US Ambassador launches second series of ‘Guyana Shines’ school visits
Written by Shirley Thomas, Friday, 01 February 2013 23:09, Source
UNITED States Ambassador to Guyana, D. Brent Hardt yesterday officially launched the second series of school visits in the‘Guyana Shines’ project at St. Joseph’s High School,
Woolford Avenue, with the support of other diplomatic partners, civil society organizations and the Ministry of Education, among others.
A section of the students gathered at St. Joseph’s High School for the launch of the second school series of ‘Guyana Shines’
Representing these entities which all form a part of ‘Guyana Shines’ were High Commissioner to Canada, His Excellency David Devine; British High Commissioner, His Excellency Andrew Ayre; Resident Representative of the European Union, Mr. Robert Kopecky, Chief Education Officer, Mr. Olato Sam; Headmistress of St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Mrs. Gail Primo; Youth Challenge Guyana representative, Dmitri Nicholson, and Miss India Worldwide, Alana Seebarran.
However, the focus was mainly on the scores of students gathered in the auditorium who will have a major role to play in the execution of the project which seeks to encourage the people of Guyana to embrace civic activism and to come together as communities to find solutions to the litter problem.
The United States Ambassador was introduced by Miss India Worldwide, Alana Seebarran.
Ambassador Brent Hardt and Chief Education Officer, Mr. Olatto Sam greet students at the forum.
Launched on Earth Day last year at St. Margaret’s Primary School, Guyana Shines, the Community Clean-up Challenge, was the brainchild of Ambassador and Mrs. Brent Hardt whose vision it was to work with people in communities in Guyana, to restore the country’s natural shine.
Ambassador Hardt said, “I firmly believe that educating young people is one of the best ways to transform the attitudes of an entire country, for I have seen this work in the United States when I was a young person and we faced similar challenges.”
The Ambassador said he looks forward to visiting each and every school so that together they can deepen the commitment of the young people of Guyana to take care of their environment.
He said that through Guyana Shines, his team - including representatives of Embassies and High Commissions, during last year reached out to some 15 schools across Georgetown. There they delivered presentations to increase awareness of the harmful effects of littering and pollution, and to encourage students to make environmentally friendly decisions and, most importantly, to take action to be part of the solution. This year, they hope to reach 50 more schools across the city.
Meanwhile, school presentations for this year have been modified to leave students with concrete information about opportunities for recycling in Guyana and where they can send their waste in return for cash. They will be taught to make compost heaps and most importantly how to spread awareness and inspire others to care about the environment, the Ambassador said.
Ambassador Hardt addresses the students during the launch of the project. Seated from left are Canadian High Commissioner, H.E. David Devine; British High Commissioner, H.E. Andrew Ayre; Resident Representative of the European Union, Mr. Robert Kopecky; Chief Education Officer, Mr. Olato Sam and Miss India Worldwide, Alana Seebarran. (Adrian Narine photos)
TWO CONTESTS
Another important feature at yesterday’s ceremony in targeting students was the announcement by Ambassador Hardt of two separate contests for the environment. The first is known as the 2013 Innovation and Creativity Contest : ‘Looking for New Ways to Reduce our Ecological Footprint’ and the second is: ‘The 2013 Wildlife Drawing Contest’.
The Wildlife Drawing Contest, for students ages eight to eleven was officially opened, yesterday, and all drawings are due to be delivered to the Embassy by April 30. This contest invites participants to draw a picture of the beautiful wildlife in Guyana and explain why wildlife conservation is important. Ambassador Hardt said the 12 best drawings will be featured in a wildlife calendar for 2014, to help promote awareness on protection for wildlife.
Meanwhile, the ‘2013 Innovation and Creativity Contest’ is open to students ages 12- 16 throughout South America. Students are invited to submit research proposals, offering innovative solutions to environmental problems, such as waste disposal, recycling, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, water conservation and biodiversity.
The contest will focus on innovation and creativity, and fundamental traits in the application of science to the world’s environmental challenges. That contest opens on February 25, and applications are due by April 30. Winners of the contest will be announced on June 5, World Environment Day. Additional information on both contests can be found on the US Embassy’s official website at http://georgetown.usembassy.gov, and their Facebook site.
Ambassador Hardt gratefully acknowledged the part played by the stakeholders, including representatives of Embassies and High Commissions, students and other volunteers, in making Guyana Shines the success it turned out to be last year. He assured that all those partners are extremely pleased to be a part of such an important initiative that lends support to the cleaning up and restoration of communities of Guyana.
Noting that their work has never stopped, he added, “Our motivation and our goal in creating Guyana Shines is to encourage and mobilize citizens and communities to maintain a clean environment, address the serious littering problem, and return Guyana to its former splendor as the Garden City of the Caribbean.”
He emphasized that a clean environment is important for public health, for maintaining Guyana’s extraordinary biodiversity, and for encouraging tourism development.
“It helps keep waterways from becoming clogged – which makes flooding less likely and improves the quality of life for everyone.” He alluded to the recent [dilemma] high tides when the Liliendaal pumps could not be turned on because they were blocked by garbage, resulting in damage to nearby properties…So we can see that trash is not just an eyesore, but something that can threaten lives, property and public health,” he stated.
And giving an update on the pluses scored through the Guyana Shines initiative, the US envoy took pride in highlighting:
* Support for a number of hands-on, clean-up projects with specific Georgetown neighbourhoods, bringing communities in a common action
* Working together with local communities in Lodge, Tucville, East La Penitence and Festival City to clean up these neighbourhoods and make them shine
* Donation of tools and cleaning implements, including rake, hoe, wheelbarrow, broom and gloves for community clean-ups.
* The fostering of a sense of unity and harmonious relations as people came together for a common goal.
Last year’s most successful clean-up, the Ambassador said, was the one in November involving the Festival City Youth and Parent Organization (FCYPO). There were 40 volunteers who hailed from Guyana Shines, as well as Habitat for Humanity; University of Guyana’s Eco Trust Society, Scotia Bank, Youth Media Guyana, Marian Academy and the Rotaract Club of Georgetown Central.
“To me, this reflects a deep-seated desire for the people of Guyana to live in a beautiful, healthy environment,” Ambassador Hardt concluded.
Meanwhile, representatives of the diplomatic community present had words of encouragement for the students and urged them to see the responsibility for cleaning of garbage and sensitizing persons to creating a litter-free environment as theirs.
Chief Education Officer, Mr. Olato Sam, on behalf of the Ministry of Education and the people of Guyana, expressed appreciation to the US Ambassador and team for taking the initiative. He concurred with the US Ambassador that where orchestrating behavioural change is concerned, our younger children have the greatest impact in making things happen. “And I think the message today is very clear, that we all have a part to play in making this happen … and so this message would have resonated well with all of you, and that you take it and spread it as far and wide as possible and that we can all pool our resources collectively to make this work,” Mr. Sam said.
He urged them to begin to emulate some of the practices and initiatives put forward by the key players, hoping that each would understand, appreciate and internalise the importance of the task at hand and work towards creating a better tomorrow for all.