A VOICE for and empowerment of island people. These are two key goals of the
NGO Islands Forum '94, being held here, April 20 to May 6.

The Islands Forum is part of the United Nations Global Conference on
Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and is hosted by the
world's Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

NGOs, as the name implies, are organisations that are not government agencies
or statutory corporations.

On December 22, 1992 the UN General Assembly passed a resolution to convene
the first Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Island
Developing States. That conference will start five days after the NGO Islands
Forum and will end simultaneously on May 6.

The UN resolution invited "relevant non-governmental organisations . . . in
particular those from small island developing states . . . to contribute to
the conference, within the areas of their competence and expertise".

NGO's worldwide have taken up the invitation and are hosting the Islands
Forum. They have formed a coordinating body -- the NGO Liaision Committee
(NLC) which is chaired by the Barbados-based Caribbean Conservation
Association (CCA).

The conference, which is managed by a broad-based NLC, comprises three
activities.

Firstly, there is the NGO Forum which will examine a number of topics,
including those on the official conference agenda, exploring where and why
problems exist.

It is through the more than one dozen workshops that the people can voice
their concerns and their positions. Unlike the official conference where entry
is restricted to delegates and Press only, the NGO Forum is open to the
general public.

A vital part of achieving sustainable development in SIDS (Small Island
Developing States) is for them to have access to affordable and appropriate
technologies.

For example, solar energy is more appropriate for SIDS rather than imported
gas and fuel which would drain foreign exchange reserves. To this end, the
forum will host a sustainable technology exhibition known as SusTech '94.

Manufacturers and developers of affordable and appropriate technology can
showcase their inventions and commercial products at SusTech '94, which is
being organised by the Barbados Manufacturers Association.

Sustainable Development will be elusive without the cooperation of every

sector of society. The fact that island people have survived for so long is
indicative of the fact that they have achieved some measure of sustainable
development.

The Village of Hope, another activity of the Islands Forum, will present a
series of exhibitions and expositions, showing sustainable development in
action. Many of the expositions will be based on the themes of workshops in
the forum.

Every sector in society, from the pulpit to the pew, will be involved in
mounting the various exhibitions in the Village of Hope.

The Village of Hope and the NGO Forum will be held on the campus of the
Barbados Community College which will be open daily to the public.

SusTech '94 is being held at Terminal Two of the Grantley Adams International
Airport.

It is expected that the NGO Islands Forum will attract between 25 000 and 40
000 Barbadians and visitors during the three week period.