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Barbados and Bahamas To Join Blue Flag Pilot Programme (October 30, 2003, BARBADOS) Following submission of National Feasibility Reports, the applications for Barbados and the Bahamas have been approved and the two countries have now officially entered the pilot phase of the Blue Flag Caribbean Campaign (BFCC). In a letter sent to the Caribbean Blue Flag Consortium, the International Blue Flag Jury, the body charged with approving entry into the pilot programme, congratulated the two countries for their excellent work and approved them for entry. "The International Jury found the feasibility study very well prepared and with excellent information about the country and its potential for Blue Flag." In the Bahamas, Blue Flag pilot status was granted for the Port Lucaya Marina and Old Bahama Bay Marina. In Barbados, Blue Flag pilot status was awarded to seven beaches: Casuarina/Bouganvillea Beach, Rockley Beach, Coconut Court/Asta Beach, Browne's Beach, Sandy Beach, Heywoods Beach and Almond Beach. The two newest official entrants to the Blue Flag Beach Standardization and Certification Scheme will join the other countries who are currently in the pilot scheme, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico for a meeting of Blue Flag National Coordinators on 20th to 21st November, 2003. The meeting is scheduled to be held at the Blue Horizon Hotel in Barbados, where discussions will centre around progress to date and the next steps to be taken before the raising of the first Blue Flag in the Caribbean in 2004. The Blue Flag National Coordinators' meeting will form part of the Caribbean Conservation Association's Annual General Meeting in November. Also included is a workshop on Decentralized Programme Planning by the Caribbean Regional Environmental Programme from 17th to 21st November and the Business Meeting of the CCA Secretariat on 22nd November, 2003. The Blue Flag meeting is being co-hosted by the Barbados Tourism Authority. Sponsorship for the AGM and Board Meetings has kindly been provided by the Barbados Light and Power, Caribbean Star, Stokes and Bynoe, Mount Gay Distilleries Ltd, LIAT (1974) Ltd and BWIA. For CCA's Executive Director, Dr Joth Singh the series of meetings, especially the Blue Flag meeting, represents another step forward in the environmental conservation movement in the Caribbean, "This series of meetings represents in every aspect, a moving ahead in our work programmes and we look forward to hosting our Caribbean members and partners in our headquarters country, Barbados." The Blue Flag Campaign is owned and run by the independent, non-profit organization, FEE, which is a network of over 30 national non-governmental and non-profit organizations promoting environmental education. The Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label awarded to more than 2,800 beaches and marinas in 23 countries across Europe, South Africa and soon, the Caribbean. The CCA is a regional, non-profit, membership organization, comprising 16 government members, 86 NGO members and over 200 individual members involved with the initiation and promotion of environmentally sound activities which will promote the wise and safe management of the Caribbean's natural and cultural resources. CCA's work is focused in four priority niche areas of environmental awareness building, information management, communications and compliance with international conventions. Eight specific programme areas are addressed within these niche areas: marine and coastal resources, protected areas, water resources management, land-based sources of marine pollution, trade and environment, multilateral environmental agreements, energy management and cultural heritage.
For more information, please contact CCA at `Chelford', Bush
Hill, The Garrison, St. Michael, Barbados.
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