SECOND GREEN UP/CLEAN UP SCHEDULED FOR MAY 21ST – 23RD:

The second annual Green Up Anguilla’ campaign is scheduled to take place on Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd May 2010. According to the organisers it is intended to be an island wide beautification of Anguilla.

A number of organizations have already signed up to take part and will be getting together to clean up all the main and side paved roads in readiness for Anguilla Day (May 31st) and the celebration of the national holiday.

Already on board is The Optimist Club of Anguilla, Rotary Club of Anguilla, Interact & Rotaract Clubs, Primary Schools, Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Cap Juluca, Anguilla Beautification Club, Lions & Lionesses Clubs, Anguilla Hotel & Tourism Association, Department of Disaster Management, Viceroy, Cuisinart, Environmental Health Unit, Greig’s Trucking, Methodist Churches, Adventist Churches, Anglican Churches, Church of Christ, Central Baptist church, Disaster Department, Anguilla National Trust and Anguilla Renewable Energy Office.

It takes only a few hours to make a huge impact.

This year the organisers of the event are taking an environmental approach and working with Beth Barry of the Anguilla Renewable Energy Office who will be providing biodegradable garbage bags. Gilda Gumbs-Samuel, Executive Director of the AHTA, in collaboration with Calypsonian the Mighty Springer, is developing a ‘clean up’ jingle for the AHTA, and this will be used as an ongoing education tool. A number of school children will rehearse and record the jingle to be played on all the local radio stations leading up to the event, and there after as a reminder of the importance of keeping the island clean.

The organisers have said that they are still looking for donations of bottled water. Greig Hughes and Elmoralis will be providing dumpsters for waste collection and will be responsible for roadside garbage pick up. Locations will be notified to all participants along with clean up locations for each group and community.

Social Development Minister Edison Baird has been working with the school system to make this an educational exercise so the children can participate in and around their schools. It is hoped that this exercise will continue as an annual event with all people from Anguilla working towards keeping the island clean and beautiful.

The aim is to educate children and the communities on the importance of a clean environment. The Clean up-Green up Anguilla committee, is also looking at the possibility of cleaning up the areas around the salt ponds. This will be done in collaboration with the National Trust.