Speaking at the launch of the Carlisle Bay Pilot Project, which is sponsored by the Barbados Marine Trust and Shell, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and the Environment and Barbados Tourism Investment Inc, Thompson acknowledged that such an authority “has been a long time in coming”.

“It is really now a matter of urgency that we put all of the elements in place...While much of the preliminary work has already been completed, the consultants were recently re-engaged to take the process forward and to make the Marine Management Authority a reality,” she told the gathering.

The Minister pointed out that there were some issues the consultants were concerned about. She listed them as: “marine conservation areas; marine protected areas; the identification of legal and institutional frameworks for the management of the area; stakeholder involvement in any programmes which are developed; and the implementation of proper user policies so as to balance the conflicting interest.”

Thompson noted that several matters had already been addressed relating to the Authority, “so that it would not only be an autonomous entity, but a self sustaining one financially”.