SDRT Invites Public To Oil Spill Discussion
The Sustainable Development Roundtable (SDRT) invites the public to attend a discussion, which will explore the potential impact of the BP oil spill on Bermuda’s, economic and environmental sustainability. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 29, at 7pm at BUEI, 40 Crow Lane, Hamilton.
The purpose of the panel discussion is to bring together parties that can represent and respond to the views of local stakeholders regarding the possible threat posed to the sustainability of Bermuda by the ongoing Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The oil spill originated in the Gulf of Mexico following a drilling rig explosion on April 20, 2010.
The panel will include Dr. Fred Ming, Director of the Department of Environmental Protection; Mr. William Griffith, Director of the Department of Tourism; Dr. Gerry Plumley from the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences; Mr. John Harvey, CEO of the Bermuda Hotel Association; Mr. Martin Law, Executive Director of the Bermuda Employers Council and a representative from the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers; Mr. William A. Fischer, CEO of AXIS Re and CEO & President, AXIS Re Bermuda. The panel members were selected to represent some of the prospective threat areas to the island – including the shoreline, our wildlife, the insurance industry, and our tourism industry. This is to ensure a holistic approach to addressing this issue.
Following opening remarks from the panel members, attendees will be invited to make statements or to ask questions. The panel discussion will be moderated by Mr. Richard Winchell. The information exchanged during this discussion will be reviewed by the SDRT and where appropriate, a submission will be made to the Premier Dr. Ewart Brown
Arthur Hodgson, Chairman of the Sustainable Development Roundtable, says:
The SDRT is mandated, in part, to facilitate national discussion on issues that touch Bermuda’s social, economic and environmental sustainability. At this stage the impact of the BP oil spill on Bermuda is largely uncertain but SDRT is taking the early opportunity to create a platform for public debate and discussion on this important topic. We are grateful to the panel members for their support in discussing the potential implications of this disaster on our island.
The SDRT is an advisory body appointed by the Premier of Bermuda to ensure broad community representation and engagement to advance the island’s sustainable development agenda. The main role of SDRT is to advise the Government of Bermuda and, through the Sustainable Development Unit, make constructive recommendations to the Premier and Cabinet on policies and actions to enable sustainable development in Bermuda.
Membership in the SDRT was set up to be representative of the economic, social and environmental sectors of Bermuda. Members must exhibit a personal commitment to sustainable development for Bermuda and be willing to employ personal and professional knowledge and experience to achieve sustainable development for the island.
The SDRT uses Bermuda’s Sustainable Development Strategy and Implementation Plan for guidance and decision-making.
For further information about the event, please contact Dr. Nicola O’Leary, Sustainable Development Officer at the Government’s Sustainable Development Unit on 294-9763 or neoleary “at” gov.bm.
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