Clean up campaign in Rodney Bay

The Youth Skills Development (YSD) Program of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Unit in Ministry of Education, in collaboration with Jus’ Sail, recently held a litter clean up activity  in commemoration of Earth Day.
The idea for the activity came while the YSD crew were undertaking a training session on board Jus’ Sail’s vessel, Good Expectation, when a large quantity of litter washed into the Rodney Bay lagoon after heavy rains. The plastic bottles, styrofoam containers, nylon bags and other discarded debris struck an ugly chord with the crew and highlighted the island’s litter problem. During the clean up activity, litter was collected from various points in the lagoon and brought back to the recycling facility at the IGY Rodney Bay Marina for sorting.
Greening the Caribbean’s Wayne Neale was on hand to explain the separation and recycling process, and the practical aspects of developing a sustainable solid waste management strategy.
The activity served to inform and educate the students, and is timely as it coincides with the national campaign against Zika that stresses proper disposal of used food and drink containers.
YSD and Jus’ Sail collaborated with the IGY Rodney Bay Marina, the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) and the recycling company Greening the Caribbean for the April 22 activity.
Jus’ Sail is training students as part of the Youth Skills Development Program with the TVET Unit over three cohorts, with fifty students receiving an introduction to the marine sector. As part of the program it is hoped that students will gain a greater respect for the natural environment and learn about the impact of careless human activity on our island.