2021 begins

Dear valued member, colleague, sponsor and friend for our environment,

We enter this period of the Environment Tobago story accompanied by a pandemic and a raft of economic challenges - wrought as we now accept, by the rapid shift of Earth’s climate from its age old norms. In seeking to adopt and adapt to this harsh and unwelcome fact, we recognise the relevance of the UN SDG Agenda 2030 (Transforming Our World). Conforming to responsible development therefore becomes priority, bar none.

As the mission of our NGO does not limit us to act solely on Tobago ground and drawing comfort from guidance provided under Sustainable Development Goal 17. Beginning 2021 we will actively and in the context of sustainable development try to have every action guided thus and to obtain assistance from any credible sphere. The near objective then is to be a key part of Tobago’s contribution to the nation’s committment. There is no further ambition because if we do secure nature and nature’s services here all will be well. Sort of. I now take this opportunity to introduce the team at Environment Tobago leading the above-mentioned effort.

As President I am supported by a very versatile group at the management level comprising a Vice-President, Treasurer, Corporate Secretary and three Ordinary Board members. These are respectively; Geoffrey Lewis, Andy Roberts, Ryan Allard, Andrea Tuitt, Shannon Ali-Samhoul and Haynes Cowie-Clarke. I wish to introduce also our manager of the day-to-day, Sean McCoon.

There is another important announcement. We have moved from our uptown space to 4 Dutch Fort in lower Scarborough. The facility is donated - there is no cost to us, by the Tobago Estates Agency Limited (TEAL) owned by the Knott family. While we will maintain presence, the ability to interact with visitors remain subject to current COVID19 regulations .

To close but in keeping to the theme of this message, which is to introduce our intentions and to provide a line of communication I humbly ask you to take time to read what we provide. There is this website which remains our main reporitng tool. However we also produce the ET blog Reality@ET a platform that allows a bit of freedom in our expression. Indeed you dear member/colleague/sponsor/friend are welcome to submit pieces to it on any matter that concerns the local natural environment.