Environmental Hero Award recipient Hailey Beauperthuy (centre) with Tradewinds’s Operations Director Ian Ingram (left) and Sint Maarten Nature Foundation Director, Leslie Hickerson (right). (Robert Luckock photo)
SIMPSON BAY--Sint Maarten Nature Foundation’s Hailey Beauperthuy was the recipient of Tradewinds’s third annual Environmental Hero Award at a press conference at Sint Maarten Yacht Club (SMYC) for the eighth annual Caribbean Multihull Challenge (CMC) Regatta on Wednesday.
Tradewinds’s Operations Director Ian Ingram who presented the award reminded that the company has shifted its focus to a fleet of fully-sustainable eco-friendly yachts, working hand in hand with Fontaine Pagot, embracing electric propulsion from solar technology. He noted the sixth electric powered catamaran has joined the fleet, with more to follow.
“Even the most advanced technology cannot protect our reefs and coastlines on its own. It takes people. While we innovate we must also support the champions on the ground who are doing the hard work of conservation every day” he said. “This award is a symbol of our partnership with nature.”
Sint Maarten Nature Foundation Director Leslie Hickerson praised Hailey’s dedication to her job.
“After obtaining her degree, Hailey returned home to join us for the mangrove protection policy. She has been part of our most intensive research and monitoring programmes and is always happy to help out with our education and outreach activities. Her willingness in the field to collect information, data and species for us is not only essential but rare and hard to find in the conditions we work in.”
Hickerson thanked the CMC, Tradewinds, and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Communications (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten for shining a spotlight on conservation, an aspect that is often “overlooked” at regattas.
“The fact that we all benefit from the environment in St. Maarten, the waters and the shore, is sometimes taken for granted so I want to thank you for the effort in acknowledging this aspect.”
In her remarks the Minister said: “The CMC highlights what makes St. Maarten special, world class sailing competition, international appeal and a strong connection to sports tourism and environmental responsibility.
“Environmental stewardship must remain at the heart of how we develop our tourism product. Protecting our maritime environment is not optional. It is essential to our long term resilience and economy. To the racers, may you have a safe regatta and strong competition.”
With racing under way on Thursday, CMC’s volunteer marketing director Stephen Burzon reminded that the 2nd Annual Great Bay Beach and Boardwalk Jamboree takes place off Great Bay Beach on January 31 with Diam 24 racing from 12:00pm to 3:00pm, an ideal opportunity for tourists and residents to watch the action from the second floor of the Dutch Blond Beach Bar.
From 3:00pm beach games take place opposite the Seaview Hotel. Bars and restaurants will be having Happy Hour from 5:00pm to 6:00pm followed by prize giving at Seaview Hotel Saturday night. The other prize giving ceremonies are held at the yacht club.
