Keep Waterways and Coastlines Garbage Free – NEPA

As Jamaica prepares to observe International Coastal Clean-up Day (ICCD) on Saturday (September 17), the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is urging persons to keep waterways and coastlines free of garbage.

“Of course, we don’t want to have persons swimming in garbage; and so, we encourage them, please keep our coastal areas clean,” pleaded NEPA’s Senior Public Education and Community Outreach Officer, Ava Tomlinson.

“Also, keep the drains inland clean so that, when it rains heavily, the water will not carry the garbage through the drains, the ravines, the gullies and take it into the coastal areas,” she urged.

Ms. Tomlinson was speaking in a recent interview with JIS Radio during which she shared NEPA’s plans to commemorate ICCD 2022.

The day, observed annually on the third Saturday of September, is the largest global volunteer event.

This year, activities will be carried out locally under the theme: ‘Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica’.

Ms. Tomlinson noted that as the public agency tasked with ensuring environmental protection and orderly development, NEPA has a keen interest in the state of Jamaica’s coastline and marine space.

As such, the entity will be in four locations islandwide, all within protected areas, cleaning up sections of the coastline for ICCD 2022.

The areas are the Orange Bay Fishing Beach and Half Moon Bay in Green Island, Hanover, on Friday, September 16; and the Shipwreck Beach in the Palisadoes Port Royal Protected Area, and White River in the Ocho Rios Marine Park and Protected Area, on Saturday, September 17.

Garbage cleared from these areas will be tabulated and shared with the ICCD national coordinator, the Jamaica Environment Trust, as the national contribution to the clean-up effort.

The data will, thereafter, be submitted to the international coordinators of the ICCD 2022.

Ms. Tomlinson shared that within the Ocho Rios Marine Park and Protected Area, the agency is also hosting a competition to engage youth in the parishes of St. Ann and St. Mary.

“The ‘Garbage-Free Seas Competition’ is for youth from age six to 19 years. If you are 6 to 10 years, you can create a poster; if you are 11 to 19 years, you can create a one minute video and the theme for this is ‘Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica’. Youth have until the 16th [of September] to create their poster or video,” Ms. Tomlinson explained.

Submissions should be made via email to protectedareas@nepa.gov.jm.

NEPA’s activities to commemorate ICCD 2022 are being undertaken in partnership with the several government, private sector, and non-government organisations.