The Department of Constituency Empowerment (DCE) is rolling out its Christmas Community Cleanup Caravan during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
In a joint effort among Parks and Beaches, the Skills Training Empowerment Programme (STEP), and the Alternative Lifestyle Pathway Programme, the DCE intends to promote improved, environmental spaces by undergoing an intense, island-wide cleanup campaign from Friday 9th December until Sunday 18th December, 2022.
Areas of interest for cleanup include beaches, parks, green spaces, cemeteries, verges, inner communities, and illegal dump sites.
Project Manager, Colincia Levine made an appeal to the public to take advantage of the Clean Up Campaign and outlined how the weekend cleanup will come about. She said, “Bins have been strategically placed in each constituency and I urge residents to dispose of their waste in the bins or place the waste discreetly along the main road. Over the weekend, movers will do community walk-throughs loading waste items into trucks that will be taken to the various bins. Additionally, the yards of identified vulnerable people will be landscaped.”
The Christmas Community Clean Up aims to not only address environmental matters but also to stimulate economies within the communities by utilizing service providers like landscapers, bin disposal companies, heavy machine operators and truckers within each constituency.
Minister of Environment et al, Hon. Dr. Joyelle Clarke said the cleanup campaign is critical as it will improve overall health and economic advantages.
She said, “Residents, without this kind of support would have otherwise been unable to properly and adequately dispose of trash and other unwanted items that are health and environmental hazards. It is therefore to the benefit of citizens, service providers and the Government that this project is initiated and sustained.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Sharon Rattan, said as a direct outcome of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) and also fulfilling the National Agenda relating to youth action, the Ministry will make a special call to youth volunteers to join the campaign to clean up and be more environmentally conscious. Another youth target group included students from the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College as Data Collectors.
