U.S. embassy launches ‘phase two’ of “Guyana Shines” project

The United States (U.S.) embassy in collaboration with the Education Ministry last Friday launched the second phase of the ‘Guyana Shines’ project aimed at promoting environmental awareness among youth.
“Our goal, our motivation in creating ‘Guyana Shines’ is to encourage and mobilise citizens and communities to maintain a clean environment, address the serious littering problem and return Guyana to its former splendour as the Garden City of the Caribbean,” U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt said while addressing students of the St Josephs High School.
The ‘Guyana Shines’ initiative was launched on Earth Day last year and seeks to encourage Guyanese to embrace civic activism and to come together to find solutions to the litter problem. The project also reaches out to schools to increase awareness of the harmful effects of littering and pollution. It also encourages the students to make environmentally-friendly decision when it comes to disposing of their garbage.
Hardt said that so far the initiative has supported a number of projects within specific neighbourhoods in Georgetown and dubbed the recent clean-up at Festival City as being the most successful thus far. “These clean-ups have brought communities together in common action and it has been fun to participate and to see people coming together for a common goal,” he added.
The ambassador noted that it is important to maintain a clean environment so as to protect public health and maintaining Guyana’s extraordinary biodiversity, as well as encouraging tourism. He added that the programme has over 40 volunteers from organisations such as the Lions Club, Youth Media Guyana, Scotia Bank and Habitat for Humanity.
Awareness
“Through ‘Guyana Shines’, we have already reached out to schools across Georgetown to deliver presentations to increase awareness of the harmful effects of littering and pollution and encourage students to make environmentally-friendly decisions and most importantly, to take action to be a part of the solution,” Hardt said.
He added: “… we have modified our school presentations this year to make them even better. Students will be left with concrete information about the opportunities for recycling in Guyana and where they can send their waste in return for cash,” he added.
Canadian High Commissioner David Devine said it is the responsibility of every citizen to become involved in cleaning up their community. “Every single one of us has the responsibility and that responsibility not only comes from within yourself but also your family,” he said.
“… I have to say that everybody has seen that there is a change in Georgetown and that is because, and I think, part of this is the individual itself taking the initiative to not litter and change starts with one person at a time. Think about your responsibilities and what you can do to inspire change and take the initiative to do something for the environment,” he added.
“Young people have the greatest impact in orchestrating behavioural changes and we all benefit when they do. Our schools are the first place to emulate the practices of the ‘Guyana Shines’ programme,” Chief Education Officer Olato Sam told the gathering.