Let's do our part to protect the earth, join the green movement

With the assistance of the Environmental Policy Planning Division (EPPD), we have launched a Green Office Initiative throughout the Ministry of Planning and Development. This initiative seeks to make staff more environmentally conscious and encourage them to adopt simple habits that can reduce the harmful effects of our activities on the earth. Conservation of electricity, water as well as recycling are high on our list of priorities. Recycling stations have been set up on many of our floors and to share this great message with you we have created a short video on the right way to recycle plastic, click play above to view.

Let us know how you are doing your part to protect the environment in the comments section below.

Efforts to reduce Trinidad and Tobago's Carbon Footprint

Centre DPS Beverly Khan of the Ministry of Planning and Development hands over the Refrigerant Recovery Units to (Left) Sookdeo Bachan of RRRA (to her right) Vernon Ramjattan of SORAC and Kenneth Boodoo of ARIA

Reducing Trinidad & Tobago’s Carbon footprint was at the centre of a handover ceremony on Wednesday May 11th, 2016. Refrigerant Recovery Equipment was given to three local institutions. The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Planning and Development officiated the handing over ceremony which took place at Tower C at the International Waterfront Complex.

Trinidad and Tobago has already experienced subtle changes in our climate as evidenced by a hotter and longer than usual dry season, which has in turn affected local water availability and agricultural production. Within recent years, special measures have been taken to tackle climate change which have included the signing of multi-lateral agreements and forest and water conservation efforts.

These efforts were taken a bit further when three (3) portable refrigerant recovery units and six (6) recovery cylinders were handed over on Wednesday by the Deputy Permanent Secretary Mrs. Beverly Khan on behalf of the Environmental Policy and Planning Division (EPPD). The School of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning (SORAC), Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Association (ARIA) as well as The Refrigerant Recovery and Recycling Association (RRRA) were the three institutions chosen for the exercise.

The refrigerant recovery units and recovery cylinders will be used to trap harmful refrigerant gases from entering our atmosphere and safely replace them into their respective units when repairing refrigeration units.

These three institutions were strategically chosen because of their geographic location in the north and south of Trinidad and Tobago. The institutions will loan the refrigerant equipment and train Technicians throughout the country. 

Managing Director Vernon Ramjattan of SORAC expressed his thanks regarding the initiative and he stated, “the equipment allows us to recover and reuse refrigerant gasses and will save the environment.”

Ministry of Planning meets with Chilean Ambassador

Climate Change, South-South Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Development Opportunities High on Agenda at meeting with Chilean Ambassador  

Photo 1: L-R-Chilean Ambassador Fernando Schmidt Ariztía; Chief of the Horizontal South-South Cooperation Division Mr. Eugenio Pössel; Mr. Terry Mohomed, Assistant Director at the Technical Cooperation Unit and Permanent Secretary Mrs. Joanne Deoraj of the  Ministry of Planning and Development.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, May 05, 2016 – Improving south-south cooperation in Trinidad and Tobago and CARICOM was at the center of a meeting with the Chilean Ambassador Fernando Schmidt Ariztía and Chief of the Horizontal South-South Cooperation Division Mr. Eugenio Pössel. This meeting was hosted by Permanent Secretary Mrs. Joanne Deoraj on behalf of the Ministry of Planning and Development at their Port-Of-Spain Head Office. Also present were Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit (MEAU) and Mr. Terry Mohomed, Assistant Director at the Technical Cooperation Unit both of the Ministry of Planning and Development.

The meeting was part of a two-part platform for dialogue aimed at fostering deeper south-south technical cooperation between the two countries and also to generate ideas for future cooperative opportunities for all in the Caribbean. Mr. Eugenio Pössel spoke on taking a sub-regional approach to five (5) key areas of focus; Food Security, Natural Disaster Management, Governance and Corporate Practices, Climate Change and the Triangularization of these and other similar Projects. The consultation concentrated on a discussion between the Ministry and the Chilean Team on south-south technical cooperation and solutions to achieving their respective mandates regarding sustainable development and achievement of their respective sustainable development goals.

Photo 2: L-R-Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head MEAU; Chief of the Horizontal South-South Cooperation Division Mr. Eugenio Pössel; Ambassador Fernando Schmidt Ariztía ; Permanent Secretary Mrs. Joanne Deoraj  and , Mr. Terry Mohomed of the Technical Cooperation Unit.