Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering represented the territory at two events in the United States this week.
In New York, Dr. Pickering attended a session hosted by the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States, according to Government Information Services.
Attendees addressed issues including climate change and sustainable development.
“The topic of the day continues to be the environment, and as we become more aware of the effects of climate change it is important that our territory remains well equipped to deal with the possible impacts and outcomes that can befall our little nation,” Dr. Pickering said before leaving.
After the UN meeting, he travelled to Washington DC to present the territory’s environmental initiatives during a briefing at the Italian Embassy.
The briefing, organised by the Global Island Partnership, included discussions on the territory’s Protected Areas System Plan and recent commitments made under the Caribbean Challenge Initiative.
Those measures include efforts to remove abandoned fish traps from the seabed, according to GIS.
Other VI representatives at the briefing included Ronald Smith-Berkeley, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour; and Benito Wheatley, deputy director of the BVI London Office.
Dr. Pickering, who is the minister of natural resources and labour, left on Tuesday and was scheduled to return on Friday.
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