Inspired by a primary school student, Government is launching a national clean-up programme to make a dent in Barbados’ bulk waste.
During a media conference on Friday, Minister of Environment and National Beautification Adrian Forde revealed the Prime Minister and Government in general were moved to act after Naomi Dummett, a nine-year-old student of LITE Primary School, made an impassioned plea during the St George Ideas Forum last month.
“There is a very respected saying, a maxim that is associated with The Bible, which says that a little child shall lead them. I was happy when this young lady by the name of Naomi decided to be the voice to champion change in Barbados, where Barbados can be recognised not only as the cleanest nation in the Western Hemisphere, but also the greenest and most beautiful.
“I want to thank her for having the courage, the fortitude and for being the voice of advocacy to say that government must lead the charge, but not only lead the charge, but must also have partnership with the people in order to facilitate this beautiful Barbados that she imagined. She’s saying that we must have a beautiful Barbados, not only for her generation, but for generations to come.
Bulk waste
“This gave food for thought and inspired not only the Prime Minister, but the entire government to be able not only to agree to her plea, but equally say that this is the right thing for the right time, and equally for the right people,” he said.
Forde said the campaign officially begins September 6 with a bulk waste clean-up aimed at residential areas only, though preliminary work would be done. He said they wanted home-owners to put out things like beds and large appliances, things that unfortunately tended to end up in gullies, to be collected.
In addition, the minister said there would be a renewed focus on parks – both of the National Conservation Commission (NCC) and Clean and Green – and beaches.
“It is my simple appeal
this morning to Barbadians: Get on board. Get on board the train that speaks to our nation and our mission. Get on board with the philosophy that beautiful Barbados must be imbued in all of us because we, as Barbadians, must be proud of the 166 square miles that we live on, and we must ensure that we do everything to have a clean, green, beautiful and healthy Barbados,” he said.
For her part, little Naomi said, “I think the community of Barbados must stay beautiful and clean”, and urged her schoolmates to use the garbage bins at school and not litter.
The Project Management Coordination Unit is tasked with coordinating the initiative. Technical officer Neil Gilkes said it would take a multiagency approach with the Sanitation Service Authority and NCC determining logistics.
“In the past, when we have cleaned up in a more sporadic way, it was thought that we needed to do it in a more coordinated way. Considering the resources at hand, we realised that this could be done more efficiently and effectively, so in line with that, it was also thought to have a more inter-ministerial, inter-agency approach to this campaign in a quarterly manner.
“The first would be a back-to-school clean-up, where this is primarily a bulk waste exercise over the period from August 14 up to September 7. But specifically, as it relates to residents, they are going to be advised for the weekend of September 6 to put out their bulk waste,” he said. (CA)
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