LITTLE BAY POND:--- On Sunday, November 2nd, St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) partnered with the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten to host a community clean-up, which gathered 65 volunteers. From 7:00 am to 9:00 am, volunteers donned gloves and picked up garbage littering the roadside and the banks of Little Bay Pond, accumulating 5 truckloads. Throughout the clean-up, volunteers discovered abandoned car parts and industrial equipment, as well as countless empty glass/plastic bottles and an excessive amount of Styrofoam food containers. These waste materials pose a danger to the ecosystem and especially to the animals that inhabit the pond.
The event aimed to restore and preserve one of the island’s key ecological sites. It reinforced SMMC’s commitment to protecting Blue Forest ecosystems, a value that directly inspired the interior design concept of the St. Maarten General Hospital (SMGH). The hospital’s focus on community, culture, and the environment drives meaningful projects that enhance the overall well-being of the island and its people.
At the end of the clean-up, hosts from the Nature Foundation led volunteers on a bird-watching tour to showcase the various birds at Little Bay Pond.
SMMC and the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten thank the faculty and students of Learning Unlimited, the students of St. Dominic High School, the clients and group leaders of Sr. Basilia Center, the Teen Times members, the Belair and Cay Hill Communities, as well as SMMC staff volunteers for their vital contributions to the success of this event.
SMMC and the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten urge citizens of St. Maarten to refrain from littering and to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible, as poor waste management affects not only wildlife but also the quality of life for all island inhabitants.
