Kingston & St. Andrew Festival Queen Launches Project to Safeguard Kingston Harbour
By: , April 3, 2019The Key Point:
Photo: Contributed
Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) 2018 Kingston and St. Andrew Festival Queen, Leneka Rhoden, addresses the official launch of her outreach initiative 'iAspire Project Blue,' at the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), Palisadoes Park, recently.The Facts
- Dubbed ‘iAspire Project Blue’, the initiative, which began in September 2018, seeks to raise awareness about the historical and cultural significance of the harbour to Jamaica as well as the effects of pollution on the important marine resource.
- Miss Rhoden told JIS News that a key objective is to address improper disposal of garbage in the Margaret and Paradise Street gullies, which are the main sources of pollution of the harbour.
The Full Story
The 2018 Kingston and St. Andrew Festival Queen, Leneka Rhoden, is undertaking a project to safeguard the Kingston Harbour and stimulate the blue economy.
Dubbed ‘iAspire Project Blue’, the initiative, which began in September 2018, seeks to raise awareness about the historical and cultural significance of the harbour to Jamaica as well as the effects of pollution on the important marine resource.
Miss Rhoden told JIS News that a key objective is to address improper disposal of garbage in the Margaret and Paradise Street gullies, which are the main sources of pollution of the harbour.
“When a bag juice is thrown on the streets, what happens is that the rain washes it down through the gullies and it goes into the harbour and this threatens the marine life,” she pointed out.
The project includes an essay competition under the theme ‘Environmental Economics’ and wellness and awareness walks along the harbor to educate persons about its economic value, with residents of Harbour View and volunteers already participating in one such activity.
“Persons learnt about the ecological, economic and recreational uses of the harbour,” Miss Rhoden noted.
The Kingston and St. Andrew Festival Queen is also looking to leverage science and innovation in preserving the harbour.
Several partners have come on board to assist with the execution of the project. These include scientific research and development enterprise, e-Biome; Caribbean Maritime University (CMU); JAMBIN; Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica and over 400 volunteers and residents within the vicinity of the harbour.
Miss Rhoden informed that a clean-up exercise will be undertaken on April 7, to remove plastic and other debris from the mangroves along the Port Royal main road, while a similar exercise will take place on April 13, from the Rae Town Fishing Village to the Kingston Craft Market.
One of the requirements of the annual Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Festival Queen competition is that parish winners undertake a community development project.