Hillsborough, Carriacou, May 5, 2010 (GIS) – A Grenada government minister has revealed that Carriacou and Petite Martinique played what he describes as a “significant’’ role in determining the coastline in Grenada’s concluding of the maritime agreement with Trinidad and Tobago.

“Without Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Grenada would have been mauled by Trinidad,’’ said Senator Arley Gill, Minister of State with responsibility for Information and Culture.

He made the comment Tuesday, May 4, as government began a series of public sessions to brief citizens nationwide on details of the maritime treaty between Grenada and its oil-rich CARICOM neighbour.

The first citizens’ briefing was Tuesday afternoon in Petite Martinique, with another later in the evening at the Hillsborough Government School in Carriacou.

Senator Gill, a maritime law specialist who was a member of the Grenada team on the Joint Boundary Commission that negotiated the treaty, said the choice of location for opening of the citizens’ briefing sessions was not accidental.

“We decided to start in Petite Martinique. Petite Martinique was very important to us in the negotiations,’’ Sen. Gill said. “Petite Martinique has extended the Grenada coastal zone by many miles. That is why I believe we had to start in Petite Martinique.’’

The negotiations between Grenada and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago were governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Under the convention, the relative lengths of countries’ coastlines must be considered in deciding where the maritime boundary of each state begins and ends.

Grenada negotiated a coastline of 32.6 nautical miles, extending from the tip of Point Saline to the top edge of Petite Martinique, Sen. Gill said.

“Without Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Grenada would have had considerably less coastline,’’ said Gill emphasized at both meetings on Tuesday. “The significance of that must not be understated.’’

In Petite Martinique, one resident praised the Grenadian delegates on the Joint Boundary Commission  for having concluded what he called an “amicable agreement’’ with Trinidad and Tobago.

The delegation to the Commission was headed by Dr. Carlyle Mitchell, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa and former Permanent Secretary in the Grenada Ministry of Finance.

Other local commissioners and advisors were hydrographer and former Director of Lands and Survey, Gilbert Massell; engineer and Energy Officer John Auguste; maritime specialist Anslem Clouden; lawyer Reynold Benjamin; and Foreign Service Officer, Alva Browne.

Mr. Browne supported Sen. Gill in the Carriacou and Petite Martinique briefings with PowerPoint presentations that visually outlined the boundaries, the various negotiating positions, and the marine areas covered by the final agreement.

Both briefings were attended by Sen. George Prime, Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs; his Policy Advisor Dr. Everson Peters; and Javan Williams, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs.

The briefings in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Sen. Prime said, were another demonstration of the government’s policy and practice of inclusion.

Sen. Gill, who was roundly applauded after his presentation at the Hillsborough Government School, said there were a “good chance,’’ and the “possibilities’’ exist, of finding oil and gas at the Carriacou and Petite Martinique end of the coastline.

He explained that the treaty extends fishing opportunities for all local fishermen and women, including those of Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

According to Sen. Gill, management of fisheries stock will be high on the agenda when Grenada opens maritime boundary talks with St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the “not-too-distant future.’’

He said discussions will also be held with St. Vincent on a proposed “free zone for yachting,’’ where vessels can move seamlessly across the borders of the two states.

Grenada also plans to start discussions with Venezuela shortly on reaching an agreement on their maritime boundaries.

Sen. Gill said the seven-page Grenada/Trinidad treaty will be lodged at the United Nations in New York, and will soon be posted on the Government of Grenada website, www.gov.gd

The next citizens’ briefing on the treaty will be held Wednesday, May 05, 6 p.m., at the Bonair Government School in St. Mark.