[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 24 (Wednesday, March 1, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES FACING THE CARIBBEAN UNDER GLOBALIZATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 1, 2006

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge the challenges 
facing Caribbean countries, and their leadership and to acknowledge the 
vital roles they play in the global community. As an example of the 
richness of the thinking in the region on the challenges faced by small 
states in their transition to the global economy, I enter in the Record 
a speech delivered by His Excellency Michael King, Ambassador of 
Barbados to the United States of America and Permanent Representative 
to the Organization of American States. Comments made by Ambassador 
King were part of his address to the annual general meeting of the 
Caribbean Conservation Association (CCA), a membership organization 
dedicated to the preservation of Caribbean cultural and natural 
resources, held Friday, February 3, 2006.
  Currently, the Caribbean region is undergoing a transformation, but 
changes could come with a steep price. Countries such as Jamaica and 
Barbados have seen a boom in real estate, primarily for local housing 
development and further growth will necessarily be contingent on the 
greater exploitation of natural resources. In Trinidad, the lucrative 
oil windfall may open opportunities for industrialization which will 
not only use scarce resources but will bring up concerns regarding safe 
disposal of waste byproducts and health ramifications in nearby 
communities. Natural disasters also pose a challenge as the Caribbean 
and the United States observed with the destruction of Grenada in 2004 
by Hurricane Ivan. All governments must boost their preparedness in 
order to prevent devastation to families, homes and businesses.
  In his remarks, Ambassador King explains that because of the CCA's 
unique mission, they are in a position to outreach to members who can 
influence change. ``Having gone through a period of dormancy, the 
organization must act quickly not just to confirm its relevance but to 
provide the mechanism whereby it can become the catalyst for a 
resurgence of the environmental movement in the Caribbean,'' Ambassador 
King said in his remarks. The Ambassador suggests continued 
collaboration between CCA and organizations dedicated to promoting 
agriculture and tourism in order to boost CCA's efficiency. He also 
recommends CCA becoming a vehicle for interventions related to 
community-based educational programs and alliances with fledging non-
governmental organizations working in the field.
  Mr. Speaker, again please join me in acknowledging the merit of 
Ambassador King's remarks regarding the challenges facing the Caribbean 
in this era of globalization and what can be done to protect and 
preserve the Caribbean's cultural resources and environment.

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