National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA)

National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA) Proposal for GEF Funding

Country name: St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Project Title: National Capacity Self Assessment (PIMS 2725)

GEF Implementing Agency: United Nations Development Programme

GEF Operational Focal Point: Dr. Reynold Murray, Environmental Services Coordinator, Ministry of Health and Environment

National Executing Agency: Ministry of Health and Environment

Country eligibility: St. Vincent and the Grenadines is eligible to receive GEF support

Convention participation: UNCBD, UNFCCC, UNCCD

Convention Date of ratification National Focal Point /Accession UNCBD June 3, 1996 Dr. Reynold Murray Environmental Services Coordinator Ministry of Health and the Environment UNFCCC December 2, 1996 Dr. Reynold Murray Environmental Services Coordinator Ministry of Health and the Environment UNCCD March 16, 1998 Dr. Reynold Murray Environmental Services Coordinator Ministry of Health and the Environment

GEF Financing: US $200,000

PDF A US $ 25,000

Government Contribution (in-kind): US $ 35,000

Estimated Total Budget: US $ 260,000

Estimated Starting Date: November 2003

Duration: 15 months

1 LIST OF ACRONYMS

CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CHM Clearing House Mechanism COP Conference Of Parties CPACC Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change CREP Caribbean Regional Environmental Programme CWSA Central Water and Sewerage Authority ECSU Environmental Coordination and Services Unit GEF Global Environment Facility IA Implementing Agency MACC Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change MALF Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries MoFP Ministry of Finance and Planning MoHE Ministry of Health and Environment NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NCSA National Capacity Self-Assessment NEAB National Environmental Advisory Board NEAP National Environmental Action Plan NEMS National Environmental Management Strategy NGO Non-Governmental Organization OAS Organization of American States OECS Organization of Eastern Caribbean States OFP Operational Focal Point PFP Political Focal Point POPS Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants SD Sustainable Development SIDS Small Island Developing States SVG St Vincent and the Grenadines UNCBD United Nations Convention on Biodiversity UNCCD United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

2 UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UWI University of the West Indies

3 I. CONTEXT

A. General Overview

1. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is a small multi-island country of approximately 115,000 people comprising Saint Vincent, the main island, and the Grenadines, which consists of seven smaller inhabited islands and approximately 30 islets with a total land area of 345 sq km. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is part of the Windward Island chain in the Lesser Antilles, located in the eastern Caribbean between 13º.7” and 13º.23” north latitude and 61º.7” west longitude. On St. Vincent, the soils are fertile, with ample rainfall supporting a wide variety of crops. Annual precipitation varies from 150 cm in the extreme south to 381 cm in the interior of St. Vincent, resulting in a number of microclimates. St. Vincent has a rugged interior of tropical rain forest, but most of the population resides in the lowland coastal zones. The Grenadines are much smaller and as a rule less rugged and drier than St. Vincent.

2. SVG became a self-governing state in association with Britain in 1969, and on October 27, 1979 the country acquired full independence as a member nation of the Commonwealth. Executive power is in the hands of a prime minister and cabinet, while legislative authority resides in a unicameral legislature. SVG is a member of the British Commonwealth, the Caribbean Common Market (CARICOM), the Organization of East Caribbean States (OECS), and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).

3. The economy is primarily based on agriculture, fisheries, tourism and some manufacturing. Agriculture has been the main source of foreign exchange earnings and employment, is a major contributor to GDP, and employs the majority of the working population, primarily small-scale family farmers. However, several factors threaten the strength of this sector, including the loss of the preferential trading status with the EU for the banana crop in 2002, increasing competition from other agriculture producers; and pest infestations (e.g. pink mealy bug). Agriculture declined from an average of 18.2 percent of total GDP between 1983-1992 to 10.1 percent by 1997.

4. SVG’s small size, multi-island nature, and difficult terrain make provision and maintenance of social services and physical infrastructure difficult and expensive. Furthermore, openness of the economy, dependence on a narrow range of resources, in particular banana production and fragile marine ecosystems, all combine to expose the country to high economic vulnerability. Loss of the preferential trading arrangements for bananas with the European Union, and intensification of globalization and trade liberalization and their impact on small developing economies of the region, constitute the major sustainable human development challenges facing the country.

Over the past two decades, the prevailing economic situation in SVG has been one of moderate growth, relatively high unemployment and significant levels of poverty. Economic performance over the 1985-1994 period was impressive, in spite of the negative impacts of external market dislocations, with an annual average growth rate of real gross domestic product (GDP) of 5.45%. Declines in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors were partially compensated for by increased growth in the nascent tourism sector. However, GDP growth has declined in the past

4 few years, from an average of 4.3% in the last three years of the past decade to 2.0% in 2000 and 0.2% in 2001. The decline in GDP form 4.3% in the last 3 years of the decade to 2.0% in 2000 and 0.2% in 2001 could be attributed to the fall in agricultural output by 7.2% resulting in a GDP declined from 12.1% in 2000 to 11.2% in 2001. The decline in the agricultural sector was led by a fall of 20.3% in banana output cause by weather conditions and weak prices. The Tourism (Hotels & Restaurants) sector declined by 3.0% in 2001 following a 6.3% growth in 2000. This decline was for the most part due to a reduction in visitor arrivals by air, stemming from the world recession and further exacerbated by the events of September 11th, in the USA. Performance in the manufacturing sector continued its 5 years declined and displayed a negative 1.8 percent. The contributing factors include the sectors inability to sustain/maintain regional and information market share because of increase competition. In the communications sector for the period 2001, the communications sector also declined by 12.3% which resulted from a tapering off in investments in the sector.

5. Per capita gross national product, estimated at US$2,400 in 1994, is the lowest in the OECS countries and the third lowest in the Anglophone Caribbean. With a human development index (HDI) rating of 0.738, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is ranked among those countries that have achieved medium human development, but this HDI ranking is lower than the hemispheric average of 0.8226 and the global average of 0.7589, and masks the fact that there is unequal distribution of wealth and income in the country. Although there have been substantial improvements to the national insurance scheme, the Government recognizes that there is a need to improve the regulatory framework for providing adequate social safety nets and for meeting the basic needs of the disadvantaged in the society.

6. While Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has made considerable progress in human development, there is still a high incidence of poverty in both rural and urban areas. A Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) poverty assessment survey indicated that over 30 per cent of the population is living below the poverty level. Two causes for the prevalence of poverty have been identified by the Government: low income and employment generation in the key productive sectors; and deficient capacity to facilitate training and development for expanding skills and increasing productivity.

7. The decline in competitiveness of the important banana industry is likely to contribute to a worsening of poverty and unemployment. As the country embarks on a program of structural reorganization of the banana industry to restore export competitiveness, the adjustment process could create greater poverty. The large number of marginal farmers who will be forced out of the industry will augment the numbers of the poor, many of whom are women, if present agricultural diversification initiatives are not successful.

B. Sustainable Development

8. Over the past decade, the government of SVG has implemented a number of initiatives and programs to define and support its environmental management and sustainable development goals. A five-year Strategic Plan (formerly referred to as the National Physical Development Plan) is currently being developed by the Ministry of Finance and Planning, and should be

5 completed by end of 2003 or early 2004. The plan is intended to guide development activities throughout the country and covers all government agencies and statutory bodies.

9. The European Union has provided financial support for a Poverty Reduction project administered by the Ministry of Social Development, in cooperation of Ministry of Health and Environment and institutions. However, a final Poverty Reduction Strategy, the main output of this process, has yet to be completed. In addition, in response to the significant challenges facing the agricultural sector, and in particular the banana industry, the Ministry of Agriculture is implementing an Agricultural Diversification project to develop new crops and markets for SVG’s farmers.

10. In the environment sector, the National Environmental Action Plan (1994-97) provided guidance for environmental policy in SVG, and several government agencies implemented various aspects of the plan, including a waste management program and the creation of a new soil conservation unit within the Ministry of Agriculture. Building on the NEAP, a National Environmental Management Strategy is currently under development and is expected to be finalized by December 2003. The NEMS, developed in collaboration with the OECS Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU), and with the support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will attempt to harmonize existing initiatives and programs of various government agencies as they relate to environmental management and the country’s obligations under international conventions. The focus of the NEMS will be primarily technical, and will include some capacity assessment analyses that can feed into the NCSA process.

11. Despite these various sustainable development initiatives, SVG does not yet have any coordinating body or forum for sustainable development issues. As a result, sustainable development activities in the country remain somewhat fragmented and lacking coherence, and SVG continues to face many challenges to developing a coordinated approach to sustainable development. Among the most important challenges are:

 Long-term commitment to the institutional changes required for SD is only a recent policy in St. Vincent, so that effective central coordination of SD processes is still being developed.  Limited awareness among all levels of the society of SD principles and processes, leading to limited participation and lack of commitment of the Vincentian population in SD processes.  A fragmented approach to development co-operation, with development agencies supporting processes and projects that match their own priorities, and with no mechanisms for cooperation between agency staff apart from at the level of Permanent Secretaries.  Unfamiliarity with or newness of environmental issues for policy makers, limiting support for all environmental initiatives as policy makers focus on other social issues.

12. The NCSA process will not address all of the challenges to sustainable development in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but it can play a critical role in identifying priority areas and mechanisms for coordinated action. The NCSA report and the strategy and action plan will help

6 to direct sustainable development planning relevant to the country’s commitments under the three Rio conventions, and also will provide strategic guidance to other sustainable development initiatives of the Government of SVG.

C. Institutional Framework

13. Primary responsibility for environmental matters in SVG resides with the Ministry of Health and Environment (MoHE). The Ministry’s Environmental Coordination and Services Unit (ESCU) is the focal point for most of SVG’s multilateral environmental agreements, including the UNCBD, UNCCC and UNCCD, and serves as a clearinghouse for those not directly under its control (e.g. CITES, UNCLS, MARPOL, SPAW, Basel Convention, Cartagena Convention). The mission of the ECSU is “to guide national development along the green path to a sustainable future through sound environmental health practices, green production and intelligent use/management of natural resources.” In practical terms, the ECSU is intended to monitor all environmental activities within SVG, and to act as a coordinating body for environmental policies and programs. However, the ECSU has very limited financial resources, and is currently limited to a director, a resource analyst, and an administrative person.

14. To address its resource constraints, the ECSU is planning a merger the year wit the Environmental Health Unit within the MoHE, which currently has 15 staff who environmental health, monitoring of drinking water supplies, and solid waste management. By merging, the Ministry should increase the number of people working on general environmental coordination and monitoring, including possibly a biochemist and a lawyer. The original long-term goal for the ECSU is to have six full time staff: environmental biologist, resource analyst, environmental engineer, sociologist/educator, environmental chemist, secretary/data manager, as well as a shared part-time legal assistant. However, the new construct may not have these skills initially but will strive to train officers from the current Environmental Health Unit to fill these slots. The MoHE also oversee the Central Water and Sewage Authority, a statutory body responsible for Liquid and Solid Waste Management, and fresh water resource management, collection, treatment, delivery and internal monitoring.

15. Although ministerial responsibility for environment was established within the Ministry of Health and the Environment in 1989, environmental management in St. Vincent and the Grenadines remains a shared responsibility among numerous ministries and statutory bodies. For example, the National Environmental Advisory Board, a multidisciplinary, multi-sectoral statutory body, was established in 1996 to give direction to environmental activities in SVG. The NEAB’s appointed members are tasked with advising the Minister of Health and the Environment on all matters relating to the environment, and with overseeing, reviewing and monitoring all projects and development activities that have environmental considerations (see Annex 2 for list of members). In practice, the NEAB also assists the ECSU in its efforts to encourage and coordinate implementation of environmental programs by other government agencies. While the NEAB has significantly improved environmental coordination and priority setting in SVG, there is a need to strengthen the body in various ways. Currently, it plays only an advisory role, so that its rulings are not binding on government bodies. In addition, the NEAB is slow to make decisions, in part because it meets only once every two months, but also because participants often do not have the authority to make decisions on the spot, but must

7 rather refer back to their respective ministries. It is widely felt that the NCSA process can be useful in helping to better define and expand the role of the NEAB.

16. In addition, the Ministry of Finance and Planning (MoFP) also coordinates environmental planning and management in its role as the oversight body responsible for all development initiatives in SVG. There is no sustainable development council or similar agency in the country, but the MoFP fulfills a similar function with support from project-oriented ministries such as the Ministry of Agriculture. The Central Planning Division of the Ministry coordinates development projects and must approve all external donor coordination and funding, while the Physical Planning Unit reviews EIAs and prepares physical development plans. Another coordinating role is played by the National Economic and Social Development Council, a government advisory body composed of government and community representatives that disseminates information and reacts to government policies and programs.

17. Field implementation of environmental and natural resource management projects is the responsibility of a number of institutions. The Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries (MoALF) has primary responsibility for managing biodiversity, implementation of environmental and natural resource management projects in the field, and enforcement of the Beach Protection Act. The Forestry Division undertakes forest management, reforestation, limited enforcement (land encroachment), wildlife management, and watershed conservation, and is currently developing an Integrated Forestry Management Project, which is geared at providing alternative livelihoods for persons who extract their livelihoods from the forest, and will protect biodiversity, reduce land degradation, and protect water catchments and ecosystems nationally. The Fisheries Division engages in coastal resource monitoring, fisheries management (enhancement of catch productivity, research and stock assessments), coastal and marine inventories and management; education programs, and management of marine reserves. The Agriculture Division carries out agriculture extension, soil conservation, and research and agronomy. Finally, the Land & Surveys Division conducts surveys on behalf of government agencies, while the Pesticide Control Board controls the importation and use of pesticides.

18. Other agencies with on-the-ground resource management responsibilities include the Ministry of Communications, Works and Transport, which manages quarries and mining operations, and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, where the newly established Parks, Rivers, and Beaches Authority will have responsibilities for the development of protected areas and tourism sites. The St. Vincent National Trust is a statutory body charged with conservation and protection of historic and natural resources, primarily historic buildings.

19. Several NGOs and CBOs are active in environmental management in SVG, including the North Windward Environmental Committee, Jems Environmental Management Services, and the National Farmers Union (concerned with the banana industry among other issues). Currently, however, there is only limited activity among civil society, and poor coordination between NGOs and CBOs on the one hand and government resource management agencies on the other, issues which may be addressed during the NCSA process, which will focus on assessing capacity in both government and non-governmental organizations.

8 20. Despite the large number of institutions with roles in environmental management, currently there are no formal administrative arrangements or mechanisms for information flow among resource management agencies. There also are no established lines of communication between planning agencies, although the ESCU serves as a stopgap measure in some cases. Finally, the roles of various agencies sometimes overlap, as with the new Parks, Rivers and Beaches Authority, which may be in conflict with the Forestry and Fisheries Divisions over geographic and thematic responsibilities.

D. Global Environmental Agreements

Biodiversity

21. Biodiversity in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, although limited by the country’s small size, is still significant. SVG has 84 km. of coastline, with diverse ecosystems including bay, beaches, rocky shores, cays and coral reefs. The country also has significant stands of tropical rain forest, 13% of which is primary forest, that are critical wildlife habitat areas. There are 15 species of mammals, 111 species of birds, including the endemic St. Vincent Parrot (Amazona guildingi), 16 species of reptiles, and 4 species of amphibians.

22. SVG’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) identified several significant threats to the country’s biodiversity, including: deforestation, species introductions, emigrants, exotic pests/diseases, limited knowledge, agrochemical use, hunting, inadequate enforcement, and urban development. The greatest threat to terrestrial wildlife is habitat destruction, particularly deforestation, although pollution, over harvesting, and illegal hunting are also important concerns. Fish stocks are being depleted as a result of pollution, unsustainable fishing practices, inadequate knowledge of fish stocks, and inadequate institutional capacity to manage fisheries. Mangroves are being removed at a rapid pace, and now only small stands remain. Soil erosion, fertilizers and pesticides, raw sewage, solid wastes are all impacting marine and freshwater environments, and sand mining is causing beach and coastline erosion.

23. The office of the Environmental Services Coordinator in the Ministry of Health and Environment is the technical focal point for the UNCBD. No single ministry has sole responsibility for implementing the biodiversity conservation or other measures under the CBD, but the MoALF has a lead role, supported by the MoHE, MoFP, and other agencies. Likewise, there is no comprehensive legislative framework for biodiversity conservation, but relevant legislation includes: Town and Country Planning Act, Forestry Resource Conservation Act, Wildlife Protection Act, Fisheries Act, Marine Parks Act, St. Vincent National Trust Act, and the Maritime Seas Act (see Annex 5 for further details). SVG has 23 terrestrial reserve areas, including the St. Vincent Parrot Reserve, several forest reserve areas, one marine park (Tobago Cays Marine Park), and six marine reserves (See Annex 6 for further details).

24. Biodiversity management planning in SVG was initiated with the NBSAP, which was completed in 2000 but still awaits approval by Cabinet. The NBSAP was coordinated by the Environmental Services Coordinating Unit in the MoHE, with the support of the National Environmental Advisory Board (NEAB). The project focused on reviewing the state of

9 biodiversity in SVG, identifying threats to biodiversity, and developing mitigation methods against those threats.

25. A biodiversity enabling activity add-on proposal is awaiting final approval from the GEF, although 15% of funds have been received and project activities are about to commence. The main objectives of this project are to assist the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in completing its comprehensive capacity building needs assessment for country specific priorities, undertaking consultations for the second national report to the COP, and implementing a country-driven Biodiversity Clearing House Mechanism project. The capacity assessment component will focus on SVG’s ability to implement selected recommendations from the NBSAP, including: implementation of general measures for in-situ and ex-situ conservation and sustainable use; methodologies to evaluate and mitigate specific threats to biodiversity; preservation and maintenance of biodiversity related knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyle; and in particular, conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity important to agriculture.

26. Other programs and activities for biodiversity management have included: structured public education programs; the development of a Herbarium Review of nomenclature of Biodiversity for SVG; institutional strengthening, including technical training for staff to carry out studies of marine life and a cataloging process for fisheries related documents; and programs related to the Integrated Forest Management Programme for the review of wildlife legislation.

27. Despite these recent and ongoing efforts, much work in biodiversity conservation and management remains to be done in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. For example, detailed baseline inventories of flora, fauna, and ecosystems have not been conducted for any of the major ecosystems in the country. In addition, none of the previous programs has focused significantly on capacity assessment or capacity building, although as noted the biodiversity add-on project will undertake this task. As a result, the activities and outputs of this project will constitute a major input into the biodiversity thematic assessment of the NCSA process.

Climate Change

28. St. Vincent, like most other Caribbean countries, is a low-lying coastal state with fragile coastal ecosystems. These coastal regions support the vast majority of the population and economic activity, so that global warming and associated sea level rise will heavily impact coastal resources, human settlements and infrastructure, and the national economy. Numerous human activities are exacerbating the potential affects of climate change impacts, particularly in coastal zones, including increased density of human settlement, uncontrolled development, inadequate disposal of liquid and solid wastes, decaying drainage infrastructure, mismanagement of coastal ecosystems, and increased sedimentation due to poor watershed management.

29. The potential impacts of climate change effects will likely be felt most strongly in coastal areas, through mechanisms such as saltwater intrusion, increased coastal erosion, and permanent flooding or inundation. However, the country as a whole will be more susceptible to certain impacts, particularly powerful tropical storms and hurricanes, which threaten human life,

10 degrade ecosystems, and have significant impacts on the national economy. There is evidence already in SVG of increased incidence and intensity of such events, providing a strong indication that climate change variables are already adversely affecting the country. The effects of climate change could also affect water supplies throughout the country, a particular concern in the drier Grenadines islands, and have multiplier effects on agriculture due to drought and on health due to an insufficient quantity of potable water.

30. The office of the Environmental Services Coordinator in the Ministry of Health and Environment is the technical focal point for the UNCCC. The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has assigned staff and resources from the Ministry of Health and the Environment to implement the Climate Change Work Program, and has authorized the National Environmental Advisory Board (NEAB) to fill the role of national climate committee. This Board is charged with reviewing all documents relating to climate change and providing a synopsis to the Minister of Health and the Environment, who takes environmental matters to Cabinet.

31. St. Vincent and the Grenadines completed its Initial National Communication on Climate Change in November 2000. Support for this work was received through the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change (CPACC) project, a regional effort coordinated by the Organization of American States that was intended to help Caribbean countries to prepare for adverse effects of climate changes, particularly sea level rise in coastal areas, through vulnerability assessment, adaptation planning, and capacity building. As part of this initiative, a climate-monitoring station was established off the southwest coast of St. Vincent to compile a historical record. The country also participated in a series of regional efforts to establish database and information systems, inventory coastal resources and uses, and formulate a policy framework for integrated coastal and marine management. Pilot studies were done on coral-reef monitoring for climate change, coastal vulnerability and risk assessment, economic valuation of coastal and marine resources, and formulation of economic/regulatory proposals.

32. The national communication also identified a number of capacity issues that must be addressed in order for SVG to develop effective programs on climate change. One priority is increased financial resources, since financial support provided under the UNFCCC and GEF is targeted to emissions reduction rather than climate-change vulnerability, and as a consequence, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is eligible for a comparatively limited amount of assistance despite its very high degree of vulnerability. The other priority area is technical capacity, as SVG continues to lack the cadre of skilled technicians, accurate and extensive data-management system, adequate financial resources, enthusiasm of an informed public, private/public partnerships, and political will to deal effectively with climate change issues.

33. Currently, SVG is developing its national Climate Change Policy, which has been submitted to Cabinet but not yet approved. The policy calls for the following: a national education programme (public awareness) to address climate change; group consultations to involve diverse interest groups in the decision-making process; the preparation of a document on climate change specific to SVG; a review of national policies relating to climate change; and the implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures, to include a research and development

11 component. Public education programs on climate change also continue to be implemented, as well as an inventory of selected coastal marine resources susceptible to climate change impacts.

34. SVG has received GEF approval for a climate change enabling activity add-on project, although funds have not yet been disbursed for project implementation. The focus of this is on technical issues, including improved sea level monitoring, and review of the greenhouse gas inventory.

35. The country will also be a participant in the upcoming Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change (MACC) project, but specific activities to be implemented in SVG have not yet been identified. However, the proposed functions of the Regional Center in Belize include a number of activities that will be carried out at the country-level in the region, including: collect, analyze and disseminate meteorological and sea-level data; public education and awareness campaigns; assessment of implications of climate change for coastal zone management, disaster management, and potentially vulnerable sectors such as tourism, health, agriculture, and insurance; and technical coordination and information exchange.

36. While a number of different programs and initiatives to address climate change have been undertaken in SVG, none of the programs out to date, including the Initial National Communication, have focused on capacity assessment or capacity building issues.

Land Degradation & Desertification

Overview description of land degradation

37. Significant growth in the tourism industry, expansion of urban areas, and population growth are combining to place great demand on the limited land resources of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. With only 345 sq. km. of total land area, there is a critical need for SVG to balance the use of its national territory between commercial, housing, recreation, protection, and other uses.

38. St. Vincent is characterized by rugged terrain with wet upland forests and numerous rivers. The soils of the island are fertile, yet because of a scarcity of prime agricultural land, encroachment onto steep slopes at higher elevations is contributing to landslides and increased sediment transport. At the same time, building patterns along the immediate coast are increasing vulnerabilities in coastal villages and resort communities. It is estimated that 50 percent of the island consists of slopes over 30 percent and only 20 percent of slopes less than 20 percent.

39. One of the most threatened ecosystem types are the country’s forests, which are under severe threat from deforestation due to land clearance for agriculture (legal and illegal), fuel wood gathering, charcoal production, and housing development. Between 1986 and 1998, the forest cover declined from 38% of the country’s land area to 29%, due primarily to land clearing for cultivation, fuelwood collection, and charcoal production. Other problems include illegal farming on steep slopes in the interior of the country, which pose a severe problem in terms of topsoil loss and resultant sedimentation of riverine and marine habitats. Other problems include

12 excessive irrigation and use of fertilizers and pesticides, overgrazing, and intensive exploitation of forests.

40. Due to its physiography, geological history and location, SVG is highly susceptible to natural disasters, and hurricanes and tropical storms, floods and landslides, and earthquakes are significant threats. Planning to avoid problems from floods and landslides, particularly those caused by deforestation, needs to be carried out.

41. The office of the Environmental Services Coordinator in the Ministry of Health and Environment is the technical focal point for the UNCCD. A National Steering Committee for the UNCCD has been formed, consisting of five representatives from government and seven from the private sector and NGOs. The ECSU works in tandem with the NEAB, CBOs, and the National Steering Committee on coordinating policy for land degradation issues. Other significant stakeholders for land and natural resources management include various government ministries (in particular the Soil Conservation Unit, Forestry Division, Central Water and Sewage Authority, and Ministry of Health and the Environment), the National Farmers Union, the National Irrigation Program, water users associations, and various NGOs and CBOs.

42. Currently, no national legislation integrates SVG’s commitments under the UNCCD, so that there is no capacity to enforce actions contrary to the goals laid out in the national reports. There is an urgent need to infuse language from the convention into local laws in order to allow redress for misdees, lend legitimacy to implementation efforts, and attract local counterpart funds for land and resource conservation programs supportive of the UNCCD.

43. In 2000 and 2001, SVG produced its first and second national reports on the state of land degradation for submission to the COP and the CRIC of the UNCCD. These reports highlight the country’s vulnerability to land degradation and loss of water resources, and the resulting impacts on agriculture and forestry resources. The reports reviewed institutional capacity for the implementation of the UNCCD in SVG, the role of civil society, human and financial resource needs, and national and international responses to the UNCCD. The information produced in these reports also has been used in national planning activities, and to support extensive public outreach and education programs during the past two years. In addition, the reports have supported the Forestry Department in the development of the Integrated Forestry Management Project, and in reforestation and soil conservation programs.

44. Currently, a National Action Plan to Combat Desertification is under development and scheduled to be completed by September 2003, in time for the next UNCCD COP meeting in Cuba (the UNCCD Secretariat is supporting Caribbean countries to finish their plans by then). This plan will formalize the involvement of all stakeholders and set clear lines of authority and execution commitment. Other current activities include work by the Soil Conservation Unit at the Ministry of Agriculture in terms of soil conservation demonstration projects with farmers in the field, reforestation activities carried out by the Forestry Division; and the Integrated Forest Management Program. Also, the National Environmental Management Strategy is expected to propose short and long-term measures aimed at soil conservation, watershed management, and land use planning.

13 45. While the issues of land degradation and drought are high on the national agenda in SVG, structural complementarity to the UNCCD remains weak, and institutional reform and greater collaboration among stakeholders are needed to strengthen SVG’s capacity to reform land and resource management policies and practices. The NCSA process will provide a valuable tool to identify the key constraints to integrating the recommendations of the proposed National Action Plan into the broader environmental and sustainable development framework of the country.

Other Global Environmental Agreements

46. The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is in the process of trying to integrate its numerous environmental institutions and programs into a more rationale and cohesive framework. For this reason, SVG does not want to limit its efforts under the NCSA process to those environmental issues that fall directly under the biodiversity, climate change, and land degradation conventions. Instead, the country also intends to use the NCSA process to assess its capacity to implement other international commitments, as well as other issues of critical concern.

47. Of particular interest to stakeholders in SVG are issues related to Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and the Biosafety Protocol. SVG is not yet a signatory to the POPs convention, but the ECSU is pushing the government to do sign this agreement, as well as the PIC (Prior Informed Consent) agreement, because of their relevance to the country’s critical hazardous waste management concerns. SVG also has not yet signed the Biosafety Protocol, but the government is expected to do so, and is currently in the process of preparing a project proposal for UNEP focused on biosafety (including a capacity assessment component). Two other priority areas that will be assessed during the NCSA process are Hazardous Waste Management and Air Quality, both of which are rapidly growing problems in the country and are not covered under the country’s existing resource management programs.

Cross Cutting Issues

48. Despite the efforts of the National Environmental Advisory Board, actions taken under the enabling activities related to the three conventions have remained largely independent, and policies and programs related to these issues are not coordinated. Yet, a number of issues identified during the PDF-A process have a significant impact on the execution of activities related to all three conventions, among them: poor integration of policies and regulations relating to international environmental agreements into the local legal framework, and few supporting regulations for existing laws; lack of environmental awareness, technical expertise and experience at national and local levels among regulatory enforcement agencies such as the judiciary, police, and immigration officers; lack of integration of environmental costs into economic policies; and the lack of political commitment to environmental conservation; and corresponding lack of financial resources with which to support environmental programs.

49. The NCSA project offers St. Vincent and the Grenadines the opportunity not only to assess capacity issues and constraints in each thematic area, but also to identify synergies among issues and in meeting its obligations under the three conventions, including reporting, training, information exchanges, and public education and awareness. The NCSA will provide SVG with

14 the chance to develop mechanisms and action plans that address constraints and exploit synergies across the issues of biodiversity conservation, climate change, and land degradation, in order to more effectively meet the country’s global environmental obligations and to address local environmental needs and objectives.

II. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

A. The Need for a National Capacity Self-Assessment in St. Vincent

50. A number of programs for capacity building in government and non-governmental organisations concerned with environmental management in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are currently under way or have taken place in the past few years. The Caribbean Fisheries Unit, a regional coordinating body for fisheries, has supported training and capacity building in fisheries management. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is working with the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries to develop a three-year program that will include capacity building for forest and water management. The UNDP is supporting a sub-regional office Human Development Report process that is currently considering inclusion of a capacity building component. UNEP is implementing a regional project on biosafety, and SVG has submitted a proposal for capacity building in biosafety issues as part of that project.

51. The proposed project for a Forestry Inventory Programme with FAO been designed by the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and approved by Cabinet, but is currently being revised prior to the start of implementation. It is anticipated that the project will provide alternative livelihoods for persons dependent on forest resources, and will protect biodiversity, reduce land degradation, undertake reforestation, and protect water catchments and ecosystems nationally. A GEF-UNDP/UNEP Full Size Project on Regional Integrated Management of Watersheds and Coastal Areas in SIDS of the Caribbean that will include capacity building activities is also under development, but SVG is waiting for a response from the GEF on its proposal for specific demonstration projects to take place in the country. Finally, as noted earlier, the biodiversity enabling activity add-on project includes a specific focus on capacity assessment for implementation of the CBD in the country.

52. Despite these various activities, previous and existing programs that address SVG’s capacity to implement its obligations under the three international conventions have yet to attempt a comprehensive and integrated assessment of existing capacity constraints. Apart from the biodiversity add-on project just getting underway, almost none of these programs have undertaken detailed capacity assessment, instead focusing on capacity building to address specific issues. In addition, these programs are limited to sector-specific issues and programs and are designed primarily to enable execution of specific projects rather than to address national capacity to handle broad environmental issues. Finally, most of these capacity building programs have focused solely on technical capacity building issues.

53. By analyzing issues relevant to all three conventions, as well as other environmental priorities, and by looking at capacity constraints at the individual, institutional, and systemic

15 levels, the NCSA process will result in a more integrated approach to environmental management in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The current situation, where the various ministries and agencies involved in the management of natural resources each prepares its work plans and long-term strategies in isolation, and only in accordance with the its own institutional mandate, has resulted in a high degree of overlap and repetitiveness in the execution of natural resource conservation and development activities in SVG. This unproductive and wasteful system results in ineffective responses to environmental threats in the country, including the loss of global biodiversity, the decline of land and water resources, and the existing and potential impacts of climate change.

B. Objectives and Linkages to Ongoing Activities

54. The NCSA process will provide SVG the opportunity to conduct a thorough assessment and analysis of the capacity needs and constraints facing national efforts to improve environmental conservation and sustainable development programs, and to meet its global environmental management obligations as set forth in the Rio conventions and related regional and international instruments. The NCSA process is intended to analyze the institutional capacity framework that was initiated under the UNFCCC, and the strategies put in place to conserve biodiversity in SVG as outlined in the NBSAP, and will facilitate the identification of management strategies needed to ensure the smooth flow of information and the execution of activities relevant to the implementation of the three Rio conventions and other national environmental and sustainable development goals.

55. Specific objectives to be accomplished through the project implementation include:

- To determine capacity needs at the individual, institutional, and systemic levels to implement the holistic vision of the Ministry of Health and the Environment for national environmental objectives; - To assess the capacity of the Ministry of Finance and Planning to coordinate issues of sustainable development and to serve the needs of relevant line ministries as they relate to sustainable development; - To assess the capacity need (systemic and institutional) of the evolving role of the Parks, Rivers, and Beaches Authority and it’s ability to work with existing agencies in a synergistic fashion. (This authority is just evolving, the TOR for the consultant charged with fashioning the agency, includes this concept.); - To assess the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture (with special reference to the Forestry, Fisheries and the Plan Protection Unit) to respond to sustainable development objectives outlined in the NBSAP and UNCCD Communication; - To review and test national mechanisms for stakeholder participation and promote a sense of ownership; - To review and test national mechanisms for stakeholder participation; - To identify conflicts and strengthen synergies among MEAs (UNCCD, UNCBD, UNFCCC), and among the stakeholders and ministries implementing activities under these agreements;

16 - To provide a solid basis for the preparation of requests for future external funding and assistance; - To monitor and evaluate the implementation of the action plan as part of a process of continuous improvement; - Evaluate the existing legislation that addresses Environmental Protection/Conservation.

56. In pursuing these objectives, the NCSA will coordinate with ongoing projects and programs for environmental management in SVG. The NCSA will provide valuable strategic directions for the consolidation of environmental planning and management activities within the newly consolidated Environmental Coordination and Services Unit/Environmental Health Unit. The NCSA will liaise and share its findings with the other multi-sectoral initiatives, such as the NEMS and the Strategic Plan, whose focus on economic and social issues related to sustainable development will complement the focus of the NCSA on environmental issues. It will also coordinate with SVG’s goals and obligations under regional agreements such as the St. Georges Declaration of Principles of Environmental Sustainability in the OECS and the Caribbean Regional Environmental Programme (CREP). The NCSA will also build upon and supplement the capacity assessment and capacity building components of ongoing activities related to each convention, including the biodiversity add-on project, the climate change add-on project and the MACC, and the National Action Plan for Land degradation. Finally, the NCSA will coordinate with significant ongoing development and environmental management projects with thematic linkages to the goals of the conventions, including the Integrated Forest Management Program, a World Bank supported infrastructure-retrofitting project focused on emergency and disaster response, and environmental assessment and mapping activities under the Cross-Country Link Road project.

C. Expected end of project situation

57. The project will use a flexible, adaptive approach to respond to the evolving needs of the country and the progress of other programs and policy directions in St. Vincent. The project is expected to produce the following outputs:

 Issues related to the three conventions identified and strategy for coordination formulated  Suggested coordinating mechanism develop  A comprehensive National Action Plan focused on capacity building that will identify overall goals, specific objectives to be achieved, and coursed of action prepared.  Recommendation for the transition from this enabling activity to the actual implementation of identified follow up measures addressing loss in biodiversity losses in soil fertility and climate change made.  General awareness at the local level and knowledge about the three Conventions and their interrelationship determined and enhanced.  Mechanism for information exchange and cooperation among all relevant stakeholders including governmental non-governmental, academic and private sectors identified and tested.

17 III. PROJECT ACTIVITIES

58. The NCSA process will be conducted over 15 months, during which the following activities will be undertaken:

Project Planning & Initiation

59. The NCSA project will commence with the formal establishment of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and the establishment of a Project Management Unit (PMU). The Project Steering Committee will develop an agreement on the operational aspects of the NCSA process in a consultative manner. Under the guidance of the Committee, and building on the project planning completed during the PRODOC period, the Project Manager will develop a framework for the execution of the project and a detailed workplan sequencing events, milestones and outputs. Guidelines for the project will also be established and documented, detailing areas of responsibility, resource allocation, and monitoring procedures for the first fifteen months. The PSC will be assisted by a Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC) comprising representatives from the various sectors working on the conventions or associated with the implementation of the conventions. The TCC will work in an advisory and backstopping role.

60. Another important aspect of the project initiation stage will be a full briefing of all the stakeholders from various sectors of the society, a critical step in engaging the stakeholders and encouraging their participation. Government agencies, NGOs, CBOs, academia, professional bodies, donor agencies and the private sector will be invited to a national workshop at the inception of the NCSA process to present the work plan and to raise awareness about the initiative. Additional stakeholder consultations also will take place, to share knowledge and solicit inputs regarding implementation of the NCSA, implementation of the three conventions, and in some cases, general knowledge on environmental issues and priorities. Mechanisms to keep the stakeholders informed at each juncture in the process will be identified and agreed upon.

61. The workshop will also mark the official launch of the project with high-level political endorsement from the Minister of Health and the Environment, which will help to establish the linkages between capacity building to meet SVG’s environmental obligations, to protect and conserve the country’s natural resource base, and to further the country’s sustainable development efforts.

Capacity Self-Assessment within Thematic Areas

62. Work in each thematic area will begin with a stocktaking of previous capacity assessment studies and previous and existing capacity building programs. This stocktaking will form the basis of a gap analysis to determine SVG’s current programs with respect to each of the three global conventions, allowing the project team to arrive at an understanding of the baseline situation. A variety of reports, including the national communications to the conventions, the National Environmental Action Plan, the National Environmental Management Strategy, the

18 National Report to the WSSD, the Strategic Plan, and others, will be reviewed during this stage and will provide an overview and brief profile of each thematic area.

63. The stocktaking phase will be followed by a full assessment of each thematic area. Each assessment will include:

 Identifying and reviewing priority issues;  Identifying capacity constraints for the priority issues and analyzing the causes;  Assessing the constraints at the individual, institutional and systemic levels;  Categorizing opportunities in terms of a) creating new capacity, b) mobilizing or redeploying existing capacity, and c) enhancing existing capacities; and  Identifying necessary corrective action.

64. The output of the assessments will be presented in reports detailing and ranking the gaps in terms of barriers to the implementation of the national action plans related to each Convention. The results of these assessments will be shared at workshops with a broad cross-section of interested parties within government and non-governmental organizations to confirm the findings and discuss strategies and approaches for the way forward. Even at this early stage of the NCSA process, actions for moving forward will be presented, discussed and agreed upon. The results of this consultation will feed into the development of the Strategy and Action Plan.

65. Preparation of the thematic assessment will be done by three thematic experts (one for biodiversity and biosafety; one for climate change and POPs, and one for land degradation), with the support of technical experts executing national action plans and other projects related to implementation of the three Conventions.

Identification of Cross Cutting Capacity Issues

66. Assessment of the linkages between thematic areas provides an important opportunity, through greater understanding of the commonalities and overlaps between the conventions, to facilitate an integrated approach to implementation of the conventions at the local, national and international levels.

67. During the preparation of this NCSA proposal representatives of various agencies and organizations identified a number of important crosscutting issues. Among the most important of these issues are: the lack of formal institutional mechanisms for coordinated action or information sharing among government resource management agencies (either bilateral or multi-institutional); unclear and often overlapping institutional mandates (e.g. mangroves are the responsibility of both forestry and fisheries divisions); policies of the international agencies currently providing financial assistance to the country are sometimes in contradiction of environmental goals or government priorities, and often conflict with one another; monitoring and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations is inadequate, because of lack of resources, incomplete laws and regulations, and lack of cooperation and support of the police and judiciary; and finally, environmental laws are not binding on government activities (e.g. government projects

19 do not have to perform environmental impact assessments), which limits the capacity to manage resources sustainably or to generate public support for conservation.

68. A team of consultants will be hired to examine the issues above with the view of identifying inadequate existing legislation and policy, overlaps in legislation and institutional mandates, and ways of harmonizing laws and regulations to provide a more efficient legal and policy framework. The team will present its findings to a broad stakeholder group at a national workshop with policy makers in the key ministries and organizations. The results of this work, and its review at the workshop, will feed into the final NCSA Report.

Preparation of the NCSA Report and Presentation to Key Stakeholders

69. Outputs from the various stages of the project will be synthesized into a single national report, which will serve as an important tool for decision-making. The NCSA report will contain a review of the stocktaking exercise and gap analysis, a description of the various stakeholder consultations, a detailed analysis of the priority issues identified in the three thematic studies and the cross-cutting analyses, and a summary of SVG’s existing capacities and its needs and opportunities for further development. The NCSA report will allow the country to move from an understanding of the capacity constraints to a vision of potential opportunities and the development of strategies, goals, programs and projects.

70. This draft report will be distributed among the participating stakeholders before being presented at a national workshop, in order to promote discussion and obtain consensus on the NCSA document. The document will be finalized based on the input obtained from stakeholders at the workshop.

Development, Presentation and Finalization of a Strategy and Action Plan

71. One objective of the NCSA process is to facilitate the development of concrete project proposals for capacity building initiatives for future consideration by GEF and other interested donors. Throughout the NCSA process, analysis and recommendations will be centered not only on evaluation of the thematic areas and crosscutting issues, but also on the identification of actions to move the country into the next phase. Once the NCSA report has been approved and finalized, a draft Strategy and Action Plan to implement the NCSA’s recommendations will be developed based on the outputs of the various stages. The draft Strategy and Action Plan will articulate short, medium and long term objectives, as well as prioritized actions.

72. By the end of the NCSA process, stakeholders in St. Vincent and the Grenadines will have a clearer understanding of the constraints and opportunities that exist at the thematic and systemic levels, thus laying the foundation for the Strategy and Action Plan from which projects to address these issues are clearly identifiable. The Strategy and Action Plan will allow the country to continue with those programs and actions which are working well, to move immediately into corrective action where necessary in each of the national plans, and to seek to put into place programs and projects which address the

20 deficiencies that have been identified in an integrated manner. In short, this output of the NCSA process will offer the country an opportunity to accelerate its efforts in meeting its global environmental obligations as well as fulfilling national environmental and development goals.

73. In order to ensure that SVG is in a position to develop project proposals that address critical capacity needs for both national and global environmental management, it is critical that proposed priorities and actions are discussed and evaluated widely, and that stakeholder support is enlisted. The draft Strategy and Action Plan will be distributed to the key stakeholders for review and comment and finalized based on feedback received at a national workshop and through written comments. After incorporation of the feedback, the Strategy and Action Plan will be submitted to the Steering Committee for approval and then to the Ministry of Health and the Environment. The Minister of Health and the Environment will report to Cabinet on the progress of the project and will guide the approval of the Strategy and Action Plan through that body.

74. To ensure effectiveness of the Strategy and Action Plan, a careful program of monitoring and evaluation of implementation of the plan will be carried out. The monitoring program will take place for twelve months after the completion of the Action Plan and will be undertaken by the GEF Operational Focal Point (also the National Focal Point for each convention) and a representative of the Ministry of Finance and Planning (UNDP Focal Point). The participation of the Focal Points will form part of the Government of St. Vincent’s contribution to the project. Aspects of implementing the Action Plan based on the NCSA will involve continuously monitoring progress in implementing activities against the planned schedules or budgets (where applicable) for various activities. The Focal Points will monitor and report on the implementation of activities, will assess progress in preparing proposals to the various funding agencies, and will determine if any adjustments are required to the Action Plan and then take corrective action as necessary. While the National Focal Points will guide the monitoring process, a third party consultant will complete the evaluation at the end of the twelve months of the implementation of the National Strategy and Action Plan.

Table 1. Project Implementation Schedule

QI Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 ACTIVITY 1. Project & Initiation of the Planning Process Assemble Steering Committee Hire Project Coordinator/Lead Consultant Develop Work Plan Hire Thematic Consultants Stage National Inception Workshop and other stakeholder consultations

21 2. Capacity Self-Assessment within Thematic Areas Conduct Thematic Assessments Stage regional and national workshop(s) to present results and develop actions Finalize Thematic Assessment Reports 3. Identification of Cross Cutting Capacity Issues Conduct evaluation across thematic areas Stakeholder consultations to review cross-cutting analysis Finalize cross-cutting report(s) 4. Development and Finalization of NCSA National Report Draft national capacity self assessment report Stage consultation/workshop to present draft National Report Finalize National Report based on workshop inputs Secure government approval; publish and disseminate final document 5. Development, Presentation and Finalization of a Strategy and Action Plan Prepare draft Strategy and Action Plan and circulate for comments Stage consultation/workshop to present draft Strategy and Action Plan Finalize Strategy and Action Plan Secure government approval; publish and disseminate final document 6. Monitoring and Evaluation Monitor and evaluate implementation of strategy and action plan, including development of suggested capacity building projects

22 IV. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

75. The Ministry of Health and the Environment has endorsed the NCSA project and will provide political oversight for the project. The Minister will report to Cabinet on the progress of the project and will push for the approval of the NCSA Strategy and Action Plan. The Environmental Coordination and Services Unit of the Ministry of Health and the Environment will execute the project in consultation with the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and UNDP. UNDP will serve as the GEF Implementing Agency.

76. The Project Management Unit (PMU) will be housed within the ECSU, which will provide overall guidance to the execution of the project. The PMU will be staffed by a full-time Project Manager and a full-time administrative staffer. The Project Manager will coordinate the work of the project’s consultants, fulfill all reporting functions, liaise with agencies and with the PSC, and will be the lead author of the National Report and the Strategy and Action Plan. As noted under the project activities, consultants will be hired to carry out the thematic assessments and cross-cutting analysis.

77. The Project Steering Committee (PSC) will have a balanced representation from key government ministries and civil society. Although many organizations could contribute valuable inputs to the PSC, it is essential that the body is not too large and unwieldy, and therefore membership will be restricted to key agencies and stakeholders only. This Committee will provide overall policy guidance to the NCSA process and will ensure that the outputs contribute to and are integrated into national development policies. A Technical Coordinating Committee comprising representatives from the various sectors working on the conventions or associated with the implementation of the conventions will support the PSC in an advisory and backstopping role.

78. The following organizations will be represented on the PSC in order to provide the appropriate level of technical oversight and to facilitate coordination, participation and sustainability of the results of the project:

- Project Staff (Project Coordinator) - United Nations Development Program - Environmental Coordination and Services Unit - Ministry of Finance and Planning - Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries (Chief Agriculture Officer) - 1 NGO or CBO (TBD)

23 V. BUDGET

ACTIVITY STOCK- PROCESS: PRODUCT GEF GOV’ TOTAL TAKING Assessments, : (US$) T In- (US$) Consultation Assessment Kind s Reports; (US$) Action Plan

Thematic Assessment 6,500 11,000 3,000 20,500 20,500 (TA) - Biodiversity TA – Climate Change 6,500 11,000 3,000 20,500 20,500 TA – Land 7,000 13,000 4,000 24,000 24,000 Degradation Thematic 65,000 Assessments 20,000 35,000 10,000 65,000 Sub-total Analysis of cross- cutting issues and 25,000 5,000 30,000 30,000 synergies

Preparation of the NCSA Report 20,000 5,000 25,000 25,000

Development of the Strategy and Action 20,000 20,000 40,000 40,000 Plan

Project coordination, management and 40,000 40,000 35,000 75,000 monitoring *

TOTAL 20,000 140,000 40,000 200,000 35,000 235,000

* The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will provide in-kind support to the project in the form of technical/administrative staff effort, office space, faxes, telephone, internet, and meeting facilitation.

24 NCSA Proposal Annexes

Annex 1: Letter from GEF Focal Point

25 Annex 2: Composition of National Environmental Advisory Board

a. Environmental Services Coordinator b. Environmental Health Department c. Forestry Division d. Fisheries Division e. National Disaster Coordinator f. Ministry of Justice g. Ministry of Finance & Planning h. Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries i. National Youth Council j. St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Trust k. Community Development l. Town Planner m. Chief Engineer n. NGOs

26 Annex 3: National environmental laws1

 Order in Council Fishing Nets, 1916 (Fishing/management/use of harvestable fish)  Birds and Fish Protection Act, 1926  Regulations made under section 15(h) of the Public Health Ordinance (Title XIII Cap.14) for the Removal, Carriage and Disposal of Human Faecal Matter Urine and other noxious or offensive Matter in Kingston and the small Towns, 1942  Regulations made under Section 15(I) Subsections (I) and (II) with Respect to the Scavenging and Cleansing of Towns and the Removal of House Refuse, 1930  Washing (River and Sea) Regulations, 1939 (Water quality/pollution, seawater quality/pollution, wastes)  Forests Ordinance, 1945 (Forest conservation/management/exploitation, animal species protection/management, protected areas)  Crown Land Forest Produce Rules, 1946 (Forest conservation/management/exploitation)  An Ordinance to provide for the Protection of Animals, 1947  Proclamation about Youngs Island, Kings Hill, Government House Grounds including the Botanical Gardens, and Milligan Cay to be Birds Sanctuaries, 1947  Crown Lands (Prohibited Areas) Order, 1948 (Forest conservation/management/exploitation, protected areas)  Crown Lands Forest Reserves (Declaration) Order, 1948  Proclamation about Pigeon (Ramier) Island Isle de Quatre to be Birds Sanctuaries, 1950  Animals(Diseases and Importation) Ordinance, 1954 (An Ordinance to control the Importation of Animals , Birds Reptiles and Insects ,and to regulate the Treatment and Disposal of Animals which are suffering or are suspected to be suffering from any Disease ,and for other Matters related thereto or connected therewith)  Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Regulations, 1959 (Air)  Continental Shelf Act, 1970 (An Act to make Provision as to the Exploration and Exploitation of the Continental Shelf; to enable effect to be given to certain Provisions of the Conventions on the High Seas done in Geneva on 29th April, 1958; and for Matters connected with these Purposes)  Central Water and Sewerage Authority Regulations, 1972  Pesticides Control Act, 1973 (An Act to provide for the Control of the Importation, Sale, Storage and Use of Pesticides)  Oil Pollution (Liability and Compensation) Act, 1977 (An Act to make Provision with Respect to Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage by Merchant Ships, to provide for the Payment of Contributions (by Importers of Oil and others) to the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund and the Liability of the Fund to compensate Persons who suffer Pollution Damage, and for Purposes connected with and incidental to the foregoing)  Central Water and Sewerage Authority Act , 1978 (An Act to make better Provision for the Conservation , Control , Apportionment and Use of the Water Resources of Saint Vincent and for Purposes incidental thereto and connected therewith)  Fiscal Incentives (Motor Exhaust Systems) Order, 1984 (air)

1 Information from http://www.ecolex.org/LE/juris/date/EN/943390.htm (last visited on 1/11/2002), crosschecked with information from St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2000).

27  Fisheries Act , 1986 (An Act for the promotion and management of fisheries and for matters incidental thereto and connected therewith)  Wildlife Protection Act, 1987 (Natural resources and nature conservation, plant species protection/management, animal species protection/management, hunting/management/use of harvestable species)  The Noise Control Act, 1988 (An Act to make new Provisions in respect of the Control of Noise and Vibration with a View to their Abatement)  Mustique Company Limited Act, 1989 (declaring Mustique a conservation area)  Forest Resource Conservation Act, 1992 (Forest conservation/management/exploitation)  Town and Country Planning Act, 1992 (making provisions for the orderly and progressive development of land and the proper planning of town and country areas, as well as for control of development. Under the Physical Planning and Development Board’s authority, consideration should be given to the foreseeable need and availability of land for natural agricultural and forestry reserves, national parks and public open spaces.)  Central Water and Sewerage Authority Act, 1992 (Water resources conservation/management, water quality/pollution)  Marine Parks Act (prohibiting fishing, removing of any object, damaging or impairing the growth of any flora or fauna, damaging the substrata or causing pollution of the air or soil, and carrying out any commercial activities except in an area designated for that purpose within a marine park.)

28 Annex 4: National Parks, Protected Areas, and Heritage Sites2

Terrestrial  St. Vincent Parrot Reserve (established in 1987)  Botanical Gardens and Government House grounds (as a wildlife reserve)  Four off shore islands: Mustique Island, Petit St. Vincent, Prune Island

Marine  Tobago Cays National Marine Park (established in 1998)  Other nine Marine Conservation Areas have been established under the Fisheries Regulations Act, 1987, among which: Indian Bay, Villa, Callaqua, blue Lagoon, Park Bay

Forest Reserves  Kings Hill Forest Reserve (established in 1791)  Awaiting legally establishment: Soufriere, Mesopotamia, Central and Colonaire Forests as well as Kingstone Reserve, Campden Park Reserve, Mt. Pleasant, Dalaway, Richmond and a new Forest Boundary

2 Information from http://www.unep-wcmc.org/cgi-bin/padb.p (UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre database on protected areas), last visited on 08/11/2002, crosschecked with information from St. Vincent and the Grenadines National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2000).