Lowmans Bay Beach Cleanup
Some fifty (50) volunteers from various groups of the SVG Red Cross Society alongside the St. Vincent and the Grammar School Environmental Club, removed over 1 skip and a half of garbage from the beach at Lowmans’ Bay on Saturday 25th January 2025.
Chairman of the Fern Side Adult Red Cross group Mr. Jonathan Pitt has indicated that the objectives of the activity were:
- To respond to one environmental challenge in the Lowman’s’ Bay area by removing the debris to reduce the harm which may be caused because of their presence.
- Improve the esthetics of the community beach.
- Assist in supporting the sustainable development of the livelihood of the local fishing community. This is in keeping with the United Nation (UN) Sustainable Development Goals with the focus being on Good Health & Well-Being. A healthy nation is expected to be a wealthy nation.
- Provide a platform for strengthened collaboration among the Red Cross, other service entities, the local community and the business community.
The Chairman pointed our further that the beach cleanup was in keeping with the seven fundamental principles of the Red Cross, and is vital not only for strengthening community cohesion and protecting marine ecosystems. Arianna Nanton, a volunteer with the Bethel High School Red Cross group indicated that, “I am here today because I just wanted to see the beach clean. Seeing how it was especially after Hurricane Beryl was so upsetting”.
Glendon Douglas, a fisherman plying his trade at Lowmans Bay commented after the activity that, “I appreciate that Red Cross came to clean the Bayside. It looks very decent”.
This activity comes on the heels of an Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment conducted by the SVGRC in conjunction with NEMO and USAID. The results of the assessment indicated the top three vulnerabilities facing the community being mosquitos exacerbated by pollution, infestation from slugs and snails and flooding, also made worse by pollution.
