Sagicor volunteers clean foreshore

Regional financial services entity Sagicor partnered with the Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development (CNIRD), the country co-ordinator of the International Coastal Clean Up for TT and the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN), to do a coastal clean-up at the Foreshore Lookout, Audrey Jeffers Highway, on August 6.

A media release said the clean-up collected over 485 kgs (1,070 lbs) of garbage, including three tyres, two suitcases and even washing-machine parts. It was supported by almost 40 team members from Sagicor General Insurance Inc (SGI), Sagicor Investments TT Ltd, and CYEN volunteers.

It was part of a wider, regional beach clean-up collaboration with the CYEN subregional office in Barbados, with the Barbados team collecting 149 kgs (328 lbs) of debris, the release said.

The campaign is scheduled for other territories in the southern Caribbean.

Keston Howell, president and CEO of SGI, said, “As small-island states, environmental issues impact us first, and with our economies dependent on tourism, including eco-tourism, it is vital that citizens invest in better mitigation practices, in addition to maintaining our physical environment. Supporting the work of organisations such as the CYEN and the CNIRD that work tirelessly to keep our coastlines clean, not just for human enjoyment and safety, but also for the protection of the flora and fauna that surround us, is something that all of us should be invested in.”

Executive director Marissa Mohamed from the CNIRD agreed.

“Marine litter has long been one of the most urgent and imminent threats to all oceans and coastal areas, including on the shorelines of TT. Clean-up initiatives, such as this one at the foreshore, will reduce the likelihood of injury or death to wildlife, minimise the threats to sensitive habitats, increase the natural aesthetic beauty of our beaches, which in turn raises the recreational value and tourism quality of these resources; and reduce the risk posed to human health and safety.

“We at the CNIRD are optimistic that TT’s society will continue to adopt wiser choices in our waste disposal habits. We look forward to continued and welcome new collaborations and synergies, just as we did with Sagicor in stemming the tide of marine litter.”

The CNIRD invites citizens to participate in the International Coastal Clean-up, which will take place on September 17 in 100-plus countries worldwide, including TT.