According to a press release from the Embassy, US Ambassador D Brent Hardt and a team from the Embassy joined in the exercise on Friday and donated tools including a rake, hoe, wheelbarrow, broom and gloves to support the effort. Habitat for Humanity, the University of Guyana’s Eco Trust Society and students from its School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Scotiabank, Youth Media Guyana, Marian Academy and the Rotaract Club of Georgetown Central all pitched in.
Although the FCYPO works almost every Sunday to clean the community, this clean-up was a special exercise as it received support from ‘Guyana Shines’ partners. Guyana Shines was launched in April 2012 to bring together diplomatic and Guyanese civic partners to promote anti-littering education and to encourage and mobilise communities to keep the environment clean.
‘Guyana Shines’ reaches out to schools and delivers presentations that will teach students about the harmful effects of littering and pollution and encourages them to make environmentally-friendly decisions. It has supported hands-on clean-up projects within the city to bring communities together in common action.
The Embassy said Friday’s exercise was the largest and most successful to date, with over 50 participants from seven civic groups. Ambassador Hardt, it added, expressed gratitude for the high turn-out and hard work, saying that “the momentum is clearly building within more and more communities and civic groups in Guyana to change attitudes and take action to make Guyana a more beautiful place to live for all citizens.”
