Virgin Islands Environmental Council (VIEC)

A proud group, farmers in the BVI are increasingly interested, motivated, and organized in confronting environmental challenges ahead. Virgin Islands Environmental Council (VIEC), a non-profit organization comprising various environmental groups, actively advocate for intelligent and strategic ways of ensuring BVIslanders their constitutional right to environmental protection for the benefit of future generations.

Member organizations include Fisherpersons and Concerned Individuals for the Protection of Beef Island; BVI Heritage Conservation Group; Association of Reef Keepers; BVI Farmers Co-op; and BVI Dive Association. VEIC also draws on the specialist knowledge of a large base of individual professional members who comprise of Charter Yacht Captains, Environmental Engineers, Architects, Marine Biologists, Environmental Scientists, Lawyers and Cultural Historians both from the BVI and abroad.

Growing in strength, the Virgin Islands Environmental Council was incorporated in July 2007 pursuant to the resolution of a general meeting called by the Fisherpersons and Concerned Citizens for the Protection of Beef Island at which time it was agreed that a collective-vehicle should be formed in order to pool resources and take action to address the development issues facing the Territory. Hometown heroes behind this popular initiative include Dr. Dr. Quincy Lettsome, an educator, historian and native poet; Richard Courtney Decastro, a local architect; Orville Phillips, a local lecturer in marine biology at the HL Stoutt Community College, and Sheila Schulterbrandt, a local fisherwoman and farmer, and the first President of the BVI Fisherman’s Association.

For more, check out: http://www.bviec.org/index.html