Premier Paula Cox opened the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s Sustainable Development Conference yesterday by stating Bermuda was repositioning itself as a tourism destination.Ms Cox spoke at the 12th annual conference, which saw more than 50 delegates from across the Caribbean arrive at Fairmont Southampton over the weekend.She said Bermuda was once a leader in tourism, however the industry was overlooked as international business took off over the past two decades.But she said Government had renewed its dedication to the industry: “Tourism has always been seen by this Government as the leveller a rising tide lifts all boats. From a policy perspective it was important to us that tourism’s fortunes change and rise.”She added: “The vision for the Ministry of Tourism and Business Development is for Bermuda to become the leading year-round vacation and business destination.“Tourism is a central plank in our plan for the Country.”Ms Cox added that sustainable tourism was a big issue in Bermuda, noting the recent special development order for the Tucker’s Point property had garnered a lot of attention and politicians sought to strike the balance between growth and preservation.The delegates also heard from Hugh Riley, the secretary general of the CTO. He urged developing countries within the region to trade carbon emission credits to offset the negative impact global warning could have on the region.“The countries of the CTO are world-renowned for their wholesome breezes and pristine environment,” he said. “We are low-carbon emitters. No-one in their right mind could seriously be thinking that the Caribbean is a significant contributor to global warming.“But we certainly could suffer the consequences; climate change and rising sea levels could create conditions that would devastate our economies.“Therefore we must be prepared to scrutinise how the actions of our industrialised neighbours in developed countries can impact our lives, and together we must examine measures that rather than simply punish us through emissions taxes will in fact help to compensate our countries for being responsible stewards of the environment.”He urged those countries eligible under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol to avail of the carbon trading option.The conference continues today. Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce chairman Stuart Hayward will address the delegates tomorrow along with former ZBM journalist Sangita Iyer, who is the founding executive director of the Bermuda Environmental Alliance, and Sustainable Development director Charles Brown.Useful website: www.caribbeanstc.com