The Dickon Mitchell-led government in St. George’s has taken a major step toward managing the persistent threat of sargassum seaweed by establishing a national task force to lead its response.
The task force, approved by Cabinet, will be headed by Permanent Secretary Javan Williams of the newly created Ministry of the Blue Economy and Marine Affairs, and will work closely with the Ministry of the Environment.
This announcement was made by Grenada’s Special Envoy for Oceans, Ambassador Jerry Enoe, during a press conference in St George who emphasised that the sargassum challenge is a regional crisis requiring collective action.
“The sargassum is not just a Grenada problem – it’s a regional problem. That is why we are working with the OECS and the European Union, which have a special interest in this,” Enoe remarked.
The sargassum invasion, which has affected Caribbean beaches for over a decade, continues to pose serious environmental and economic risks.
In response, Grenada has committed to processing 10,000 tonnes of sargassum by 2026, aiming to convert the nuisance seaweed into a valuable resource, with removal efforts already on the way along the eastern coastline in collaboration with the Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority (GSWMA).
Communications Officer at Solid Waste, Myrna Julien revealed that “Teams have been deployed to clean affected areas” and have been working in shifts to remove the seaweed “mainly in the big parish of St. Andrew,” which emanates an unpleasant odour when it settles, and rots.
These efforts will target the removal of 10,000 tonnes of seaweed by 2026 as part of broader ocean policy development.
This ambitious goal stems from the momentum generated by Grenada’s hosting of the 2nd Caribbean-EU Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum in October 2024 and the 1st Grenada-EU Task Force on Sargassum in December 2024.
The (2) two events attracted regional governments, scientists, private sector innovators, and development partners seeking solutions and investment opportunities.
In a show of growing private sector interest, it was revealed that the Government’s national expression of interest received 31 proposals, of which 13 companies have been shortlisted.
These proposals are now undergoing rigorous technical and financial evaluation.
Officials note the objective, which is to build a sustainable sargassum value chain that contributes to environmental sustainability, social well-being, and economic growth.
The Government also issued a formal procurement notice inviting businesses to submit cost-effective and innovative strategies for sargassum management.
This initiative aims to generate practical solutions while encouraging local and regional entrepreneurship.
These developments are aligned with the broader mandate of the Ministry of the Blue Economy and Marine Affairs, established in late 2024.
The ministry received its first budget allocation of EC$7 million in the 2025 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure approved by Parliament in March 2025.
Minister Lennox Andrews, who holds the Blue Economy portfolio said the ministry’s mission is to “champion the sustainable development and responsible stewardship of Grenada’s marine resources, driving the growth of a thriving blue economy that enhances livelihoods and promotes environmental conservation.”
Speaking at the same press conference, Ambassador Enoe revealed that one of the ministry’s key priorities is to finalise Grenada’s national ocean policy, a long-overdue initiative stemming from a 2019 draft developed under the OECS.
“Our task this year – one of the low-hanging fruits, is to finalise our national ocean policy, which will become a guiding document for the development of our marine space,” he affirmed.
The OECS ocean governance framework, which Grenada’s policy will likely draw from, promotes sustainable marine resource development, ecosystem protection, and integrated coastal zone management.
It calls for securing marine access, maintaining ecosystem integrity, and increasing ocean stewardship, all vital to building climate resilience.
