Tourism Leads Beach Cleanup on Cockleshell Beach

Basseterre, St. Kitts– (21th August, 2013): The St. Kitts Tourism Authority in collaboration with the Parks and Beaches Unit and other stakeholders of the tourism sector recently conducted a beach cleanup on Cockleshell at the South East Peninsula.

More than three tons of garbage was collected from the area, said Goldha Franks, who is the Assistant Manager in the Product Standard and Cruise Department of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority.

“Cockleshell beach is one of our most popular sites for tourists to visit,” Franks said. “And with the tourist season about to start in a couple of months, particularly the cruise sector, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority felt it was necessary that the area was cleaned to give our visitors the best possible experience.”

Franks said more than 20 workers from the Parks and Beaches Unit took part in the cleanup effort, with Kantours providing the transportation, gloves, trash bags, three employees and pastries. Akimba Demming, of Kittitian Taxi & Tours also made a contribution of trash bags towards the cleanup effort. The Public Works Department provided a backhoe and truck to clear away overgrown bushes and piles of debris. The St. Kitts Scenic Railway made a contribution of beverages, for the workers who spent more than four hours picking up garbage along the entire stretch of the beach.

Acting CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, Carolyn James, said she was extremely grateful for the support from the stakeholders in contributing to the cleanup.

“This was indeed a great example of how the public and private sector can work together in protecting our tourism product,” James said. “However, this is more than just about tourism, because it is so important that we keep our country clean, and all of us have a responsibility to ensure that St. Kitts remains one of the most beautiful island in the Caribbean, so that we can all enjoy it.”

James further explained that the business of tourism is fast becoming a direct and vital contributor to the livelihoods of thousands of citizens and residents, and the multiplier effect from tourism-related expenditure impacts production in other sectors of the economy – such as agriculture, local fisheries, handicrafts, entertainment, real estate, creative design, engineering, and construction.

“The tourism sector is vitally important to our country and we all need to better understand, support, and protect tourism as one of the key drivers of our economy,” James said. “It is imperative that each of us better appreciates the value of tourism to our local economy, in ensuring that this vital sector is competitive and remains sustainable in the years to come.”