Appeal by the Prime Minister for National Clean-up Weekend - October 13, 2000

Appeal by

Prime Minister Dr. Kenny D. Anthony for

National Clean-up Weekend

Fellow St. Lucians,

Citizens of St. Lucia,

One and all,

Last year, the young members of the St. Lucia National Trust Youth Club made our nation proud. With virtually no resources of their own, they challenged us to join them in launching a national clean-up project. We accepted the challenge and the nation observed the first National Clean-up Day on October 31, 1999.

I recall the dedication of those young members of the National Trust to the cause and the task they undertook. They criss-crossed the country and canvassed people in their homes, in their towns and villages, in their communities. They urged everyone to participate in this worthy exercise.

It wasn’t easy for our young people. They can recall episodes when the going was tough, but seasoned as they are to the cause of the environment, they soldiered on. They solicited help from all and sundry, as they sold this wonderfully encouraging idea to the country.

The country listened last year. According to the Report on the First National Clean-up Day compiled and produced by the young members of the St. Lucia National Trust Youth Club, over two dozen private sector companies, institutions and organisations made cash and material contributions to a fund to help organise this national activity. Government departments and agencies contributed material and human resources.

Particularly interesting and encouraging last year was the participation of our teachers and students. Over fifty schools participated in one way or another.

In addition, several communities and neighbourhoods took the occasion to do their bit to make and keep their communities clean.

October 2000 is here and it’s time for this year’s National Clean-up exercise. This time around, however, the National Trust Youth Club assessed, from its experience last year, that the scope of this exercise is beyond their capacity to coordinate nationally. As a result, the St. Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority has graciously consented to take on the role of coordinating agency, utilising its existing nationwide infrastructure to facilitate the exercise. In addition, almost fifty organisations, institutions, agencies, groups, bodies and associations have come forward to participate.

So positive has been the response to date that the Ministry of Education has promised over 100 schools will participate. All the organisations and entities that participated last year continue to show similar interest this year and more are coming on board.

It has therefore been proposed, and accepted, that this year we will have a National Clean-up Weekend, beginning Friday October 27^th, continuing on Saturday October 28^th and ending on Sunday, October 29^th.

It is expected that over that weekend, every family, organisation, company and individual will in one way or another do something to clean-up the environment and keep the country clean.

Through this address, therefore, I repeat an earlier call made in writing to all Cabinet Ministers to ensure that all Government Ministries and Departments offer any and all help that is necessary and possible for the successful realisation of National Clean-up Day.

I call especially upon the Local Government bodies –- the established city, town and village councils and other bodies – to mobilise their sanitation and other solid waste handling facilities, equipment and resources for use in their respective communities on that date.

I appeal to those private sector companies and corporate entities at the national and community levels to throw their best corporate support behind this worthy venture.

I appeal to those private and public sector entities whose operations generate litter such as plastics, bottles, tires, chemicals and other forms of waste to be particularly considerate in their support of this project.

I appeal to those engaged in handling of solid waste, those with heavy equipment, trucking and transport, to offer to help for that just one day, when the nation will need all the tools and equipment we can muster to gather and safely dispose of waste.

And most of all, I appeal to every single St. Lucian, to every single person on this fair island of ours, to community groups, to non-governmental organisations, to Mothers & Fathers Groups, to Lions and Leos, to Rotarians, to churches, to youth and sports groups, to put your hands together with those of the rest of your group or your family, in your neighbourhood and your community, at home or at work, at school or at play, during National Clean-up Weekend.

Let’s get together and realise the motto of the St. Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority, this year’s coordinating agency, which reminds us every day that "a cleaner environment is everyone’s business."

Let’s clean-up our environment, let’s make our country even more beautiful by participating in National Clean-up Weekend on October 27^th, 28^th and 29^th.

I’ll see you there.

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