Above: Statia

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The island of Statia will be hosting its second Statia Sustainable Conference & Exhibition in September.

The conference is being hosted by the St Eustatius Tourism Development Foundation from Sept. 25 to Sept. 27. It will be held under the theme “Tourism & Water, Protecting Our Common Future.”

“On a small island like ours, little changes can and will make a big difference”, said Mike Haterink, Sustainable Committee Member in Statia. “Thinking sustainable in every step forward will help to keep our island unique for generations to come.”

The conference will also look at issues including the ways the local community can benefit from engaging in sustainbility, coastal management and others.

“Water is synonymous with life, especially on a small island such as Statia where we are still very much dependent on rain water — every aspect of our economic development can be linked, directly or indirectly, to the availability of water,” said Darlene Berkel, also a Sustainable Committee Member. “This conference is therefore vitally important, since it provides an opportunity for us to focus our attention on this vital resource and explore ways to ensure sustainable sources of water, as well as efficient and effective ways of collecting, producing, and managing water, both for our own survival as well as for sustainable economic development.”