UNEPs Caribbean Regional Coordinating Unit for CEP remains in Jamaica

Minister of Local Government and Environment, Dean Peart and Coordinator of the UNEP Caribbean Environment Programme, Nelson Andrade Colmenares signed a five-year agreement for UNEP to house its Caribbean Regional Coordinating Unit (UNEP-CAR/RCU) in Kingston. The signing took place at the Ministry's offices on Half-Way-Tree Road.

Mr. Andrade Colmenares (left) and Hon. Dean Peart, Minister of Local Government and Environment (right)

Mr. Peart noted that the Caribbean headquarters of UNEP has been in Jamaica since 1985, and the government was very pleased to provide the facility to the organization. "You have been doing a good job here in the Caribbean and I want to thank you on behalf of the government and the people of Jamaica. I hope that we will continue this good relationship," the Minister said.

Meanwhile, in his remarks, Nelson Andrade Colmenares, UNEP Coordinator, thanked the government for hosting the organization's Caribbean headquarters.

Explaining UNEP's role in the region, he outlined that the organization seeks to encourage governments to care for the environment. "We work with governments in assisting them to evaluate how sewage is treated before it is dumped into the ocean; we work in the protection of the coral reefs; we work in the implementation of environment projects; we assist government to see that whatever is done on land will affect the marine environment," Mr. Colmenares said.