Confirming the ACS’ acceptance to chair the SVB of the project, Secretary General Professor Norman Girvan said, “This underlines recognition of the role of the ACS as a framework for cooperation in natural disasters and the environment, across the entire space of the Greater Caribbean. The ACS will seek to identify and maximise the synergies between this project, which is oriented to the insular Caribbean, and similar initiatives in the countries of the Caribbean littoral.”

The project aims to provide national meteorological offices in the region with tools for better planning for sustainable development in the Caribbean, so that they can provide information needed for planning purposes at national and international levels, and fulfill their international commitments, such as those to the convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer.

The SVB, with the participation of CARICOM, the ACS, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), and the Government of Finland, will be the highest executive body of the project.  Changes in the project document will be decided by the SVB, which also approves annual work plans and budget.

The ACS will host the next meeting of the Steering Committee and the first SVB meeting on October 31-November 1, 2002, at its headquarters in Port of Spain.

In 1999, the hurricanes Mitch and George crossed the Caribbean and Central American areas causing major damage. These hurricanes underscored the ecological and social vulnerability of the region. The international community reacted rapidly and a major relief program was planned covering the nations in Central America.

Caribbean countries are also in a vital position for the development of an early warning system for climatological changes. The improvement of Caribbean meteorological infrastructures is therefore highly important, not only because of climate change issues, but also to assist in preparedness for, and to minimise the damage caused by severe weather.

Finland has committed itself to support the SIDS process because of the importance of the region from a meteorological point of view, and positive experiences from earlier meteorological development cooperation projects in neighbouring Central America. Finland plans to assist the Caribbean region to contribute to the upgrading of meteorology and hydrology of the area following the lines of the Declaration of Barbados and the Programme of Action.

About the ACS

The Association of Caribbean States is an organisation for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters. The ACS Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba, France on behalf of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, and Martinique, and the Netherlands Antilles.