“Grenada is home to many world-renowned dive sites. We know that when divers are looking for a truly unique experience in the Caribbean, they head instinctively to Grenada.” Those were the words of Honourable Alvin Da Breo, Minister with Responsibility for Forestry and Fisheries during his feature address at the launch of the Ridge to Reef (R2R) SCUBA Diving Initiative, hosted at the True Blue Bay Resort.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, Disaster Management and Information, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) R2R Project has successfully trained its first cohort of PADI Open Water Certified Divers.
During the opening remarks, UNDP-R2R Coordinator Rudo Udika indicated that with about 70% of our earth covered in water, learning to SCUBA dive is much more than just a new hobby or rewarding pastime; it’s a chance to explore another dimension of our planet. Further, in its quest to support biodiversity conservation and enhance the related livelihood capabilities of Grenadians, Udika stated that the R2R SCUBA dive training initiative and internationally recognised certification awarded by PADI could open up a world of opportunities that many of us don’t experience ordinarily.
While presenting the feature address, Minister Breo highlighted the great accomplishment for the participants to be trained in SCUBA diving as it gives them the ability to explore the world beneath the sea’s surface.
Minister Da Breo also commended the great strides that the UNDP and the Government of Grenada are making to support the implementation of the Grenada System Plan for Parks and Protected Areas and the Grenada Declaration (COP 8) to effectively conserve at least 25% of its marine and terrestrial ecosystems by 2020, through the Ridge to Reef Project.
The recently launched R2R SCUBA initiative is a component of the Ridge to Reef Project which seeks to further support these efforts and to reduce threats to biodiversity by addressing habitat degradation and over-exploitation of biological resources within Protected Areas.
Ministry of Climate Resilience
