Businesses, residents, and reggae come together to make a real differencefor the Simpson Bay Lagoon at EPIC’s April 2nd fundraiser Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) will hold the second Love the Lagoon event this Saturday, April 2nd, at The Sand Bar in Yacht Club Isle de Sol in Simpson Bay. Entertainment will include a special performance by local reggae group Simple Stand as well as a raffle, silent auction, and exhibits about the lagoon.
EPIC is holding the fundraiser to purchase a sewage pump-out boat to service boats in the Simpson Bay Lagoon. The disposal of untreated sewage from land
and boats into this unique wetland, one of the largest lagoons in the West Indies, is a serious environmental and health problem. The pump-out initiative will provide boaters with a reliable, convenient, and affordable sewage disposal alternative. This concrete step towards a cleaner lagoon has received widespread support across the community, from residents and yachters to businesses like marinas, dive centers and restaurants on the lagoon.
EPIC President Natalia Collier says, "Making a pump-out boat available has been a long-term goal since EPIC began the Love the Lagoon project in 2007.
It is inspiring to see the broad support for this, clearly the community is concerned about water quality in the lagoon. Unlike some environmental issues, cleaning up the lagoon is one issue everyone seems to agree on."
"Pollution in the lagoon has long been one of the key environmental issues on the island," comments Manager of the St. Maarten Nature Foundation Tadzio
Bervoets, "so it’s great to see EPIC taking the initiative to address it."
Kass Johnson, President of The St. Maarten Marine Trades Association, points out that the environmental and aesthetic benefits of a cleaner lagoon aren’t
the only advantages the pump-out project will bring to the island: "We promote St. Maarten as the premier destination in the Caribbean for visiting yachts of all sizes, and the sewage pump-out boat will be a great addition to the other world-class services St. Maarten offers the yachting community."
The Love the Lagoon event starts at 7:00 pm this Saturday, April 2nd. A donation of $10 is suggested, but everyone is welcome. Guests must pre-register for the event in order to pass through security at Isle de Sol, by contacting event organizer Mark Yokoyama at mailto:ma**@ep*********.org> ma**@ep*********.org or calling 0690-88-56-42.
