[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 18967-18968]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




PRAISING AMBASSADOR MICHAEL KING'S COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE 
                               CARIBBEAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 12, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to praise His Excellency 
Michael I. King, Ambassador of Barbados to the United States, for his 
commitment to protect the environment in the Caribbean. His remarks at 
the opening ceremony of the Third Conference on the Environment 
indicated his support for environmental sustainability and compliance 
with the international environment agenda in order to foster 
partnerships for preservation in the region.
  During his speech, Ambassador King encouraged students and 
professionals to transition to sustainable business and support non-
governmental organizations that make such business a priority. He also 
challenged his audience to utilize the expertise of Caribbeans abroad 
that have experienced success in environmental sustainability.

[[Page 18968]]

  Ambassador King insisted on strengthening stewardship, advocacy, 
public education, and innovation in the absence of great financial 
resources in order to improve the environment. While he marked the 
progress made by Caribbean nations in terms of securing trained and 
knowledgeable staff on environment and development issues, he 
acknowledged the narrow scope of much of the expertise due to limited 
resources forcing specialization.
  Ambassador King gave the example of The University of the West Indies 
(UWI) as a Caribbean institution of higher learning that should adopt 
sustainable energy and recycling programs to better the environment of 
the Caribbean. With a focus on such programs, graduates of UWI, and 
other Caribbean universities, would be more dedicated to achieving 
sustainability in the environment as well as building upon existing 
exercises aimed at biological diversity.
  Article 58 of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which established the 
Caribbean Community (CARICOM), details the framework wherein member 
nations are to operate in order to protect and manage their biological 
and natural resources. Ambassador King encouraged CARICOM members to 
develop a vision for environmental sustainability, with the 
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States setting the precedence.

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