In collaboration with the Jewel Foundation and HAVO 1 students, the Sint Maarten PRIDE foundation coordinated a cleanup of marine trash at the Guana Bay Point last week.
The rocky coastline of the Guana Bay Point was littered with plastic litter, much of it was washed up trash originating from our local and surrounding coasts.
The volunteers found countless plastic bottles, sneakers, fishermen rope,house hold objects, medicine bottles, a discarded fish trap and Styrofoam pieces from boating activities.
This activity is part of the Jewel Foundation program to engage young students in volunteer work and to expose them to the islands environment.
The Jewel foundation facilitators are Edna Rijkaard and Oldine Bryson Panthoplet, they meet with the students every Friday to keep an open communication on the progress of their school work. The Program is sponsored by Dutch funding agency AMFO.
Sint Maarten PRIDE foundation President explained to the students how important it is that we respect our beaches and coastlines, and while the Guana Bay Point is a rocky coast and not a beach, we must do all we can to stop trash from entering our oceans.
Students learned that trash in our oceans and trash along our coastlines can kill our marine wildlife, and by simply taking a reusable eco-shopping bag to pack groceries and volunteering in cleanup campaigns is one of many ways they can positively contribute to helping our planet and keeping our island clean.
Jadira Veen
Pictures courtesy Sint Maarten PRIDE foundation