Statement by the delegation of Jamaica on decision-making procedures
Thank you Mr. Chairman. The Small Island Developing States have considered this issue in a preliminary
manner. We have noted that the experience in other relevant conventions demonstrates the need for
capacity building as being vital to their effective implementation. It is clear that for the Cartagena Protocol
there will also be a need for procedures specifically designed to assist Parties with decision making in
different cases, namely that of import, export or domestic use of LMOs. Case studies and further
workshops, including dissemination of information on these efforts are deemed by our group to be
important elements. The Secretariat paper is a valuable starting point for us to consider further. Our
delegations will need more time to come to a final decision on this matter, but we support the general
approach taken by the Secretariat.
Thank you.

Statement by the delegation of Jamaica on information sharing
Mr. Chairman, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the 43 Members and Observers of the Alliance of
Small Island States – AOSIS. Our delegations will be speaking as a group at this first meeting of the
Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol, as well as at the future sessions. Our group held
a preparatory workshop last week in Saint Kitts and Nevis. We thoroughly discussed all issues on the
agenda of this meeting.
My delegation will the spokesperson for the Alliance of Small Island States in this working group, and I
wish to share with other delegations some of our views on information sharing.
The importance of the Biosafety Clearing-House to our members is viewed as more than central, given its
expected role in assisting Small Island Developing States in capacity building. We think that the word
“critical” should be substituted.
As SIDS have very limited resources, it is important for our countries to avoid duplication. We therefore
wish to see all relevant organizations cooperating, and overlaps to be avoided. In this regard, there is a need
for the ICCP to identify which international organizations are relevant to the designation of pharmaceutical
LMOs for human use.
We have attempted to elaborate what the respective roles of the CHM and BCH should be in respect of the
special needs of SIDS, but have not been able to at the present time. In order to reach a clear consensus on
this matter, we have agreed to discuss it in further detail as part of the ongoing work of Small Island
Developing States on biosafety. Let me just raise one general concern that was raised, namely whether
there was a risk of the information provided to the BCH being ‘biased’. Developed countries which have
the capacity to produce scientific and technical information, may choose not to submit certain information
(or their nationals may not make such information available) regarding LMOs that a party (or its national)
is intending to export in the future.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, we are grateful for the opportunity to come back with further textual proposals in
light of the discussion here. Let me only mention that we wish to adhere strictly to the text of the protocol,
and that the terminology which recognizes the special needs of the least developed and small island
developing States among them must be retained in our decision.
Thank you.