22nd August 2016 Mr. Paula Ma’u, the Chief Executive Officer for Ministry of Climate Change (MEIDECC) officially opened a two-day training workshop on Combating the illegal trade of the Ozone Depleting Substances in Tonga.
The illegal trade of “environmentally-sensitive” commodities such as ozone depleting chemicals is an international problem that threatens our environment which results in revenue loss for governments and increase in number of criminal organizations.
The criminals who engage in smuggling of controlled ozone depleting chemicals operate in every region, trying to circumvent a country’s border controls. This illicit trafficking undermines the substantial hard work, financial resources and time invested by government, companies and individuals to implement the Montreal Protocol.
Thus the main objective of this training workshop is to provide the customs officers, brokers and law enforcement officials in Vava’u with the knowledge and skills to effectively monitor and control the imports ODSs and products to Vava’u and Tonga.
Representatives from the the Vava’u Customs Officers, Brokers, Law Enforcement Officials and Businesses attended this workshop.
ENDS
Issued by the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications, Nukualofa, Tonga. Email; paulm@mic.gov.to