As part of ongoing efforts to assess the territory’s marine environment, more than 20 of the government’s environmental and technical officers recently completed training in water-quality monitoring, data analysis and storage.
The session was organised by the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change in collaboration with H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies at the University of the West Indies, and the Jamaica-based company Spatial Innovision Ltd.
Atoya George, project coordinator in the ministry, said the project is designed to equip participants with the skills to collect, analyse, interpret, report and manage water-quality data.
“Throughout [last] year, we have hosted a series of [Geographic Information System] training sessions to educate participants on spatial analysis of water quality data,” she said. “These workshops build on that foundation, ensuring that officers acquire the full range of skills needed.”
Taking part
Participants included representatives from the ministry, HLSCC, the Environmental Health Division, the Water and Sewerage Department, the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, the National Parks Trust, and the Town and Country Planning Department.
The training included nine courses in ArcGIS, a mapping and analysis programme, from November 2023 through October2024, according to government.
Participants also learned fundamental skills during a Sept. 23-27 workshop on assessing, collecting and analysing water-quality data.
Project support
The project was supported by the Resilience, Sustainable Energy, and Marine Biodiversity (RESEMBID) programme, a 48-project initiative funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France, the development cooperation agency of the French government.
Andrea Floudiotis, RESEMBID’s senior programme manager, said improving water quality is “central” to human and environmental health.
“We commend the government of the Virgin Islands’ efforts to increase its capacity to collect and use water-quality data for improved evidence-based decision-making on pollution-control strategies,” she added.
Wide reach
RESEMBID supports sustainable development efforts in 12Caribbean overseas countries and territories.
Besides the VI, they include Aruba, Anguilla, Bonaire, the Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Montserrat, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Barthélemy, St. Maarten, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.