 It is a big problem. Our region per capita is really one of the highest pollutants in the world. Our shorelines tell a disturbing story. It's not unique to Grenada but similar to that of our other OECS neighbors. Every year when torrential rains signal the start of the rainy season, rivers enter the results of wanton waste disposal actions from upstream inland sources contributing to our big pollution problem. Small island developing state is known for our large water space and as such the issue of pollution through plastic has a direct link to the real in the efforts of realizing the blue economy. The need to implement and develop for saying plastic collection system is of paramount importance in helping islands such as Dominica to deal with the ongoing issue of plastic pollution. Our marine pollution challenge has worsened over the decades in the absence of actions to nip the problem in the body. Miles of plastic floating islands are showing up in oceans around the world and our region is not spare. Our polluted marine ecosystem is affecting our economy, lives and livelihoods in areas such as fishing, tourism, recreation health and the list goes on. Actions to stand the flow of plastic waste into our landfills and very critical into the marine ecosystems are needed now. In dealing with this plastic issue the solution and the model really requires a multi-country approach, original approach because the choice is for various solutions we don't have the volume per country so the scale is an important issue to make it viable. So that's why doing this together as multi-countries is critical to ensure we have a sustainable model. The Recycle OECS project is an initiative of the EU Care Forum and it is being conducted as part of the EU Zero Waste Caribbean Program. The Recycle OECS project is being implemented by the French Development Agency in collaboration with the OECS. The objective of the project is really to develop an OECS model system, plastic waste collection and transport or recycling. The Recycle OECS project is building on programmatic areas which are integrated, holistic and which are specific to our systems in the OECS. It focuses on what some may call the green, the blue and the circular economy, but by whatever name our vision is rarely the same. We are building a new economy. One of our key strategic priorities is reinventing the economy to have a more sustainable approach to the economy and this model would demonstrate how we can convert really something that is considered trash into a sustainable model that could lead to businesses and employment. The second component of the project looks at communications and visibility and under that we will be launching a public awareness campaign to inform on a circular economy approach and by circular economy approach we just look at a different approach to what we use now which is more of a linear approach. We use resources, we make products and we discard these products but under circular economy system we use products and we keep them in the system for as long as possible either by reusing, recycling or repurposing. We are designing a regional model that is sustainable and will demonstrate that model in two countries and hopefully that will set the platform to scale to the broader region. The second pillar is the economic pillar and this pillar recognizes the need for a sustainable market driven process that is dependent on volumes to become more financially sound. As such, cooperation of the member states is important in developing this pillar. The third pillar is the financing mechanism recognizing that plastic recycling is an expensive process in our small island states based on low economies of scale and high capital costs. Another key pillar is the technical one because we need to understand the type of plastic we have, what's the best way of dealing with it, the processing in terms of reusing for the purposes, how was the best way even for collecting and separating. So this is very important. Dominico Service Management Corporation truly welcomes this such initiative and seeks to work with the OECS secretariat in improving the collection, storage and disposal of plastic polymers on the island. We believe through this venture we'd be able to align our member states with the aspiration of many multi-environmental agreements. The specific objective of the Zero Waste in the Caribbean program is to better align solid waste management systems in Caribbean countries with circular economy principles and nationally determined contributions to improve the resource efficiency of Caribbean economies and to attract possible investments. AFD supervises the project. There is a strong technical follow-up through a permanent dialogue between AFD's technical teams and the OECS, which is essential for the implementation of the project. The ultimate goal is to maximize the impacts of the project. Finally, AFD is accountable for the EU funds and is responsible for all monitoring and reporting around the project. We maintain transparency and a regular dialogue with the EU. Combating plastic pollution remains a major challenge for the Caribbean. The region's solid waste is estimated to contain 12% plastic and its coastlines are heavily littered with plastic bottles. To help tackle this issue and promote environmental sustainability, UNEP is guiding the Zero Waste program. Given its wide geographic coverage and experience with political mechanisms, UNEP is responsible for stakeholder management over a range of regional and national organizations. It focuses on strengthening policies and legislative frameworks related to solid waste management in the region as well as promoting circular economy principles and raising awareness among cariform member states. The Recycle OECS initiative is a crucial part of the Zero Waste program because it seeks to develop a financially self-sustainable model for plastic waste management and the blue economy in the eastern Caribbean. In 2019, the Caricom Heads of Government issued the St. John's Declaration as a signal of high-level concern for the problems of plastic waste management in the Caribbean community. Among other things, the Declaration reaffirms our commitment to collectively reduce plastic pollution in the marine environment and to find trade and policy alternatives to single-use plastics. The priorities align quite well and we are happy to support the OECS Commission in whatever way is possible to support and further advance efforts in good management of plastics and solid waste. And we look forward to the success for outcomes of the project. We depend on the ocean for livelihoods, for recreation, for support for our tourism industry and so we really do need to take a coordinated approach in addressing the pollution and matters that affect the oceans that surround us. We encourage all civil society organizations to come together to address this issue of plastic pollution through this coordinated approach because together we can beat plastic pollution as the theme of World Environment Day States.