Five Mangrove Reserve communities to compete for cleanest village

Apr 25, 2012 News

Residents of five villages that comprise the Golden Grove to Belfield

Members of the Minding Guyana Mangrove Reserves Group

Mangrove Reserve are expected to vie for a $100,000 prize being offered for the cleanest community. Judging of the competition will take place in August.
The attractive prize is being offered by the Mangrove Reserve Women Agriculture Producers (MRWAP) of the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP) which recently copped the Caribbean Tourism Organisation 2012 Award for Biodiversity Conservation.
The villages which are eligible are those within the Mangrove Reserves namely Golden Grove, Nabaclis, Cove and John, Victoria and Belfield on the East Coast of Demerara.
The “cleanest village” competition was one of several strategies arrived at by members of MRWAP who have joined the ‘Minding Guyana’ group in an effort to do something about the eyesore, health threats and stench of accumulating garbage caused by littering and improper waste disposal in their communities.
The decision was made by the women’s group during a meeting on Sunday, last, at the Mangrove Visitors Centre. A group of final year Civil Engineering students of the University of Guyana’s Faculty of Technology were special invitees.
These students have agreed to support the women by using their technical knowledge to find innovative and effective means of disposal and/or recycling of plastic garbage.
During the meeting, members also agreed on several other measures including the establishment of skips (large bins) at the eastern and western boundaries; support for the garbage collection and disposal efforts of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC); and dissemination of information to increase public awareness on the ills of littering and/or improper garbage disposal. Visible no littering signs will be placed at the entrance and exit of the reserve.
Chairperson of the Mangrove Action Committee, Mrs. Annette Arjoon-Martins, who interfaces with the women as part of the GMRP alternative livelihoods programme, headed the discussions and assured the women of GMRP’s support on their initiative.
The group conducts a nature tourism programme at the Mangrove Visitors Centre and Reserve which attracts an average of 200 visitors each month and over 3,000 students since its commissioning last July.
Chairperson of the group, Mrs. Carlotta DeJesus, said that apart from the eyesore and health hazards, the garbage problem poses a direct threat to their nature tourism programme.
She disclosed that Guyoil had provided the group with signage for public awareness in the campaign and that members were very grateful for this support.
The group will meet at least once monthly to review progress and plan ahead with helping villagers within the Mangrove Reserve to keep their environment garbage-free.
The members will also work along with the Police to encourage legal action against persons who persist in littering and improper garbage disposal.

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