Seawalls and Beyond… Volunteer Group helping to preserve aesthetics of treasured landmark – “We are not merely a volunteer cleanup crew, but also a nature-loving community that seeks to demonstrate, educate and advocate…” – lead volunteer

Mar 15, 2021 Features / Columnists

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By Rehanna Ramsay

Kaieteur News – The Georgetown seawall is beyond question one of the city’s most treasured landmarks. The massive slab of concrete bordering the coastlands which has been protecting its inhabitants from the roaring Atlantic oceans which lie beyond since the mid-1900s, is also one of the hottest hangout spots in the city, especially on Sunday evenings.
However, social activities have resulted in the serial dumping of waste along the popular site leading to major concerns about pollution.
Within the past months, the one small volunteer group dedicated its energies towards cleaning up and beautifying the Georgetown seawalls. But its noble efforts have not gone unnoticed. They morphed into a popular feature on social media, generating much- needed public attention and praise.
Under the official page name; Seawalls and Beyond, several posts have circulated on Facebook urging citizens to do their part to keep the space free from litter, garbage piles and other unsightly materials.
According to Dwayne Hackett, one of the founding members of the environmental group, the idea is to get Guyanese to become more conscious of the beauty of the seawalls and its potential as a tourist attraction.
Hackett explained that the ultimate goal is to get citizens to change their behaviour and show more care for the aesthetics along the shorelines of coastal Georgetown.
“We are not merely a volunteer cleanup crew but also a nature-loving community that seeks to demonstrate, educate and advocate. We have been urging people through our efforts to show some more consideration for the seawalls, to take with them whatever litter they brought to the seawalls whenever they visit and help us to preserve and improve the beautiful structure that we all enjoy at some points of our life,” Hackett said.
He explained that the beautification initiative was birthed from a place patriotism and genuine care for the environment. According to him, what was a simple conversation between virtual strangers with common environmental convictions last July, led the laudable citizens’ initiative now known as “Seawalls and Beyond.”
“It was not something we planned. It just happened. I would usually visit the seawalls with my son, it‘s a place l like to go, and I became a more frequent visitor during the lockdown due to the pandemic. The seawall is almost always littered with garbage, which always bothered me… One day, sometime mid last year, I was out there and saw a gentleman cleaning the area by himself and we started to talk about it… I eventually joined him and that’s how the group got started,” added Hackett.
Ever since that meeting, Hackett said there have been several other meet ups, with many like-minded citizens who just want to help maintain the cleanliness of the seawalls and its surrounding spaces.

He explained that while the first sanitation exercise by the group was more of “an emergency intervention,” volunteers still meet once per month to maintain the efforts.
“We had help from a number of organizations and individuals. We have had help from the Lion’s Club, the University of Guyana, random individuals and even families would lend a helping hand from time to time,” Hackett explained.
He added that the First Lady of Guyana, Arya Ali was also instrumental in helping to promote the initiative.
“The First Lady was really helpful in spreading awareness about what we do. There are also those persons who helped by making donations; they give us items like gloves and garbage bags and other basic cleaning supplies to help us clear the garbage,” Hackett added.
During the interview, the Seawalls and Beyond representative stressed on beautifying the aesthetics of the seawalls given its potential as a charming destination for eco-tourism.
He noted too, that Seawalls and Beyond understands that environmental cleanliness and beautification can only be achieved and maintained if all stakeholders are actively involved.
“We just want people to understand our vision and change their behaviour towards littering, so that we can realize the full potential of our beautiful country,” Hackett stressed.
As such, Hackett said that the group is open to the input of citizens as well as State authorities and agencies to do their part.
Meanwhile in a recent public awareness campaign, the group has emphasized that dumping of solid waste into waterways such as drains, trenches, canals, and rivers directly into the ocean is posing a daily problem.
Seawalls and Beyond noted too, that such activities pose a grave danger to all marine life while adding, that they are a threat to the fisheries sector in particular.
On one hand, the group called for all citizens to be responsible in their role in keeping the environment clean by taking home their garbage after outings, picnics, parties, etc; using waste collection receptacles where available; reducing the amount of waste generated; stopping the dumping and littering of solid waste into waterways and on public spaces and by participating in individual and community clean-up activities.
On the other hand, Seawalls and beyond appealed to the Central Government, Local Governments and all relevant State Agencies to launch and maintain country-wide public education and awareness campaigns on solid waste management issues to ensure that waste disposal and collection systems are adequate and functioning efficiently. He also called for them to actively pursue the establishment of plastic recycling facilities in Guyana; to build strong relationships with the private sector with the aim of solving waste management and environmental issues; and to enforce the anti-littering and anti-pollution laws that are already in existence.

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