MORE than 50 journalists and environmental specialists from the Caribbean will meet at Beaches Grande Sport in Ocho Rios from November 2 – 3 for the inaugural Sandals/UWI Eco Journalism Workshop.

The workshop will facilitate discussion on a wide range of global and regional environmental challenges aimed at better equipping Caribbean journalists to report on these issues. It will take the form of feature presentations and panel discussions.

The workshop adds a new dimension to the Sandals Eco-Journalism Awards which were introduced in 1994. The awards are aimed at recognising outstanding reportage on environmental issues appearing in the Caribbean print and electronic media.

Director of finance and planning at Sandals Resorts International, Patrick Lynch, says the integration of a workshop into this year’s Eco-Journalism Awards underscores the seriousness that Sandals and the University of the West Indies (UWI) attach to environmental education. He added that the workshop is a direct response to requests from Caribbean media for more technical support in their understanding of regional environmental matters.

“We are pleased that we could facilitate such a request. The workshop will not only broaden the knowledge base of our regional journalists, but hopefully through their reportage, it will advance our request for greater environmental responsibility and by extension sustainable development,” he added.

Among the issues on the workshop’s agenda are ecological and waste management and Caribbean adaptation to climate changes. Discussions on the role of the media, global trade issues and case study presentations on environmental management will also form part of the workshop.

A high level of resource persons drawn from regional and international media, the University of the West Indies, environmental and state agencies as well as environmental specialists will participate in the workshop.

Dr Arthur Hanson, senior scientist at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, will make a special presentation on the State of the World’ Environment. Other presentations will be made by Francis Cairncross, senior editor, the Economist; professor Anthony Clayton, professor of Caribbean Sustainable Development at UWI; professor Aggrey Brown, director, CARIMAC, UWI; Eleanor Jones of Environmental Solutions Ltd; Ana Treasure, director, Metropolitan Parks and Markets; and Guy Crittenden, editor-in-chief of Hazardous Material Management and Solid Waste Recycling.

Representatives from the Trinidad Guardian, the Independent Newspaper, The Grenada Broadcasting Network, Stabroek News and Great Belize Productions, will join media practitioners from Jamaica and the wider Caribbean for the workshop.

Meanwhile, Sandals Resorts International will be paying out some $1 million in prize money to winners of the 2001 Sandals/UWI Regional Eco-Journalism Competition. Eight journalists and environmental columnists are slated to receive awards. A record number of entries were submitted from Caribbean media houses for this year’s competition.

Presentation of the prizes had to be postponed following the terrorist attacks on the United States and the resultant dislocations in the tourism industry. The prizes will instead be presented at the end of the workshop on Saturday, November 3.