RSNO Opening

St. Augustine, Trinidad W.I.—April 3, 2006 – The media is invited to attend the Opening Ceremony of the Tsunami and Coastal Hazards Workshop for Senior Technical Network Representatives of Caribbean Basin Seismic Agencies. Funded by USAID, this meeting is an important part of the Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO’s effort to establish an early warning system for Tsunami and Coastal Hazards Warning System (TCHWS) for the Caribbean Sea and Adjacent Regions. The primary objective of the meeting is to ascertain the current regional capability and plan for future operations with regard to a regional tsunami warning system.

The Workshop is being spearheaded by the Seismic Research Unit of the University of the West Indies and is funded by USAID/OFDA. Approximately thirty participants from across the region will be attending the three-day Workshop.

The Opening Ceremony will be held on Tuesday April 4th at 9:30am. This event will be held at the Hugh Wooding Law School on Gordon Street in St. Augustine. Invited speakers will include Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Wayne Hunte (Office of Research, UWI), Pro-Vice Chancellor and Campus Principal Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie (UWI, St. Augustine), Ms. Julie Leonard, Regional Advisor for USAID/OFDA, and The Honourable Minister of National Security Mr. Martin Joseph will be presenting the feature address.