Laverne Walker, a national of the island of Saint Lucia, has over 25 years’ experience in coastal and marine management, governance and sustainable development with special focus on small island developing States. Laverne has worked with the Government of Saint Lucia, UNOPS in the project coordinating units of the UNDP/GEF CLME and CLME+ (Caribbean and North Brazil Large Marine Ecosystems) Projects and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean before joining UNEP, Cartagena Convention Secretariat as Programme Management Officer for Marine Pollution. She has a first degree in Marine Biology and a Masters of Marine Management both attained from Dalhousie University in Canada. Laverne is also experienced in project management and is a certified Project Manager Professional (PMP).
CEP was established in 1981 as part of the Regional Seas Programme in recognition of the importance and value of the Wider Caribbean Region’s fragile and vulnerable coastal and marine ecosystems including endemic plants and animals.