WILLEMSTAD - Minister Gilmar Pisas, Minister of General Affairs and responsible for Environment and Nature, along with marine expert Prof. Dr. Mark Vermeij from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and Mr. Faisal Dilrosun from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (GMN), recently embarked on a diving expedition to the Rif area. The purpose of the dive was for Minister Pisas to personally observe the coral disease known as Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). Mr. Faisal Dilrosun (GMN) is leading the coordination efforts to address the coral disease and its ecological implications.
Understanding the critical role that coral reefs play as habitats for marine life and their significance as tourist attractions, it is imperative for us to act swiftly and diligently. Under the guidance of Minister Pisas, thorough investigations have already been conducted, and the Ministry of GMN is in the process of implementing the necessary remedy, Amoxicillin, an antibiotic crucial for combating the coral disease. SCTLD, a recently discovered threat in Curaçao, poses a significant risk to our precious coral reefs.
Coral reefs across the Caribbean region face various challenges, including the devastating impact of tissue loss disease, which Minister Pisas personally witnessed during the dive. Once the remedy becomes available, a structured approach will be implemented in collaboration with diving operators to treat as much affected coral as possible. Encouragingly, positive results have been observed in other countries, raising hope that we can effectively control the spread of this disease and safeguard a substantial portion of our coral reefs.
Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas and Prof. Dr. Mark Vermeij made preparations before diving and during the dive itself