Keep Grand Bahama Clean Marks 20 Years As Fight Against Littering Continues

Advertisement

GRAND BAHAMA – For 20 years, Keep Grand Bahama Clean has been taking its message into schools, communities and onto beaches across the island.

And along the way, that effort has grown into a much larger partnership.

Brittney Baldwin, President of the Bahamas Environmental Recycling Initiative, or BERI, says for newer environmental groups like hers, that support has made a difference.

“ We feel that we have joined an incredible family of environmental partners, and when one makes a call, all of the organizations respond. So I find that Grand Baha- Keep Grand Bahama Clean is the center point of where all our organizations can come together to where we then make a, the greatest impact on our island”

But even with more organizations working together, there’s still a problem they’re trying to get under control.

Trash is still being dumped in areas where it doesn’t belong, including some of Grand Bahama’s well fields.

Kyanti Dixon, well field officer at Grand Bahama Utility Company, says that doesn’t just create an eyesore, it can put an important natural resource at risk.

“ We see a lot of illegal dumping throughout the island, especially in our well fields, and it’s something. It’s a great issue that we’ve been having for years and years to come. Um, but we hope that it reduces over time as the education gets out there.”

And for those with old appliances and other bulky household items to get rid of, sanitation services says there is a proper place for them.

Landfill Manager Felix Bright urging residents not to leave those items on the side of the road.

“ If you’ve got your refrigerator or things like that that you have that you wanna throw out, rather than throwing it out on the side of the street, you can bring them to the landfill and you can dispose of them free of charge.”

But a cleaner Grand Bahama is about more than just where the trash ends up.

It can also make a difference in how the island is seen by the people who visit it.

Jermaine Johnson, who manages the Sustainable Tourism Development Department for the Grand Bahama office, says cleanliness is an important part of making the destination feel welcoming.

“ In order to ensure that our tourists are coming to a place that’s, you know, that gives the impression of being inviting, this is what cleanliness does. You know, dirt says one thing, and a clean environment says another thing. It gives the impression of, “Hey, I’m invited.” It gives the impression of being safe, secure.”