establishing the Caribbean Community. This Protocol is expected to form the framework for co-operation in international transport. CARICOM Governments have also signed a Multilateral Air Services Agreement, which is to govern air transport relations between Member Governments.
In addition, Barbados is a party to the following Agreements related to the area of transport:
Maritime Conventions
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This information was provided by the Government of Barbados to the seventh session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: January 1999.
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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
The Ministry of Tourism and International Transport is responsible for sustainable tourism at the national level. At the local level, the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association is responsible. Major Groups are involved in decision-making through active participation in the development of National Tourism Policy through submission of written comments and participation in national form. They are also represented on committees convened by the Ministry of Tourism.
Decision Making: Legislation and Regulations
See under Decision Making: Strategies, Policies and Plans.
Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies and PlansBarbados has a National Tourism Policy, whose broad objective is to pursue sustainable tourism development through improvement and optimal use of human resources and services, and through the conservation and managed use of our cultural, built and natural heritage, in order to ensure a product of the highest quality whilst improving the life and economic development of the people of Barbados.
Specific objectives of the National Tourism Policy include:
All issues are addressed by this policy including: services, standards, environment, protection of the built environment and ensuring harmonisation with natural features, and community involvement to name a few. Also included are nature-based tourism and heritage tourism.
At the present there are no established procedures to monitor continuously the progress of tourism development. although periodic review is undertaken as part of the work of the Ministry to review progress, etc. Deterrents exist mainly in terms of social mechanisms and legal ones to some extent. Standards on issues of water quality and waste water treatment are enforced by the EED.
Legislation or other regulatory machinery which seeks to ensure sustainable tourism includes:
Codes of Practice, Standards or Guidelines for the activities of industry in sustainable tourism include:
Decision-Making: Major Groups involvement
Programmes and Projects
See under Status.
StatusTourism is the major foreign exchange earner in Barbados, totalling $1.4b at the end of 1997. Also at the end of 1997, 12,300 persons were employed by the tourism industry directly.
One of the impacts of tourism has been on coral reefs. The carrying capacity of some reefs especially on the south and west coast has been surpassed due, in part, to the concentration of both tourist and local populations in these areas. Additionally, anchoring shipping mainly for sailing vessels have contributed to degradation in some areas particularly because of solid waste disposal.
The growth of the tourism sector in Barbados' economy is represented by the following Table:
TABLE 1
VISITOR ARRIVALS BY COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE
1956 - 1996
| Period |
UK |
Canada |
USA |
Caricom Countries |
Other |
Total Tourist Arrivals |
Cruise Ship Passengers |
Total Visitor Arrivals |
| 1956 | 1,170 |
1,859 |
4,133 |
7,380 |
3,287 |
17,829 |
12,391 |
30,220 |
| 1957 | 1,398 |
2,142 |
6,721 |
9,461 |
4,051 |
23,773 |
10,802 |
34,575 |
| 1958 | 1,523 |
2,499 |
7,072 |
9,335 |
4,516 |
24,945 |
12,145 |
37,090 |
| 1959 | 1,735 |
3,359 |
8,554 |
11,668 |
4,933 |
30,249 |
17,044 |
47,293 |
| 1960 | 2,102 |
3,755 |
9,716 |
14,638 |
5,324 |
35,535 |
24,172 |
59,707 |
| 1961 | 2,901 |
5,429 |
10,322 |
13,985 |
4,423 |
37,060 |
26,943 |
64,003 |
| 1962 | 3,363 |
7,944 |
11,688 |
16,220 |
4,843 |
44,058 |
24,658 |
68,716 |
| 1963 | 4,765 |
9,991 |
13,154 |
16,975 |
5,712 |
50,597 |
27,184 |
77,781 |
| 1964 | 6,174 |
10,923 |
15,138 |
19,261 |
6,129 |
57,625 |
41,671 |
99,296 |
| 1965 | 6,673 |
14,212 |
19,811 |
20,842 |
6,880 |
68,418 |
52,664 |
121,082 |
| 1966 | 8,304 |
16,372 |
23,827 |
23,149 |
7,452 |
79,104 |
51,593 |
130,697 |
| 1967 | 9,622 |
18,293 |
29,813 |
24,713 |
9,124 |
91,565 |
45,451 |
137,016 |
| 1968 | 11,493 |
27,879 |
41,287 |
24,117 |
10,921 |
115,697 |
75,981 |
191,678 |
| 1969 | 10,168 |
31,617 |
52,689 |
25,517 |
14,312 |
134,303 |
80,899 |
215,202 |
| 1970 | 12,083 |
39,609 |
57,111 |
33,450 |
14,164 |
156,417 |
79,635 |
236,052 |
| 1971 | 13,621 |
53,690 |
68,487 |
33,892 |
19,385 |
189,075 |
79,159 |
268,234 |
| 1972 | 14,851 |
61,918 |
75,525 |
36,608 |
21,447 |
210,349 |
100,086 |
310,435 |
| 1973 | 17,690 |
68,639 |
74,779 |
36,349 |
24,623 |
222,080 |
116,469 |
338,549 |
| 1974 | 23,782 |
77,246 |
66,237 |
38,139 |
25,314 |
230,718 |
119,524 |
350,242 |
| 1975 | 24,802 |
75,517 |
54,894 |
38,070 |
28,203 |
221,486 |
98,546 |
320,032 |
| 1976 | 25,843 |
73,005 |
56,041 |
38,515 |
30,910 |
224,314 |
99,406 |
323,720 |
| 1977 | 25,481 |
83,749 |
70,389 |
47,491 |
42,204 |
269,314 |
103,077 |
372,391 |
| 1978 | 35,718 |
91,192 |
85,473 |
54,333 |
50,167 |
316,883 |
125,988 |
442,871 |
| Period |
UK |
Canada |
USA |
Caricom Countries |
Other |
Total Tourist Arrivals |
Cruise Ship Passengers |
Total Visitor Arrivals |
| 1979 | 49,430 |
92,745 |
91,354 |
75,966 |
61,421 |
370,916 |
110,073 |
480,989 |
| 1980 | 56,226 |
84,934 |
85,971 |
84,398 |
58,386 |
369,915 |
156,461 |
526,376 |
| 1981 | 72,090 |
69,897 |
74,472 |
86,859 |
49,237 |
352,555 |
135,782 |
488,337 |
| 1982 | 51,145 |
59,619 |
75,511 |
81,577 |
35,943 |
303,795 |
110,753 |
414,548 |
| 1983 | 47,662 |
53,198 |
113,989 |
83,789 |
29,700 | 328,338 |
102,519 |
430,857 |
| 1984 | 46,274 |
67,307 |
140,201 |
83,774 |
30,096 |
367,652 |
99,166 |
466,818 |
| 1985 | 38,822 |
70,573 |
148,093 |
70,884 |
30,763 |
359,135 |
112,222 |
471,357 |
| 1986 | 47,590 |
60,285 |
166,250 |
61,471 |
34,174 |
369,770 |
145,335 |
515,105 |
| 1987 | 79,152 |
64,349 |
175,093 |
63,455 |
39,810 |
421,859 |
224,778 |
646,637 |
| 1988 | 101,231 |
65,667 |
170,773 |
63,380 |
50,434 |
451,485 |
290,993 |
742,478 |
| 1989 | 118,122 |
65,564 |
154,269 |
62,840 |
60,464 |
461,259 |
337,100 |
798,359 |
| 1990 | 94,890 |
57,841 |
143,295 |
62,298 |
73,768 |
432,092 |
362,611 |
794,703 |
| 1991 | 88,166 |
46,287 |
119,069 |
57,988 |
82,712 |
394,222 |
372,140 |
766,362 |
| 1992 | 88,759 |
49,999 |
110,685 |
52,831 |
83,198 |
385,472 |
399,702 |
785,174 |
| 1993 | 100,071 |
49,190 |
112,733 |
52,462 |
81,523 |
395,979 |
428,611 |
824,590 |
| 1994 | 123,455 |
52,286 |
109,092 |
51,487 |
89,312 |
425,632 |
459,502 |
885,134 |
| 1995 | 126,621 |
53,373 |
111,983 |
58,635 |
91,495 |
442,107 |
484,670 |
926,777 |
| 1996 | 139,588 |
54,928 |
111,731 |
56,752 |
84,084 |
447,083 |
509,975 |
957,058 |
Major programmes in effect to promote sustainable tourism include:
Examples of the ways in which eco-tourism and nature-based tourism are being promoted include activities of the Future Centre Trust (through their exhibits); and the Environmental Park at Bawden's Nature trail development (Martin's Bay to Bath, Speightstown, Joe's River), proposed Discovery Route System.
Some activities which are geared both to sustainable tourism and to eco-tourism and nature-based tourism are
Challenges
Constraints to pursuing sustainable tourism include:
Capacity-building, Education, Training and Awareness-raising
Seminars and workshops are available for employees in the tourism industry to assist them in understanding, applying and promoting sustainable tourism. These are also used to educate policy makers in the concept and policy design of sustainable tourism.
The Ministry of Tourism undertakes periodic campaigns as well as works with the Barbados Tourism Authority on activities such as Tourism Week. The Ministry also collaborates with CZMU and the Environment Division on Sustainable Development awareness programmes.
With regard to marketing, at the property level there are facilities promoted as being environmentally conscious and market their products as being such e.g. Casuarina Hotel and Beach Club. However there is no specific focus in this area in national destination marketing efforts. Segmentation of the tourism product or branding is not yet a specific activity.
Information
No information is available.
Research and Technologies
Technology-related issues that need to be or are being addressed include those such as the use of freshwater resources - devices are available to reduce consumption; waste-water treatment and reuse are also promoted. Additionally, the Government has undertaken a project to address sewering of the south and west coasts. ESTs are often promoted as they become available.
Environmental management systems are applied in hotels and other tourist establishments. Examples include Casuarina Beach Hotel and Almond Beach Resort. Additionally the Ministry of Tourism is currently undertaking a project aimed at increasing the awareness of the importance of environmental management systems and developing fiscal incentives to facilitate tourism operators implementing such systems.
Information National information available to assist both decision-makers and the tourist industry in promoting sustainable tourism includes brochures and pamphlets, videos and reports. Mapping and inventorying natural resources and ecosystem characteristics has been conducted by the country as a whole under the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and the Environmental Planning and Land Use Study.
Relevant information is made available through the Ministry upon request; through the GIS, through the library and various other Government departments; as well as the Press/Media. The Ministry of Tourism is in the process of developing a Website.
Barbados is part of the UN Testing Programme on Sustainable Development Indicators. Further to that, we have developed a National Indicators Programme (NIP) which seeks to define national indicators for all policy areas, including sustainable tourism. Presently, the programme has reached the data collection stage in terms of trying to discover the level of existing available information and formats.
Financing
Activities in this area are financed through special funds, the national budget, private sector partnership, and external assistance.
Cooperation
The Ministry collaborates with the Barbados Tourism Authority and the Barbados Hotel Tourism Association to promote sustainable tourism in terms of holding seminars, operating campaigns and also undertaking projects or activities such as Adopt-a-Beach.
Other cooperation takes place within the framework of the following agreements:
* * *
This information is based on Barbados's submission to the 5th and 7th Sessions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Last update: January 1999
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