The ambitious event organised by a group of collaborators to highlight the issue of deep sea mining was highly successful. On a warm and very breezy lunchtime on Thursday, January 26 at the University of the West Indies Mona campus in Kingston, there was a full house audience consisting of university students, high school students, educators, researchers, diplomats, civil society representatives and environmentalists. You can watch the entire event on YouTube here (the audio is a problem for the first five minutes, but thereafter it is fine).

After a comprehensive introduction and an overview of the issue of deep sea mining by climate activist and geologist Geasean Johnson, the four panelists came to the table and delivered a brilliant range of views, facts and perspectives. Geasean highlighted transparency! This word cropped up several times.

Thought I had it all sorted In my head, exact routes plotted Yet, I can’t find my way home Aimlessly, I seem to roam The worst was over Never again to be a pushover Promised myself this Feelings, I’d dismiss Only practicality rules the throne Human still, with flesh and bone To mere subjects, still listening Their inputs, only to be crippling I sure do have the keys But at these crossroads, I freeze The endpoint is just happiness and bliss So many routes, one could be the abyss So, I can’t find my way home Paralyzed with the fear syndrome The consequence of every decision At this point, weighed to precision Are my anxieties and fears limiting me? Preventing me from what could be If only the past, I could erase These scars, no longer traced Maybe, then I’d know Which direction to go All roads could take me…