00:00 Did you know that the Caribbean is one of the regions of the world most vulnerable to climate change?
00:06 We've got instances where there are increases in sea level, increased temperatures,
00:11 we also have more droughts and stronger storms.
00:15 It's reasons like this why the 16 members of the Caribbean Meteorological Organization come together
00:21 to renew their commitment in working together to impact the community and the region
00:26 toward better science and technology.
00:30 Enhancing the region's meteorological capabilities entails formulating plans
00:34 and maintaining advancement on the part of all participating member states,
00:39 and it only occurs once a year.
00:41 Here the Council meets frequently and deliberates on a wide range of issues.
00:46 The Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service, Shakir Baig,
00:49 provided insights into how our nation compares to the other countries.
00:54 Trinidad and Tobago is a leader in the implementation of the quality management system for meteorological services.
01:01 Many of our Caribbean counterparts are now in the initial stages of beginning to implement this quality management system.
01:09 So when we gather like this we get the opportunity to collaborate,
01:13 to share technical expertise and best practices on how our other partner Met services can go forward.
01:22 Marvin Gonzalez, the newly appointed chairperson of the 65th Session of the Caribbean Meteorological Council
01:28 and Minister of Public Utilities, provided an update on the latest activities on our island.
01:33 A little over a week ago we acquired a geostationary operational environmental receiving system,
01:42 which allows for more accurate and timely weather forecasts as well as a better understanding of long-term conditions.
01:50 As it relates to the Doppler radar at Brasov, Vernado, which has been out of commission for quite a while,
01:57 its civil and structural works have been completed at the radar tower,
02:01 and it is now ready to receive the new radar system once the contractors have completed servicing the installation.
02:10 We expect this to take place within the next three months.
02:14 And in order to improve the reliability of the service and to build redundancy into its capacity for providing accurate real-time weather information,
02:24 the TTMS expects to procure an additional radar system in 2024 similar to the Ranger radar in Tobago.
02:36 What precisely does that mean to the end user, given that climate change and increasing climate variability continue to affect our daily lives?
02:44 It means that our region has had confidence in the organization to provide them with information and guidance
02:53 in matters of weather, water and climate for many decades.
02:57 Our theme this year is weather, water and climate, charting a path to a resilient and sustainable future.
03:03 Not only looking at where we're going, but having that foundation of where we came from.
03:08 The importance of having this commitment at the highest level, and of the community being informed of what's happening with the climate,
03:15 was emphasized by Rodney Martinez, the World Meteorological Organization's representative for North America, Central America and the Caribbean at this year's CMC.
03:25 It's very inspiring to see how the progress and this collaboration has been so effective.
03:31 That is, it has allowed 50 years of services for the community, the progress and of course it's going forward and forward.
03:40 It's an example for the world.
03:42 Spanning 50 years, collaboration is regarded by many members present as the spirit of the region.
03:49 Sigourney Mohamed, TV6 News.
03:51 (upbeat music)
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