Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Kenneth Baugh Monday urged contractors to whom the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has granted licences to mine the deep seabed for minerals to hasten processes that will allow them to begin working.

“National governments can encourage contractors to expedite economic feasibility studies… and pursue ecological protection,” Baugh told delegates attending the 14th annual session of the ISA at the ISA headquarters in Downtown Kingston. “We must encourage greater political involvement and participation in this assembly.”

Established in 1992 with the mandate of exploiting resources thought to be the common heritage of mankind, as they exist outside territorial waters, and turning the proceeds into aid for developing nations, the ISA has not actually done any such work.

So far, however, the Authority has granted licences to explore to eight countries of groupings refereed to as contractors.

Poor attendance has been a factor of the ISA’s past conferences, as on some occasions the assembly has found it difficult to identify a quorum for decisions. That, Baugh said, was “cause for great concern”.

The ISA has 155 member states.

On Monday, Baugh, who is also Jamaica’s deputy prime minister, expressed hope that while industrialised countries would be the first to mine the minerals, the wealth would trickle down as intended by the ISA’s mission.

He said, too, that the importance of environmental preservation in the Authority’s work could not be overstated.

“The issue of environmental protection is critical to Jamaica and small Caribbean states because it impinges on the viability of some of our principal industries, such as tourism, fisheries and shipping,” Baugh said.

The ISA’s 14th session closes Friday.