BASSETERRE – In line with its commitment to managing plastic waste, the Department of Environment hosted its Annual Coastal Clean-up on Friday, November 28. This initiative reinforces the message conveyed earlier in the week at the National Recycling School Competition Award Ceremony: achieving a Sustainable Island State is only possible with the active participation of our youth.
This vision aligns with the National Coastal Clean-up, which partners with secondary schools every year to promote coastal and marine conservation through hands-on engagement. Five schools participated this year: Washington Archibald Secondary, Cayon Secondary, Denzil Llewellyn Douglas Secondary, Basseterre Secondary, and Charles E. Mills Secondary. They were joined by Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, which also contributed to marine life advocacy through its partnership with the PROMAR Project.
The day began at 8:30 a.m, with students transported to designated beaches from their schools. Each school group, consisting of up to thirty (30) Form 4 and 5 students, was provided with gloves, garbage bags, and data cards to catalog the waste collected upon arrival to their designated beach. After two hours of cleaning, the groups reconvened to tally, weigh, and record the debris. On the day over five hundred pounds of waste were collected, with a significant portion being plastic.
This underscored the importance of plastic waste management and regulation, a need addressed by the passing of the Single-Use Plastic Bill in late 2024 which targeted some significant single use plastic items, and the recent implementation of the National Conservation and Environmental Management Act 2025.
The event concluded at Frigate Bay Lawn, where participants and sponsors gathered for refreshments a. The Honourable Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Environment, Climate Action, and Constituency Empowerment, addressed the students, thanking them for their enthusiastic participation and emphasizing their essential role in protecting our environment and coastlines for the future.
The Director of the Department of Environment, Mr. Derionne Edmeade added his appreciation for the level of participation by the schools and students given some setbacks that cause the event to be postponed from the month of September to November.
“It is turnouts likes this, even given the earlier issues we encountered that tells me the work we are doing at the department is reaping fruits and the younger generations are onboard and willing to be a part of ensuring a sustainable future,” he expressed.
The day wrapped up with a group photo, capturing a shared sense of accomplishment and environmental stewardship.