BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH the continuous piling up of garbage on beaches around St. Kitts and Nevis, the Minister of Environment, Eric Evelyn, said that stricter enforcement of legislation and stricter laws could assist in curbing the trend.
As a result of this observance, the Minister said he is very concerned about the practice of indiscriminate dumping that is still happening in the Federation despite all the education programmes that are being provided.
“I am always very concerned. This happens too much…” he noted.
Evelyn however did concede that there are less amounts of garbage being found on the beaches, but that could be down to the fact that there were strict enforcement of the COVID-19 SROs which continue to prevent social gatherings on the beaches due to the pandemic.
“But we are hoping that here in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, people can get in the groove of not littering. When you come to the beach and come to do your picnics, bring you bags or containers and take away whatever garbage you have," the Minister adviaed.
The Minister acknowledged that though they are trying to keep the beaches clean, there is often garbage left that makes its way into the water, thus affecting both the environment and marine life.
He believes that either stricter enforcement of the rules currently on the books or stronger legislation could assist in solving the problem.
“There is always legislation on the books, but it is a matter of enforcing the legislation. We should really be having Litter Wardens in both St. Kitts and Nevis. And sometimes the Litter Wardens may be a bit hesitant to act. But I think, as you said, we need to go towards enforcing whatever legislation we have and also to ensure that we pass tougher legislation,” Evelyn said.
He commended the Taiwanese initiative, describing the recent efforts as being one step in helping the Federation remains a clean environment for locals and tourists alike.
“We have been asking people all along not to litter the beach and to take away their garbage, and so it is very hearting for me that the Taiwanese Embassy would have organised this initiative,” added Minister Evelyn.
He was making reference to the recent observance of Taiawn National Day (Oct. 10) when government officials and civil servants had joined staff members of the Taiwanese Embassy in St. Kitts to clean up a portion of the beach along the South Friars Bay.
During that exercise, 104.7 kgs of waste and 33.12 kgs of recyclables were collected and removed from the beach.
The Environment Minister is optimistic that the Federation would soon be in a position where there will be zero littering of the beach and the environment of both islands.
