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88-874: The Tobago Cays are now the key element of the Tobago Cays Marine Park, run and owned by the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines government. The marine park consists of a 1,400-acre (5.7 km) sand-bottom lagoon which encompasses the five cays, the inhabited island of Mayreau and the 4 km Horseshoe Reef. The marine park was listed as a regionally significant ecosystem under the SPAW ( Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife) Protocol in December 2014. The most extensive and well-developed coral reef complexes in Saint Vincent and

176-751: A Marine Parks Board that was to oversee the management and conservation of the TCMP, and any other marine parks to be designated in future. The Tobago Cays were then declared a marine park in December 1997 by order published in the Official Gazette No. 40 of that year. Cabinet appointed the first Marine Parks Board in May 1998. On 8 July 1998, the Government gazetted the Marine Parks (Tobago Cays) Regulations, and in August 1998

264-399: A chain of 32 smaller islands. Some of the Grenadines are inhabited— Bequia , Mustique , Union Island , Canouan , Petit Saint Vincent , Palm Island , Mayreau , Young Island —while others are not: Tobago Cays , Baliceaux , Battowia , Quatre , Petite Mustique , Savan and Petit Nevis . To the north of Saint Vincent lies Saint Lucia , to the east is Barbados , and Grenada lies to

352-690: A deal made under the auspices of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (U.I.G.A.). Part of this agreement was that no commercial activity would be permitted in the Tobago Cays. The June 10–11, 1998 round of negotiations in Barbados formed the basis for Prime Minister Mitchell's public statement on this matter a year later. "I wish to warn that my government fully understands that should we ever entertain or engage or permit commercial activity in Tobago Cays we are creating opportunity for

440-540: A draft copy of the Tobago Cays management plan was submitted to the Marine Parks Board (Cordice, 1998). At this point, a series of problems began to appear. The regulations enacted for the park were not implemented, nor was the proposed fee structure, and the first draft management plan was never officially endorsed or adopted. A set of revisions to the management plan was prepared in July 2000 (Cordice, 2000), but this also

528-498: A prized national asset to a private company caused a public outcry. In September 2003, a local NGO – the Mayreau Environmental Development Organization (MEDO) – then submitted a counter-proposal to the Marine Parks Board. The Palm Island proposal was eventually withdrawn by the resort company, and in the end, neither proposal was accepted by government. In the meantime, additions were being suggested to

616-480: A representative of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, then (James Mitchell, who was subsequently knighted) signed the Double Taxation Relief (CARICOM) Treaties. There were seven other signatories to the agreement on that day. The countries which were represented were Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. An eighth country signed

704-459: A variety of volcanic and sedimentary rocks. The area is an active subduction zone, and lies along the interface of the Caribbean and South American Tectonic plates. Kick 'em Jenny is an undersea volcano north of Grenada, and there is also another less active volcano named Kick 'em Jack in the area. The shallow bank of the Grenadines extends from St Vincent to Grenada, and has a natural boundaries of

792-564: Is La Soufrière volcano at 1,234 m (4,049 ft). Other major mountains on St Vincent are (from north to south) Richmond Peak, Mount Brisbane , Colonarie Mountain, Grand Bonhomme , Petit Bonhomme and Mount St Andrew. The country is home to two terrestrial ecoregions : Windward Islands moist forests and the Lesser Antillean dry forests . It had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.95/10, ranking it 61st globally out of 172 countries. Most of Saint Vincent and

880-567: Is Ralph Gonsalves , elected in 2001 as head of the Unity Labour Party . The legislative branch of government is the unicameral House of Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , seating 15 elected members representing single-member constituencies and six appointed members known as Senators. The parliamentary term of office is five years, although the Prime Minister may call elections at any time. The judicial branch of government

968-838: Is a genus of about 120–150 species of flowering plants in the family Polygonaceae , which is native to the Neotropics . There is no overall English name for the genus, although many of the individual species have widely used common names. The genus is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas , in South America , the Caribbean and Central America , with two species extending into Florida . The species are shrubs and trees , and lianas , mostly evergreen . The leaves are alternate, often large (to very large in some species; up to 2.5m (8 feet) long in C. gigantifolia ), with

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1056-702: Is divided into district courts, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in London being the court of last resort. The two political parties with parliamentary representation are the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Unity Labour Party (ULP). The parliamentary opposition is made up of the largest minority stakeholder in the general elections, headed by

1144-727: The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). In April 2021, the La Soufrière volcano erupted several times with "explosive events" continuing for two weeks. By 12 April, 16,000 residents had evacuated the area. Assistance and emergency financial support was being provided by several nearby islands, the United Kingdom , and agencies such as the United Nations . The first significant offer of long-term funding, of US$ 20 million,

1232-574: The La Soufrière volcano erupted, sending ash several miles into the atmosphere. Approximately 16,000 people were evacuated in the days leading up to the eruption. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lies to the west of Barbados , south of Saint Lucia and north of Grenada in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles , an island arc of the Caribbean Sea . The islands of Saint Vincent and

1320-792: The Leader of the Opposition . The current opposition leader is Godwin Friday . Saint Vincent has no formal armed forces, although the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force includes a Special Service Unit as well as a militia that has a supporting role on the island. In 2017, Saint Vincent signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . Administratively, Saint Vincent and

1408-807: The US , and cooperates with regional political and economic organisations such as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and CARICOM . The island nation's sixth embassy overseas was opened on 8 August 2019 in Taipei, Taiwan, after Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves' official visit to the Republic of China (Taiwan) ; the other five are located in London (a High Commission as Commonwealth countries have high commissions rather than embassies in each other's countries), Washington D.C., Havana, Caracas and Brussels. On 6 July 1994 at Sherbourne Conference Centre, St Michael, Barbados, as

1496-528: The West Indies Federation and was driven by a desire to gain independence from the British government. However, the attempt collapsed in 1962. Saint Vincent was granted "associate statehood" status by Britain on 27 October 1969. This gave Saint Vincent complete control over its internal affairs but fell short of full independence in law. In April 1979, La Soufrière erupted once more. Although no one

1584-402: The 'management plan' for the park, but still little was happening on the ground. Subventions provided by government paid the salaries of some park staff, but were usually insufficient to keep the boats running and maintain a regular presence in the park. The June 2, 2003 plan by Palm Island Resort Limited (PIRL) for the management of the Tobago Cays clearly offended the public, including those in

1672-475: The 2004 Protected Areas Systems Plan (IJA, 2004a), there is an urgent need to put the management of the TCMP and any future marine parks on firmer ground. Progress towards this was made in 2005 with the preparation of a fully revised draft Marine Parks Bill, but further challenges remain. Towards these aims, the TCMP was 're-launched' by government on 2 December 2006 at a ceremony in Union Island, coinciding with

1760-460: The Atlantic slave trade. Gonsalves won a second term in 2005, a third in 2010, and a fourth in 2015. In 2009, a referendum was held on a proposal to adopt a new constitution that would make the country a republic , replacing Queen Elizabeth II as head of state with a non-executive President, a proposal supported by Prime Minister Gonsalves. A two-thirds majority was required, but the referendum

1848-614: The British laid the foundations of Fort Charlotte and also continued the importation of slaves to work on the island's plantations. The Garifuna , an Afro-Indigenous creole people on the island, were opposed to the British presence and entered into open conflict against the British, starting the First Carib War , which lasted from 1772 to 1773. During the Anglo-French War (1778–1783) , the French recaptured St Vincent in 1779. However,

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1936-567: The British regained control under the Treaty of Versailles (1783) . The uneasy peace between the British and the Garifuna led to the Second Carib War , which lasted from 1795 to 1797. The Garifuna were led by paramount chief Joseph Chatoyer and supported by the French, notably Victor Hugues who was based on the island of Martinique . They were eventually defeated in 1797 by British forces under

2024-473: The Criminal Code states: Any person, who in public or private, commits an act of gross indecency with another person of the same sex, or procures or attempts to procure another person of the same sex to commit an act of gross indecency with him or her, is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for five years. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines maintains close ties to Canada , the United Kingdom and

2112-619: The FOTC late 2003 the Prime Minister stated categorically "there was absolutely nothing that Friends of the Tobago Cays would be able to contribute that would sway his decision." The FOTC's proceeded to conduct meetings with various stakeholders, including those in the Grenadines, the Government, Service Clubs and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Information was disseminated to the public through press releases, newspaper articles and radio programmes. A public petition which attracted thousands of signatures

2200-578: The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (GOSVG) requested assistance from the Organization of American States (OAS) to develop tourism within the Grenadines. This led to a detailed proposal for the formation of a Tobago Cays National Park with initial investment costs estimated at US$ 1 million (Heyman 1988). In 1987, the Fisheries Division established the Tobago Cays as a conservation area, along with nine other such areas, in which spear fishing

2288-451: The Grenadines include the main island of Saint Vincent 344 km (133 sq mi) and the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines 45 km (17 sq mi), which are a chain of smaller islands stretching south from Saint Vincent to Grenada. There are 32 islands and cays that make up St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). Nine are inhabited, including the mainland St Vincent and

2376-513: The Grenadines is divided into six parishes . Five parishes are on Saint Vincent, while the sixth is made up of the Grenadine islands. Kingstown is located in the Parish of Saint George and is the capital city and central administrative centre of the country. "Acts of gross indecency", which may be defined to include homosexual activity , are illegal in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Section 148 of

2464-558: The Grenadines islands: Young Island, Bequia , Mustique , Canouan , Union Island , Mayreau , Petit St Vincent and Palm Island. Prominent uninhabited islands of the Grenadines include Petit Nevis , used by whalers , and Petit Mustique , which was the centre of a prominent real-estate scam in the early 2000s. The capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is Kingstown , Saint Vincent. The main island of Saint Vincent measures 26 km (16 mi) long, 15 km (9.3 mi) in width and 344 km (133 sq mi) in area. From

2552-475: The Grenadines lies within the Main Development Region for Atlantic tropical cyclones . Recently, in 2023, the islands were directly impacted by Tropical Storm Bret . Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy , with Charles III as King of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines . He does not reside in the islands and is represented as head of state in

2640-531: The Grenadines occur on shallow shelves around the windward sides of Mayreau and Union islands and the cays themselves. In addition, principal vegetation types include beach vegetation and dry forest. With the exception of a small mangrove in Petit Rameau and salt pond in Mayreau, there are no wetlands in the cays. Major users of the area include: cruise ships (an estimated 50,000 visitors each year, of whom 10,000 visit

2728-403: The Grenadines, Britain made several attempts to unify the island with the other Windward Islands as a single entity, to simplify British control in the sub-region through a single unified administration. In the 1960s, the British again tried to unify all of its regional islands, including Saint Vincent, into a single politically unified entity under British control. The unification was to be called

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2816-657: The Grenadines. OPAAL, 2006 (August). The WWF-World Bank Alliance's Scorecard to Assess Progress in Achieving Management Effectiveness Goals for MPAs adapted for PAs of the OECS. Presentation of the Score Card (SC). Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ( / ˌ ɡ r ɛ n ə ˈ d iː n z / GREH -nə- DEENZ ) is an island country in

2904-725: The Horseshoe back reef. The main species of seagrass are Thalassia testudinum and Syringodium , with small colonies of loggerhead sponges ( Spheciospongia vesparium ), various soft corals and small colonies of Porites and Siderastrea . The sea grass beds support several species of juvenile fish, green turtles ( Chelonia mydas ), starfish ( Oreaster reticulatus ), conchs ( Strombus gigas ) and sea eggs ( Tripneustes ventricosus ), however there are also significant areas of algae. The terrestrial flora consists mainly of dry forest, grasses and shrubs, including species such as coconut, agave, cactus, Coccoloba sp. and Diospyros sp. In

2992-590: The IUCN Red List). There are some Melocactus broadwayi on the cays, which are listed as near threatened under the IUCN Red List. Underwater, there are areas of seagrass beds which contain two threatened species - manatee grass ( Syringodium filiforme ) and turtle grass ( Thalassia testudinum ). The marine park contains a number of important threatened species, both terrestrial and marine. There are populations of brown pelicans , bridled terns and iguanas in

3080-698: The Mayreau Gardens reef are considered to be the most biodiverse and healthy, with Horseshoe Reef and the reef around Petit Tabac being the next richest. Finally, the World's End and Egg reef, as well as the other fringing reefs are considered to be the most degraded and least diverse in the park. The common corals on the reefs are Orbicella annularis , Montastraea , Porites , Acropora , Millepora and Siderastrea species, as well as patches of soft corals such as gorgonians (sea fans) and sponges. Large fish, such as barracuda and jacks, are occasionally found in

3168-566: The PIRL's proposal and information regarding funding activities, namely, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) OPAAL Project funded by the World Bank, were discarded and referred to as "rubbish" by local authorities. The PIRL proposal had in fact violated parts of an earlier agreement to return the Tobago Cays from private investor ownership to the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,

3256-425: The PIRL, the FOTC expressed concerns in respect of (a) maintaining the integrity of our cultural and natural heritage; (b) financial arrangements; (c) the legal implications of commercial activity in the Tobago Cays; and (d) the handing over of regulatory functions of government to a private entity. The FOTC felt that the government was not being honest and transparent in its dealings with the local people. Government on

3344-997: The SVG National Trust, one nominee of the Hotel and Tourism Association, one nominee of the Minister of Tourism, one nominee of the Minister for Parks, the Chief Fisheries Officer, the Director of Finance (or nominee), the Solicitor General (or nominee) and the Commander of the Coast Guard (or nominee). There are 13 staff working at the Marine Park Authority in Union Island. The authority is self-financed (from fees), it does not rely on government subventions. The Park Manager runs

3432-694: The Six Independent OECS Territories, for the OECS Protected Areas and Sustainable Livelihoods (OPAAL) Project. OECS Contract Number OECS/121/05. 160pp. French Mission for Cooperation (FMC) and Fisheries Division (FD), St Vincent and the Grenadines, 1995. Tobago Cays Marine Park Project. Reef Monitoring Programme. Evolution of the Tobago Cays Coral Reefs June 1994-January 1995. French Mission for Cooperation (FMC), 1995 (December 1993, updated March 1995). Action Plan for

3520-416: The Tobago Cays Marine Park, highly poisonous manchineel trees ( Hippomane mancinella ) are well established on Petit Rameau, Baradal, and Jamesby islands. They appear more as low growth shrubs, rather than the tall trees found elsewhere in the Grenadines. There is one patch of red mangroves ( Rhizophora mangle ) on Petit Rameau – this species is rare within the country (although listed as least concern under

3608-564: The Tobago Cays National Marine Park. Heyman, A.M., T.J. Reigert, A. Smith, T. Shallow and J.R. Clark, 1988. Project Proposal Development of the Tobago Cays National Park. Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Organisation of American States. 62pp. + Annexes 1-5 Mayreau Environmental Development Organization (MEDO), 2003 (Sept 19). A Management Proposal for the Tobago Cays Marine Park, St. Vincent and

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3696-410: The Tobago Cays to be contracted to the nearby but foreign-owned Palm Island Resort. While the proposal clearly provided some attractions for government, not least a guaranteed income from the park, there were also concerns over the proposer's apparent prioritization of profitability over biodiversity conservation. The plan would have seen several structures erected on the islands and the concept of handing

3784-593: The Tobago Trough to the east and the Grenada Trough to the west, where the depth increases rapidly. The shallow bank creates ideal conditions for the formation of productive seagrass beds, mangroves and coral reefs. Surrounding the Tobago Cays are several shallow fringing reefs around the islands, and a major bank-barrier reef known as Horseshoe Reef. Other major reefs in the park include World's End Reef, Egg Reef and Mayreau Gardens. The fringing reefs around Mayreau and

3872-428: The agreement on 19 August 2016, Guyana. This treaty covered taxes, residence, tax jurisdictions, capital gains, business profits, interest, dividends, royalties and other areas. On 30 June 2014, St. Vincent and the Grenadines signed a Model 1 agreement with the United States of America with respect to Foreign Account Tax Compliance (Act) or FATCA. According to the updated site as of 16 January 2017, on 13 May 2016

3960-574: The agreement went to "In Force" status. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a member of the United Nations , the Commonwealth of Nations , the Organization of American States , and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS). In September 2017, at the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly , the Prime Ministers of the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines called for UN action on alleged human rights abuses committed by Indonesia on Western New Guinea 's indigenous Papuans . Coccoloba See text Coccoloba

4048-685: The cays); yachts (an estimated 3,000 yachts anchor in the lagoon each year); day charters (from nearby hotels); sport divers and snorkelers; and fishing enthusiasts. The Grenadines are geologically older than St. Vincent and are situated on an extensive shallow bank of volcanic origin – known as the southern Lesser Antilles arc platform (SLAAP) . The SLAAP is a product of Miocene uplift (23–16 Ma) and characterized by Eocene to Pliocene extrusive to intrusive igneous rocks along with sedimentary rocks such as limestone , marl , and chert , and epiclastic arc-derived volcaniclastic units composed of mudstone, sandstone, and conglomerate. The islands are composed of

4136-410: The centre-left Saint Vincent Labour Party (SVLP) was the country's first Prime Minister (he had been Premier since 1974), ruling until his defeat in the 1984 Vincentian general election by James Fitz-Allen Mitchell of the centre-right New Democratic Party (NDP). During Cato's time in office, there was a brief rebellion on Union Island in December 1979 led by Lennox 'Bumba' Charles . Inspired by

4224-590: The command Sir Ralph Abercromby ; a peace treaty agreement was made which resulted in almost 5,000 Garifuna being deported to Roatán , an island off the coast of Honduras , and to Belize and Baliceaux in the Grenadines. In 1806, the construction of Fort Charlotte was completed. The La Soufrière volcano erupted in 1812, resulting in considerable destruction. The British abolished slavery in Saint Vincent (as well as in all other British West Indies colonies) in 1834, and an apprenticeship period followed which ended in 1838. After its end, labour shortages on

4312-411: The country by the Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , currently Susan Dougan (since 1 August 2019). The office of Governor-General has mostly ceremonial functions including the opening of the islands' House of Assembly and the appointment of various government officials. Control of the government rests with the elected Prime Minister and their cabinet. The current Prime Minister

4400-412: The eastern Caribbean . It is located in the southeast Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles , which lie in the West Indies , at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea , where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean. Its 369 km (142 sq mi) territory consists of the main island of Saint Vincent and, south of that, two-thirds of the northern part of the Grenadines ,

4488-421: The folly in handing over the management of the cays to a foreign private operator. The FOTC was animated in its quest to ensure that the Tobago Cays, a most valuable piece of our national heritage, was not handed over to a "foreign for-profit management" but that the cays be maintained and managed in a sustainable way for the benefit of all Vincentians and users of the park. After critiquing the management plans of

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4576-450: The formation of the Alliance of Union Island Environmental Organizations, which in turn approached other Vincentians for assistance. The Friends of the Tobago Cays (FOTC) had as its core element some members of the defunct National Trust of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and emerged as the organization that would bring the issues to the public's attention. The FOTC took up the challenge and embarked on an education program aimed at demonstrating

4664-407: The government and PIRL initially came from the people of the Southern Grenadines who brought the matter to the attention of mainland Vincentians. It was also the support of many stakeholders in the business sector and the tremendous effort put out by the Friends of the Tobago Cays in highlighting the negative social and environmental problems that would have resulted if the management of the Tobago Cays

4752-433: The governments of France and St. Vincent and the Grenadines signed and launched the Tobago Cays Marine Park Project and produced an updated action plan (FMC, 1995). In 1995 while the Tobago Cays were still under private ownership, Cabinet then approved a proposal to establish the Tobago Cays Marine Park (TCMP) including the island of Mayreau. On 25 November 1997, the Government enacted the Marine Parks Act and thereby created

4840-412: The island, settling in the town of Barrouallie on the leeward side of St Vincent in 1719. The French imported Black slaves to work on plantations producing sugar, coffee, indigo, tobacco, cotton and cocoa. The British captured the island and drove out the French from Barrouallie during the Seven Years' War , a claim confirmed by the Treaty of Paris (1763) . On taking control of the island in 1763,

4928-468: The leaves on juvenile plants often larger and of different shape to those of mature plants. The flowers are produced in spikes. The fruit is a three-angled achene , surrounded by an often brightly coloured fleshy perianth , edible in some species, though often astringent . Species in the genus have been characterized as dioecious , but this is unclear. Trioecy has been documented in C. cereifera . Sources: The species Coccoloba cereifera

5016-408: The likelihood of coral damage from boats including speed restrictions and buoys setting out sailing areas. Regulations prevent waste dumping. Diving is limited to registered local dive shops. The flora or fauna is not allowed to be touched, and the substrate is not to be disturbed. Sea grass beds are protected by a series of regulations which specify areas to anchor, and prohibit fishing within most of

5104-429: The most northern to the most southern points, the Grenadine islands belonging to Saint Vincent span 60.4 km (37.5 mi), with a combined area of 45 km (17 sq mi). The island of Saint Vincent is volcanic and heavily forested and includes little level ground. The windward side of the island is very rocky and steep, while the leeward side has more sandy beaches and bays. Saint Vincent's highest peak

5192-418: The most popular sites for scuba diving are Mayreau Gardens, Horseshoe Reef and World's End Reef. Cruise ships visit the park mainly in the high season from November to April. Visitors also use water taxis to visit the cays for a day trip, there are around 40 taxis in Union and 5–10 in Mayreau. There are a number of vendors in the park, selling T-shirts, handicrafts, ice, bread, fresh fish, fruits and vegetables to

5280-404: The operations of the TCMP, with a number of rangers, wardens, office attendants and administrative assistants. There is a total of 13 staff. The Tobago Cays Marine Park offices are located at Clifton harbour, Union Island . Coral reefs are protected by a series of regulations which specify areas to anchor and windsurf, and prohibit fishing within most of the park. There are also measures to reduce

5368-440: The original owners to re-open their claim for US $ 6.5 million plus interest accruing from today".(James Mitchell, April 12, 1999). Local stakeholders clearly viewed Palm Island's control of the Tobago Cays not to be in the interests of the local communities. The PIRL management proposal held no real benefits to local stakeholders, including those in the diving, yachting and day excursion industries. Concern over PIRL proposals cemented

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5456-408: The other hand took the view that the intervention of FOTC and others was undesirable to the government's agenda and this attitude was encapsulated in a comment made to an FOTC representative by Senator Julian Francis, Minister of Communication and Works at a Chamber of Commerce meeting that "lay people should stay out of certain issues". In a four-hour meeting between Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and

5544-446: The park, although most of the fish species are small. Algae and disease are prominent across all reefs and affect coral health. Surveys in 2007 concluded that most reefs were dominated by dead coral rubble and had live coral cover between 5% and 30%, and all reefs are considered to be in decline. Most sea grass beds lie within the shallow 'lagoon' south of Baradal in the centre of the cays, although there are tiny patches of sea grass near

5632-400: The park, and there are many migratory birds which pass through the area. The beaches and sea grass beds are feeding and nesting grounds for green turtles , hawksbill turtles and leatherback turtles . The reefs are home to many species of coral from the families Milleporidae , Alcyonacea and Scleractinia . There are also populations of queen conch and Caribbean spiny lobster . Health of

5720-413: The park. There is a specific sea grass conservation area which is off limits to boats, although swimming and snorkelling is allowed. Tourism is the main activity within the marine park. Around 8000 yachts visit the cays each year, which includes many charter yachts, and day trips. Snorkelling and scuba diving is a popular activity within the park, there are four local dive shops in the surrounding islands –

5808-450: The plantations resulted, and were initially addressed by the immigration of indentured servants; starting from 1845, many Portuguese Catholic settlers arrived from Madeira , with around 2,100 arrivals from Portugal recorded from 1845 to 1850. Between 1861 and 1888, a new wave of immigration occurred, with shiploads of Indian labourers arrived. In 1902, the La Soufrière volcano erupted again, killing 1,500–2,000 people; much farmland

5896-424: The problems. With legal discrepancies in the appointment of its members, the board ceased to operate in 2001, and French financial assistance to the park was discontinued at the end of that year. Since this time, various studies have been conducted, and alternative plans put forward for management of the park. In May 2003, it was announced that the Government was considering a proposal for the day-to-day management of

5984-596: The recent revolution on Grenada, Charles alleged neglect of the Union by the central government. However, the revolt was swiftly put down and Charles was arrested. There were also a series of strikes in the early 1980s. James Mitchell remained Prime Minister for 16 years until 2000, winning three consecutive elections . Mitchell was at the forefront of attempts to improve regional integration. In 1980 and 1987, hurricanes damaged many banana and coconut plantations. Hurricane seasons were also very active in 1998 and 1999, with Hurricane Lenny in 1999 causing extensive damage to

6072-434: The reef is generally good with sharks sighted on dives regularly. The islands of Mayreau and the Tobago Cays were under private ownership from at least the 16th century up until 12 April 1999, when the cays were purchased after long negotiations by the state of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The purchases were restricted to the five islands of the cays, while the larger island of Mayreau remained in private hands. In 1985,

6160-430: The same time accused of being "dishonest, vindictive, untruthful and malignant". But the reversal of the PIRL's Tobago Cays Management Proposal and the government's plan to hand over management to PIRL must be seen as the direct result of the collective efforts of Vincentians throughout the multi-island state who supported appropriate management structures to be put in place for the Tobago Cays Marine Park. The challenge to

6248-404: The south. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has a population density of over 300 inhabitants/km (700 per sq mi), with an estimated population of 110,872. Kingstown is the capital and main port. Saint Vincent has a British colonial history, and is now part of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , CARICOM , the Commonwealth of Nations , the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas , and

6336-716: The southern Grenadines. On September 9 the Mayreau Environmental Developmental Organization (MEDO) made a counter proposal in response to the PIRL Proposal and this was soon followed by the formation of the Friends of the Tobago Cays - a not for profit, non-partisan group - in support of the MEDO's Proposal. The government swiftly and adamantly rejected the MEDO Management Proposal and alternatives to

6424-709: The start of the main 2006-07 tourist season. From this time, the park administration has implemented a new user fee policy, as approved by cabinet on 1 November 2006. Despite being described in various sources as one of the largest remaining pristine coral reef groups in the Windward Island, there is growing evidence that this ecosystem is being affected by non-sustainable use and natural environmental impacts. Significant sources of "natural" threats to corals are storm damage and white band disease and bleaching. Key human induced impacts include: (i) overfishing attributed to both local fisher folks and visiting yachts (particularly in

6512-428: The use of spear guns); (ii) physical impacts associated with visiting yachts (anchor damage and running aground); (iii) snorkeling and diving; and (iv) bilge and wastewater discharge from yachts. Visitation is difficult to control due to number of boats (many of which are under an international flag) exacerbated by the absence of regular coast guard patrols. Major stakeholder groups include "boat boys" (locals who service

6600-453: The visiting yachts); diver and hotel operators; and the fishers. There appears to be a growing perception among many of the locals that despite the increasing number of tourists and the presence of a world-class resource, they are not benefiting from the development area. The TCMP is governed by a Marine Parks Board, which contains ten members, including a chairperson and vice-chairperson. The ten members are two NGO representative, on nominee of

6688-679: The visiting yachts. Vendors are restricted to the north beach of Petit Bateau. Wind surfing also occurs in the park. Hotels and restaurants in the surrounding islands are dependent on the park for drawing tourists to the area. Cordice, K., 1998 (August). Tobago Cays Marine Park. Management Plan. ECLAC, 2002. St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Evaluation of the Tobago Cays in Crisis. Caribbean Compass. January 2004 Espeut, P., 2006 (March). Opportunities for Sustainable Livelihoods in One Protected Area in Each of

6776-512: The west coast of the island. In 2000, Arnhim Eustace became Prime Minister after taking over the leadership of the NDP following Mitchell's retirement; he was defeated a year later by Ralph Gonsalves of the Unity Labour Party (successor party to the SVLP). Gonsalves—a left-winger known in the country as "Comrade Ralph" —argued that European nations owe Caribbean nations reparations for their role in

6864-480: The withdrawal of its proposal to manage the Tobago Cays Marine Park, after a failed final attempt at a new management policy via a "Strategic Alliance Agreement between the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Palm Island Resort Limited". This withdrawal notice was greeted with much satisfaction by many Vincentians but equally resented by the government. The government chided the critics of PIRL Management Proposal as "a small minority of Vincentians" who were at

6952-507: Was announced on 13 April 2021 by the World Bank . Christopher Columbus , the first European to reach the island, named it after St. Vincent of Saragossa ( San Vicente de Zaragoza ) whose feast day was on the day Columbus first saw it (22 January 1498). The name of the Grenadines refers to the Spanish city of Granada , but to differentiate it from the island of the same name , the diminutive

7040-423: Was damaged, and the economy deteriorated. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passed through various stages of colonial status under the British. A representative assembly was authorised in 1776, Crown Colony government was installed in 1877, a legislative council was created in 1925 with a limited franchise, and universal adult suffrage was granted in 1951. During the period of its control of Saint Vincent and

7128-502: Was defeated 29,019 votes (55.64 per cent) to 22,493 (43.13 per cent). Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council 2020–21. In November 2020, Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines since 2001, made history by securing the fifth consecutive victory of his Unity Labour Party (ULP) in general election. In 2021, on 9 April,

7216-592: Was handed over to Palm Island Resorts. At the present time, the Marine Parks Board (that was created to oversee the management and conservation of all marine parks in SVG), functions as the Board of Management for the TCMP, overseeing its day-to-day operations. The current arrangement lacks local involvement in decision making and gives too much responsibility to the board for operational matters rather than policy issues and national coordination. With four other marine parks proposed in

7304-474: Was killed, thousands were evacuated and extensive agricultural damage occurred. On 27 October 1979, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gained full independence; the date is now the country's Independence Day , a public holiday . The country opted to remain within the Commonwealth of Nations , retaining the then-Queen Elizabeth II as Monarch , represented locally by a Governor-General . Milton Cato of

7392-463: Was never formally approved. Part of the problem was the uncertainty in the legal status and boundaries of the park. It has since been observed that the 1997 designation as a 'marine park' only included the actual islands of the park, and none of the surrounding sea area (Espeut, 2006). In November 2001, a study by Caribbean marine park manager, Tom van't Hof (ECLAC, 2002), described the slow progress with implementation up to this time and outlined some of

7480-468: Was originally named Youloumain by the native Island Caribs who called themselves Kalina. It is thought that Christopher Columbus sighted the island in 1498, giving it the name St Vincent. The Kalinago people aggressively opposed European settlement on Saint Vincent. Various attempts by the English and Dutch to claim the island proved unsuccessful, and it was the French who were first able to colonise

7568-407: Was prohibited. The rectangular boundary of this area included the whole of Mayreau, the cays and most of the coral reefs, but was slightly smaller than the area now designated as a marine park. It has also been pointed out (ECLAC, 2002; IJA, 2004a) that the 1986 Fisheries Act only provided for the designation of marine reserves, not conservation areas. In September 1993 (as described by Espeut, 2006),

7656-826: Was sent to the Prime Minister. Following this, the FOTC hosted two major environmental conferences that were held on Union Island on April 24 and Kingstown April 26, 2004. Those sessions hosted facilitators from the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES), University of the West Indies - Cave Hill, the Florida Cays Natural Marine Sanctuary, MEDO, the Soufriere Marine Management Area in St. Lucia, Coral Resource Management, Bonaire and other regional consultants. By late 2004 PIRL announced

7744-630: Was used. Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Kalinago natives who inhabited the island of St. Vincent called it Youloumain, in honour of Youlouca, the spirit of the rainbows, who they believed inhabited the island. Before the arrival of Europeans and Africans in the 16th century, various Amerindian groups passed through or settled on St. Vincent and the Grenadines, including the Ciboney , Arawak , and Kalinago people. The island now known as Saint Vincent

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