PHILIPSBURG:---Members from the Dutch Representation Offices of Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten picked up 460 pounds of trash on Mullet Bay Beach during a cleanup organized by Environmental Protection in The Caribbean (EPIC).
The cleanup was part of the two-day program for the annual ‘joint-meeting’ of the three offices. This annual event focuses on teambuilding between its members. Other activities included in the program were presentations about common heritage by archeologist Jay Haviser, a discussion about the current economy by SHTA and an island tour.
EPIC’s Grant and Office Manager Tanya Power-Stevens kicked off the cleanup by talking about the current projects EPIC is involved in, such as mapping and maintenance of hiking trails, research into the economic value of the Simpson Bay Lagoon and a number of environmental education activities.
The 24 participating members of the Dutch Representation were asked to collect and sort the waste so that it could be recycled at Meadowlands. “We are always happy to show our colleagues from the other islands the beauty of Sint Maarten. However, a beach cleanup like this reminds us that there is also a lot to be done. We commend EPIC for their continued work aimed at improving the environment on our island and in the region,” said Chris Johnson, head of the Dutch Representation Office on Sint Maarten.
At the end of the cleanup Johnson presented board members of EPIC with a donation on behalf of the Dutch Representation Offices to go towards their many environmental efforts.
"EPIC is grateful for the continued support of its programs by the Dutch Representation office on Sint Maarten. The cleanup held this past week once again underscores the importance of the environmental education and outreach programs aimed at encouraging the general public to dispose of their waste responsibly as well as the need for Sint Maarten to implement comprehensive waste management systems and strategies,” states Rueben Thompson, member of EPIC’s board.
