The Department of Environment and Marine Affairs (DEMA) is spearheading a Clean-up of beaches and the sea floor in areas around the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in Celebration of International Coastal Clean-up Day, this Saturday September 21, 2013.
The Department is working with residents, government workers and private organisations in the TCI to clean-up beaches and other coastal areas including roads and will oversee an underwater clean-up, in support of the Ocean Conservancy’s coastal clean-up day efforts. The Day has been celebrated worldwide for more than 25 years.
Each year on International Coastal Clean-up Day volunteers from all over the world gather along coastlines and waterways to participate in the massive clean-up effort. Last year, more than half a million volunteers participated, collecting more than 10 million pounds of trash over a distance of nearly 18,000 miles.
DEMA is being supported by the Environmental Health Department (EHD), Tourist Board, the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association, schools, NGOs such as TC Reef Fund, and the migrant workers’ associations. Water sports operators will spearhead the underwater clean-up.
Last year 63 bags of trash consisting of beer cans, bottles, plastic bottles, soda cans and other general debris were collected in areas around TCI. The years event is expected to be even more successful that last year’s.
DEMA is encouraging community groups and organisations to participate in this years International Coastal Clean-up Day, because the future of the Turks and Caicos Islands depends on keeping them beautiful by nature.
In Providenciales, the group will assemble at 7:00 AM at the Bight Park for short briefing before being dispatched to work. On Grand Turk the clean-up will take place on Friday September 20, starting at 9:00 am at both the Sunset Cabana beach and North Beach (just south of Bohio). Any interested individuals or groups are encouraged to contact the DEMA Office at Tel No. 941-5122 or send an email to environment@gov.tc for further information.
