(Montego Bay, St. James, 2023) Sandals Earth Guardians within the Montego Bay region have continued the charge against ocean pollution in tandem with global environment restoration efforts. Most recently, the Earth Guardians, accompanied by stewards from the National Solid Waste Management Agency (NSWMA), gathered on Old Kent Avenue Road, armed with gloves, trash bags, and an unwavering commitment to making a difference.
Their combined efforts led to the removal of over 500 pounds of garbage from the area.
“Unfortunately, due to the road’s isolation civilians have used the area as an illegal
dumping site for old appliances, dead animals, furniture and general refuse,” said
Sharnon Williams, customer relations officer at Western Parks and Markets Waste
Management Limited. She added that persons have completely disregarded the harmful effects this practice has on the natural water body that is a stone’s throw away from the littered sites.
She spoke liberally about the dangers of pollution and particularly in an area such as
this. “It’s a travesty to see the condition of this road, not only is it unsightly but it is
dangerous for the aquatic life in the area. It is a deterrent for tourists that pay to enjoy
our water bodies, problematic for the people in the surrounding communities that
depend on fishing for their livelihood and it also acts as a breeding site for mosquitoes
that may potentially spread harmful diseases.”
Environment Health & Safety Manager Haniff Richards, also shared similar sentiments when speaking about the environmental concerns raised due to the pollution in the area. “We felt compelled to stage a cleanup here because we have pledged, as Earth Guardians, to uphold our company’s values on environmental sustainability.”
Richards continued, “the team and I are eager to effect positive change regarding
environmental awareness and are charged to action further beach cleanups that can
hopefully bring about a lasting impact.”
portion of the 500lbs of waste collected from their cleanup in collaboration with the NSWMA along Old Kent Avenue Road.
Sandals Foundation volunteers from the region also embarked on several other
worthwhile initiatives that were aimed at bringing environmental awareness to the next generation, namely the ‘Save the Coral Reef’ initiative championed by Montego Bay Region’s Public Relations Department. Through this initiative, 103 students from Salt Spring Primary and Farm Primary Schools were educated about the dangers of coral reef degradation and ocean pollution through fun and interactive sessions.
Regional Public Relations Manager, Rochelle Forbes-Reid was effusive in her praise of
the members of the team and their efforts to bring about lasting change. “Each child that we teach and every piece of trash collected represents a small victory in our ongoing battle against pollution,” she said. “Therefore, our Sandals Earth Guardians and Foundation volunteers will continue to navigate rugged terrains in search of human-made waste and seek out avenues to encourage environmental stewardship among students and community members.”
Sharnon Williams shared, “It is important that we abandon the flawed notion that
someone else is responsible for cleaning up the mess made and simply do something
about it. We are grateful for partnering with Sandals Resorts in the Montego Bay Region to create positive changes through these environmental initiatives.”
“Though our work thus far is admirable we acknowledge that we still have a way to go
with our conservation efforts to forge a greener and cleaner path ahead,” echoed
Forbes-Reid.
Pingback: Sandals Earth Defenders Turn the Tide on Ocean Pollution – kodaktravel