It’s admirable that local groups and organisations organise clean-ups like St. Maarten Academy Builders Club and Key Club (see Monday paper) did at Little Bay Beach near Belair Hotel to mark World Earth Day. That this regards a bimonthly activity by students makes it even better, because getting and keeping youngsters involved in protecting their environment holds promise for the future.
The sad and frustrating part is that they are cleaning up the mess left by others who apparently could care less or simply don’t know any better. The latter is actually hard to believe in this day and age, although education remains important.
More will obviously be needed, including effective control and sanctions for example against people dumping construction waste, household appliances and other trash in nature. A ban on single-use plastic bags and straws as well as Styrofoam containers adopted by Parliament since November would no doubt help but is yet to be executed.
Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs was cited in last Friday/Saturday’s edition as saying the law is in place. However, the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) must take certain steps to enforce such.
She mentioned necessary training and information sessions for all stakeholders before implementation and issuing fines to offenders of up to 1,000 Netherlands Antillean guilders or six months in prison. In the meantime, the General Affairs Ministry started a “Plastic-free St. Maarten” project to promote awareness through the St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF).
It was correctly pointed out that positive initiative in this regard does not have to depend on prohibition and several of the bigger supermarkets already stopped giving out plastic bags. Other businesses are encouraged to follow suit, while consumers should do their part by investing in reusable alternatives themselves.
While all this is obviously true, experience has also taught that without some form of pressure, making people adjust their behaviour can be a difficult undertaking.
