Situated in NE Trinidad, the Matura National Park was designated an Environmentally Sensitive Area in 2004 under the EMA’s Environmentally Sensitive Area Rules. It is home to several Environmentally Sensitive Species including the Ocelot and Trinidad Piping-Guan, as well as the orchid Oncidium citrinum which is also highly vulnerable. These are all under threat from squatting, pollution, poaching and over-hunting. […]
An approximately 11,000 hectare swamp, the Nariva Swamp is a predominantly freshwater area situated at Trinidad’s eastern coast. It was designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area in 2006 and is one of two wetlands listed under the Ramsar Convention. A habitat for an innumerous number of species, this wetland boasts various types of vegetation including mangrove, swamp forest and tropical […]
In 2007, the Aripo Savanna was designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area. Situated in East-Central Trinidad, this 1800 area is the largest natural savanna ecosystem within Trinidad and Tobago. It is the habitat of a vast number (approximately 457 species) of threatened, endemic or endangered flora and fauna. The Aripo Savanna is unique in that it comprises palm marshland, marsh […]
Date: April 12th, 2019 Dear Editor/Newsroom, On Friday 12th April 2019, it was reported that a Point Fortin woman was fined, by the Point Fortin Magistrate‟s Court, $51,000.00 for building a ten by ten-foot house on state land. The action to remove her was brought by the Point Fortin Regional Corporation. Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) do not […]
Date: March 30th 2019 Dear Editor/Newsroom, On 6th March 2017, the Ministry of Works of Transport (MOWT) submitted an application to the Environment Management Authority (EMA) for a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC – 5117/2017) for the construction of a roadway from Valencia to Toco (49km). The MOWT proposed this alignment to start at the end of Churchill Roosevelt Highway […]
Date: January 16th, 2019 Dear Editor/Newsroom, It has been reported that Sandals has withdrawn the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of the Sandals Resort in Buccoo Estate, Tobago. Several sustainable development groups have claimed that this resort will result in the destruction of Buccoo Reef which was once rated as the “number three spectacular sight to behold in […]
Date: August 28th, 2018 Dear Editor/Newsroom, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) have been defeated at the Privy Council. The Privy Council’s written judgment will be delivered on 8 October, 2018. FFOS appeared on 30th July 2018 before the Privy Council against the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and the Ministry of Works and Transport/NIDCO to appeal the decision of […]
Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) commend Minister of Planning and Development the Hon. Camille Robinson-Regis for her initiative to approve additional areas of forest for protection and sustainable use. However the Minister fails to realize the contradiction of her own statements with the decisions of her own cabinet members. Our nation has 35 designated forest/nature reserves, all of […]
Date: July 30th, 2018 Dear Editor/Newsroom, Proceedings will be aired live online on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) website (https://www.jcpc.uk/live/court-03.html) Date – Monday 30th July 2018 Time -5:30 am Trinidad and Tobago time (10:30 am London time) On 29th September 2017, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) commenced Judicial Review proceedings against the Environmental Management Authority […]
Date: April 20th 2018 Dear Editor/Newsroom, Fisherman and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) today scored a landmark victory in the Court of Appeal when it was granted leave to appeal to the Privy Council and an injunction pending the hearing of that appeal. The injunction effectively halts further construction work from continuing on the Toco-Manzanilla Highway with immediate effect. In […]