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July 2016
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The fact that we have left the cleaning to be shouldered by others in society and future generations results in mosquito and other pest reproduction as well as problems with drainage and soil degradation, for example. Further downstream the nation suffers from flooding, polluted waterways and beaches. Waste, in this scenario, is harmful to the marine eco-system and tourism prospects leading to a loss of income for fishing communities and renders the fishery unsustainable. In perhaps the first public effort since the report, a group from a co-curricular course at the UWI which exposes students to service learning and community engagement, "Workplace Protocol for Students," teamed up with the Diego Martin Regional Corporation, Councillor for Chaguaramas/Point Cumana Enroy Slater, National 4-H Club, Tableland Pineapple Farmers Association, fisherfolk and residents to clean St Peter's Bay in Carenage of solid waste. Speaking on behalf of the group, Karen Siewnarine felt that communities need to take responsibility for their space and waste. “While it is important to understand that pollution has a negative effect on wildlife, communities and the economy, initiatives like ours can empower people to help keep our beaches clean and preserve the environment. We hope that this effort will continue along the coastline in the Carenage area.” Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Clarence Rambharat also supported and participated in the clean-up effort. “The clean-up highlighted the critical need for the country to develop a modern approach to waste management, particularly reducing, reusing, and recycling. Plastic bottles and other single-use containers continue to dominate the trash on our beaches and in our garbage. We must act,” he said. |
Recent reports show that Trinidad and Tobago generates approximately 14.4 kilogrammes of trash per capita per day – the highest in the world. Similar reports were refuted by the Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL) in 2015 and today, despite not collecting complete statistics, the physical evidence is most glaring.