Prime Minister Tillman Thomas. *Photo credit: gov.gd

ST.GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Prime Minister Tillman Thomas and his Environment Minister Michael Church have expressed differing views on how Grenada would proceed when its chairmanship of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) expires next year.

While the Prime Minister said Grenada would readily pass on the chairmanship to another member of AOSIS, Church said the country would resist any suggestion from other members to give up the leadership.

“Let me tell you, and I will be very frank with you, we in Grenada want to and will do everything to hold on to that chairmanship,” Church told reporters here recently.

“Naturally there will be other countries who want to come on board and take that away from us but we will resist it.”

He added that in the New Year, Grenada would engage experts in the field to discuss environmental and climate change issues and would also encourage nationals of AOSIS member countries to express their views and opinions on environmental matters.

“…when we resume next year, we will get our nations involved in those discussions and debates. We must put it out there for people to hear, not just Grenadians, but (people) outside of Grenada because that will be good profiling for us,” Church said.

AOSIS is a coalition of Small Island and low-lying coastal countries that share similar development challenges and concerns about the environment, especially their vulnerability to the adverse effects of global climate change.

It functions primarily as an ad hoc lobby and negotiating voice for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) within the United Nations (UN) system.

AOSIS has a membership of 42 States and observers drawn from all oceans and regions of the world; 37 of which are members of the UN.