The Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) received specialised sargassum response equipment from the Japanese Embassy and the United Nations Development Programme, and also commissioned the CERT Speyside Response Centre on Tuesday.
According to Tema this initiative represents another important step in strengthening Tobago's coastal resilience and supporting the island's ongoing efforts to manage and mitigate the impacts of the sargassum influx.
00:00This is a five-country arrangement, and this is just the beginning of receiving equipment for Tobago.
00:08They're also working procuring, as we speak, boats and booms, the same type of booms we use in managing the oil spill.
00:17Those are being procured so that within the next six months we will have boats and booms to add to the list of equipment provided from UNDP with the assistance of the Japanese government.
00:30To help in the fight with the challenge of sargassum.
00:36Chief Secretary Fali Augustin said this investment has come at the right time for the people of Tobago.
00:43In 2011 we saw for the first time this mass of yellow taking over all of Terrell's Bay and Speyside.
00:52We know the impact on our environment, we know the impact on our fish stock, impact for fishers, impact for hoteliers and restauranteurs, especially those on the coast.
01:07And so we are eternally grateful for this investment for the people of Tobago.
01:12And certainly we will manage through TIMA here in Tobago, but of course with guidance from our Department of Environment as we work towards managing the issue with sargassum on the island.
01:26The Japanese ambassador also spoke to the significance of the handover.
01:30The government, the government, the Japanese people seriously consider the disaster issue of sargassum.
01:37And the government decided to support the assistance to clean up this beautiful beach and make a good cooperation with UNDP to decide to clean up the operation of the sargassum.
01:50So this is one of the symbols of our corporation.
01:54So this is a tractor to remove the sargassum.
01:58And this is a key.
01:59So I present this key to Secretary.
02:02Thank you very much.
02:03The handover took place on the grounds of the Shore Park Complex on Tuesday.
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