About Us

The Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Inter-Ministerial Committee was reconstituted and reappointed by Cabinet in 2023, to guide the implementation of the Action Plan for the approved ICZM Policy Framework. The ICZM Policy Framework seeks to facilitate an integrated approach to coastal zone management aimed at maintaining and where necessary, enhancing the functional integrity of the coastal resource systems while enabling sustainable, economic development through rational, inclusive decision-making and planning.

The Terms of Reference of the ICZM Inter-Ministerial Committee are as follows:

  1. To finalise the ICZM 10-year Action Plan;
  2. To oversee, monitor and report on the implementation of the ICZM 10-year Action Plan;
  3. To assign action items to the relevant agency and co-opt other Ministries/Divisions/Agencies as may be required for the implementation of the ICZM 10-year Action Plan;
  4. To establish working groups with representatives from non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations as may be required for the implementation of the ICZM 10-year Action Plan;
  5. To prepare annual status report on the implementation of the Action Plan and submit to the Ministry of Planning and Development; and
  6. To co-ordinate the production of two (2) State of the Marine Environment Reports within the 10 years.

 

Team Members

 

Ms. Melanie Noel
Dr. Rahanna Juman
Richard Hinds
Ms. Elizabeth Mohammed
Mrs Cumira Gulston
Ms. Siddiqua Mondol
Mr Kerry Sheppard
Mrs. Lavaugh Jack
Mr. Ronald Alfred
Mrs. Nadia Gour

 

Ms. Melanie Noel

Deputy Permanent Secretary (AG)

 

Ms. Melanie Noel, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Ag.), Ministry of Planning and Development was appointed in June 2024, to chair the ICZM Inter-Ministerial Committee. The Committee will guide the implementation of the Action Plan for the approved Integrated Coastal Zone Management Policy Framework 2023.

With over twenty years’ experience in the public sector and over ten of those years being in senior leadership roles, Ms. Noel brings a wealth of senior managerial and leadership experience to the table. She is excited to provide support and guidance to the Committee as it works to fulfil its mandate.

 

 

 

Dr. Rahanna Juman

Deputy Chairman

Deputy Director, Institute of Marine Affairs

Dr. Rahanna Juman is the Deputy Director Research at the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA).  She holds a PhD in Zoology from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine and a Bachelor of Law from the University of London and has been conducting applied research on coastal ecosystems in Trinidad and Tobago for the past 22 years.  She has published widely in international journals and has written a book on wetlands of Trinidad and Tobago. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Richard Hinds

Civil and Coastal Engineer

Mr. Richard Hinds is a Civil and Coastal Engineer who received his Bachelor in Engineering (BEng) from the University of Plymouth (UK) in 2012.

Mr. Hinds has worked as a Coastal Engineer for 11 years across several departments within the Tobago House of Assembly (THA); firstly at the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (DNRE), and subsequently at the Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU).

During this period, his research interests include studying the impacts coastal morphological processes on vulnerable communities and mitigation techniques against sea level rise resulting from climate change.

Mr. Hinds also has a keen interest in the use of satellite derived bathymetric data as a means to acquire accurate data to make responsible coastal protection decisions, and as such has been involved in peer-reviewed journal writing in the field of coastal engineering.

 

  

 

Ms Elizabeth Mohammed

Senior Fisheries Officer

 

Ms Elizabeth Mohammed was appointed Senior Fisheries Officer (SFO) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Trinidad and Tobago in February 2010. She has over 20 years of experience in national and regional fisheries research, policy development and implementation. She is currently the National Focal Point for the Western Central Atlantic Fishery

Commission, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism and for matters related to implementation of the Port State Measures Agreement. Ms Mohammed leads the Divisions initiatives aimed at updating the national fisheries management legislation and addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. She is the current Chair of the Cabinet-appointed Committee established to oversee, monitor and report on implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding signed among six national regulatory agencies in August 2019 for Collaboration in Regulating Fishing, Fishing Related Activities and Relevant Trade.

Ms Mohammed holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with First Class Honours and a Master of Philosophy Degree in Zoology from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus. She also completed graduate courses in fisheries and marine ecosystem modelling between 1998 and 2003 at the Fisheries Centre (now Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries – IOF) at the University of British Colombia, Vancouver, Canada. Her scientific contributions are published in compilations of the Sea Around Us Project of the IOF; reports of the Lesser Antilles Pelagic Ecosystem Project of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations; technical reports of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism; FAO publication on Coastal Fisheries of Latin America and the Caribbean; and the 2007 Caribbean Sea Ecosystem Assessment.

 

 

 

Mrs Curmira Gulston

Hazard Mitigation Specialist

 

Mrs. Curmira Gulston is the Hazard Mitigation Specialist at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) in Trinidad and Tobago. Her work is focused on providing technical guidance to the development of disaster risk reduction policies, plans, projects and other regulatory documents as well as conducting vulnerability, exposure and risk assessments. Mrs. Gulston holds an MSc. in Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management and a BSc. in Marine Biology and Conservation Biology. Her academic and career interests are multi- disciplinary. She has a strong passion for project management, environmental management, sustainable development, disaster risk reduction and management, climate change mitigation and adaptation and special needs education.

 

 

 

 

Ms. Siddiqua Mondol

Technical Advisor I

Ministry Of Tourism

Ms Siddiqua Mondol is a technical advisor I at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts and serves under the portfolio as Tourism Advisor I. She has approximately fifteen years’ experience in the areas of public policy development, product development and environmental management for the tourism sector. She is responsible for providing technical advice for the development of policies, such as the development of an Ecotourism Sub-policy and providing recommendations for niche-based tourism product development and responsible use of tourism facilities to guide the growth of a robust and resilient tourism sector in Trinidad and Tobago. She has significant level of experience and expertise in the areas of sustainable tourism, environmental management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, disaster risk management, niche-based product development and sustainable infrastructure design for tourism sites and attractions.

Ms Mondol has represented the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts at several international conferences and Cabinet-appointed Committees in Trinidad and Tobago that seek to provide recommendations and technical advice on developments for the tourism sector. These committees include the Adopt a River Steering Committee, Improving Forest and Protected Areas Management Sub-Committee for the Matura Forest and Coastal Zone Pilot Protected Area, Management Advisory Committees for ESAs and ESS, and currently, the Blue Flag and Green Key National Juries for Trinidad and Tobago and the National Sea Turtle Task Force

Ms Siddiqua Mondol is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine and holds a BSc. in Environmental Natural Resource Management with Biology and Marine Biology and a MSc. in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Governance.

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Mr Kerry Sheppard

Civil Engineer 

Deputy Director, Institute of Marine Affairs

Kerry Sheppard is an accomplished civil engineer with extensive experience in managing large-scale infrastructure programs. As the Manager of the Coastal Protection Unit, Kerry is responsible for the strategic oversight of the Critical Coastal Protection Program, ensuring that key milestones are met and program benefits are realized. He oversees the procurement and management of various sub-programs and projects, with a keen focus on financial monitoring, performance reporting, and stakeholder engagement. Before leading the Coastal Protection Unit, Kerry served in various capacities within the Ministry of Works & Transport, including Ag. Director of Drainage, where he managed the entire Drainage Division and developed programs to combat flooding and erosion throughout Trinidad. He also held the role of Ag. Chief Engineer Planning, where he was instrumental in reviewing and approving drainage designs, liaising with key stakeholders, and contributing to the development of strategic plans and environmental impact assessments. Kerry’s career began as a Civil Engineer I at the Ministry, where he provided professional and technical support, managed large teams, and coordinated with contractors and consultants to execute complex projects. His early experience as a Structural Engineer at Lee Young and Partners laid the foundation for his expertise in design and project management. Kerry’s leadership in the Coastal Protection Unit is marked by his dedication to safeguarding Trinidad and Tobago’s coastlines through effective management, innovative solutions, and strong stakeholder relationships.

  

 

 

Mrs. Lavaughn Jack-Ovid

Ag. Petroleum Inspector III, Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries

Mrs. Lavaughn Jack-Ovid is a Senior Petroleum Inspector at the Petroleum Operations Management Division of the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries. She holds a BSc in Occupational Safety, Health and Environment from the University of Greenwich. Mrs. Jack-Ovid supervises the regulatory inspections of oil and gas facilities and also serves as a member of the Incident Command Team under the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan. For the past fifteen years she has work to ensure that oil and gas companies implement measures to prevent oil spills and restore affected areas.

  

 

 

Mr Ronald Alfred

ED, MSc

Ronald Alfred is the current Director Maritime Services in the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Harbour Master and the Chairman of the Pilotage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago  since December 2015 and is overall responsible for the interpretation and application of the Shipping Act of Trinidad and Tobago, which inter alia includes the safety and security of life at sea , safety of navigation and protection of the marine environment from ship source pollution.  

Mr. Alfred is a former career naval officer. He graduated from the Royal Naval Academy in Dartmouth England in 1996 and served for over twenty years in the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, before retiring as a Lieutenant Commander in 2016.  

During his illustrious naval career he served in a number of positions which include, Command Staff Officer, Commander Operations, Commander Administration and Commander Marine Ship Safety and Port Facility Security Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard.

In 2004, Commander Alfred led the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard expedition in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan to Grenada and for his service he was awarded a medal for Humanitarian service overseas.

He is a graduate of the Jamaican Maritime Institute  and is naval vessel command certified . He is also the holder of a Master of Science (MSc) in Maritime Affairs, specializing in Maritime Law and Policy from the World Maritime University in Sweden.

  

 

Mrs. Nadia Gour

Senior Technical Officer at Environmental Management Authority (EMA)

Mrs. Nadia Gour is a senior technical officer at the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), where she holds the position of Environmental Programme Officer II in the Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) Unit. She has functioned for over 10 years in this capacity, where she is charged with the responsibility of reviewing applications for CECs, inclusive of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) across multiple sectors. She also sits on various Inter-agency Committees and Working Groups.  

In addition to her many years of experience in the field of environmental management, Mrs. Gour is a trained coastal management professional.  As such, she is regarded as one of the EMA’s primary in-house resources as it pertains to coastal matters.  She holds a Masters in Science degree in Natural Resource and Environmental Management, specializing in Coastal and Marine Resources Management, from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus.  She is also currently enrolled at the UWI, St. Augustine Campus, Faculty of Engineering, where she pursuing a second MSc. in Coastal Engineering and Management.