January 9, 2025 – Tobago’s efforts to foster a culture of recycling have been hindered by a lack of funding. The Public Accounts and Appropriations Committee of Parliament highlighted a slowdown in the progress of the Tobago Recycling Resource Initiative (TRRI) during an inquiry into the country’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goals 11, 12, and 14.
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) reported that its recycling efforts were impacted by a decline in the Green Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic. This shortfall has also affected Tobago, as recycling initiatives were jointly funded by the EMA and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), according to Linford Beckles, Senior Director of the Environment, Climate Change, and Energy Unit. The Tobago Recycling Resource Initiative faced a shortfall of approximately $3 million, limiting its ability to collect and process recyclables. As a result, the initiative has had to scale back its operations. However, Linford Beckles noted that the THA is making efforts to support the recycling initiative as much as possible. This issue has also been a point of concern for Shawn Roberts, Managing Director of the TRRI, who has been vocal about it for over a year.
Discussion