Dear Editor,
With the advent of World Environment Day, I salute all those persons, groups, companies, organisations, etc, which try to make an effort to safeguard our environment. I am of the view that we, as a nation, have the obligation to keep our environment clean and safe. There are many big companies and industries which are guilty of environmental degradation. I am on record as writing about the mighty Pomeroon River dying. Nothing is being done about this problem. The dumping of coconut husks and chemicals along with lubricant containers continues to be a daily activity. It is very shameful for a diplomat to come and tell us about too much talking and not enough doing in relation to our environment.
Of course our Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment is trying his best with his ministry’s limited resources to propagate environmental consciousness. I myself have witnessed Minister Robert Persaud cleaning some parts of the city of Georgetown some time ago. The laws that govern the environment must be enforced. Also there is need for the Ministry of Education to start some level of environmental teaching in the classroom. Most of the teaching about hygiene and cleanliness comes from the home, while the bigger picture is dealt with by other agencies via the media and educational paraphernalia. It is time to make a change now. I call on all those reading this to make a start and make a change in our lives if any one of us is guilty of environmental malpractice. Why when we go to North America we look for garbage bins and put our candy wrappers in our pockets. The laws are enforced there, so why not here? Law enforcement agencies along with the environmental agencies must start now putting the culprits before the courts, letting the press expose them also; only then will changes materialise rapidly.
Yours faithfully,
Andrieko Basir
