Reuse, Reduce, Recycle
―waste management bill in the making
―youths important in waste management
―Green Generation Guyana to reach more schools
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, January 15, 2020
The Ministry of Communities is planning to push for the passage of the Solid Waste Management bill already before the National Assembly as part of its mission to make Guyana cleaner and greener.
The Solid Waste Management Bill was laid before the House last year and includes provisions for the set up of an authority to oversee waste management at the municipal and regional levels.
As explained by Kittindoi Glasgow, Programme Coordinator of the Green Generation Guyana (3Gs) Programme, “Once we have that bill passed more persons in society will be informed about the importance of waste management.”
Kittindoi Glasgow, Coordinator, Green Generation Guyana Programme, Ministry of Communities
Meanwhile, Glasgow said young people were essential to achieve a “cleaner, greener country.”
“The Green Generation Guyana is really tailored in such a way to target young people. We believe that young people, once given the necessary knowledge and opportunity, will take the necessary steps to ensure that we have a cleaner and safer environment.”
The programme is designed to sensitise youths about the importance of protecting their body and environment, as well as encouraging the adoption of safe waste management practices.
“We emphasise the importance to the 3Rs: reuse, reduce and recycle. We also stress teaching children about the importance of waste management. Ensuring that they know […] waste should be separated, in order for it to be properly managed. We want to stress the importance of having a society properly aware of the importance of managing waste,” Glasgow explained.
The programme, which targets primary school students mainly in Grades 5 and 6, has been rolled out in many schools in both hinterland and coastal regions across Guyana.
“For 2020 we want to do more schools, we want to visit more schools throughout the length and breadth of Guyana. We want to have them more involved in the 3G camp,” Glasgow stated.
More than 5,000 students have benefitted since the launch of the programme in 2016. In addition to the educational sessions, students also benefited from the provision of hundreds of waste bins.