Whaling as economic development

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Caribbean countries defend their rights to vote

pro-whaling as necessary for development

Tue Apr 16, 9:00 PM ET

By COLIN JAMES, Associated Press Writer

 

ST. JOHNS, Antigua - Pro-whaling lobbyists meeting in

Antigua this week defended the Caribbean region's

right to use its marine resources for attracting

development.

 

" We will not lose focus that we have the right to

these resources. These are our patrimony, " Antigua and

Barbuda's Whaling Commissioner Dave Joseph said

Monday.

 

Those resources include crucial votes in the 41-member

International Whaling Commission (news - web sites),

which is to meet next month in Japan.

 

The Caribbean representatives this week were

consolidating their stance on whaling ahead of that

meeting. Traditionally the region has sided with Japan

in defeating proposals to limit whaling, incurring

accusations that they sold their votes in exchange for

millions of dollars in Japanese aid.

 

The six Eastern Caribbean countries - Antigua and

Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the

Grenadines, Grenada, Dominica and St. Lucia, - make up

an important voting bloc. However, only St. Vincent

has permission to hunt two whales a year.

 

Caribbean officials defended their pro-whaling stance,

saying their support for sustainable whaling followed

a path all developed countries had taken to establish

themselves economically.

 

Countries that have already developed themselves " now

seek to kick down the (principle of sustainable

development) with which they lifted themselves out of

poverty and underdevelopment, " Antigua Planning

Minister Gaston Browne said.

 

Horace Walters, former whaling commissioner on St.

Lucia, said whaling was crucial to the region as a

means for maintaining ocean fish populations. Many

Caribbean economies rely on fishing, which he said was

threatened by whales consuming large quantities of

fish.

 

Antigua is currently building two fishing complexes

with dlrs 16 million in Japanese aid, and Browne said

the country was hoping for another dlrs 15 million for

two more complexes.

 

" As a developed country, Japan has an obligation to

assist developing countries, " he said.

 

The symposium concludes Tuesday.

2002 The Associated Press.

 

 

 

 

 

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