Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs (left) and Collectivité Vice President Bernadette Davis (right) shake hands at the border following the campaign launch. (Robert Luckock phot
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BELLE PLAINE--In a follow-up to a series of meetings on the subject, the symbolic launch of the joint annual clean-up campaign took place Wednesday morning, at the border monument in Belle Plaine in the presence of the Collectivité Second Vice President Bernadette Davis from the delegation “Cadre de Vie” (Living Environment) and St. Maarten’s Minister for Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure VROMI, Patrice Gumbs.
The Environment Brigade, waste collectors and the media were also present.
The entire group poses with cleaning materials in front of a large skip
Both elected officials talked about the importance of keeping the island clean, not just for the hurricane season, but year-round.
“We all have a part to play in this campaign as we realise waste does not stop at the frontier,” said Gumbs. “Waste is deposited on both sides. One of the key things we must keep pressing on is awareness of keeping the island clean. A large part of the campaign is awareness building and education. Garbage is our garbage, so we all have to contribute.
“The reason we chose Belle Plaine is because we are in hurricane season, and the preparations are linked to garbage collection. One of the key parts of hurricane preparedness is floodwater mitigation, and this area is susceptible to that historically. Going forward the aim is to have a joint floodwater management programme.”
Vice President Davis said, “This is our third year of having this joint island-wide campaign. What we have come up with this time is a yearly strategic plan because garbage disposal is not a two-month thing. Garbage just piles up again after two months. That has not worked.
“Our teams are working together, and we are taking a multi-pronged approach to this
plan in the sense that we want to go into the schools and the communities to educate and have eco ambassadors. We have to change our mindset.
“We have seniors who cannot clean their yards, so we need the young people to help our seniors and those who are handicapped. When we are proud of our island, the tourists will see it. We are not doing this for tourists alone, but for ourselves and the next generation.”
She emphasised the importance of citizens cleaning their yards and removing objects that can become missiles during a hurricane.
