The Keep Grand Bahama Clean Committee (KGBC), along with some of its partnering members BNT, MOT, and Sanitation Services, installed a sign this past week on Coral Road to continue to spread awareness about the negative impacts of pollution and to encourage residents to be environmental stewards. The newly erected sign on Coral Road represents the ongoing campaign by KGBC to promote cleanliness and environmental awareness through eye-catching, engaging and humorous promotional signs posted around the island.
Olethea Gardiner, KGBC Co-Chairperson, narrated the start of this campaign, “the KGBC committee introduced the puppetry element into school presentations in 2010 to send a fun but important message of protecting our environment and keeping our communities clean.” She went on to add that “as the puppets are becoming a familiar KGBC fixture through the presentations and TV commercials, we wanted to make them a constant reminder with catchy slogans for all residents to do their part in keeping our environment clean.” Gardiner is pleased by the successful reception of this campaign thus far and she exclaims that it is always a joy to hear the students say that they know Chris (the puppet) from the signs on the road. She noted that the recent signage bearing the puppets was implemented as a result of a competition among the Eco-schools during the past school year, to create environmental slogans that could be identified with culturally. So, this effort also recognizes the winning entries from students of Bishop Michael Eldon High School.
Ellsworth Weir, Grand Bahama Parks Manager for the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) spoke to the long-term collaboration between BNT and KGBC and explained that “initiatives like these help to spread the word to the public that they should be more conscious about their environment.” He further went on to explain the adverse impacts that occur when Grand Bahamians are not environmentally aware including impacts to our health and the spread of pollution within our land and marine ecosystems. Weir added that in addition to the negative effects on our health and environment, littering our island is also “unsightly and creates a negative image for us, especially being a touristic based nation” and that we should always ensure that our best image is being portrayed to the public.
Weir concluded by reinforcing his unwavering support for the many great initiatives of the Keep Grand Bahama Clean Committee and reminded the public that BNT is also a membership organization. “We encourage persons to also become members of the Bahamas National Trust for a small fee of $30 a year,” Weir added, “and with that, you get a card that allows for free admission to any National Parks here, in Jamaica, and in Europe.” Weir noted that membership to the BNT is also a great way to know that you are supporting the environment and to keep you in touch with initiatives happening across the island both within BNT and KGBC.
Pauline Wells, Ministry of Tourism Executive, remarked that she was also thrilled to be a part of such a beneficial campaign that seeks to enact real change within the community. She explained that “taking part in an event like this is important not only for the Ministry of Tourism and our visitors, but it also raises awareness that we should continue to make great strides to keep our environment clean.”
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