It was talked about frequently during the years I lived in the Cayman Islands, but it hasn’t happened yet. I know there is also great concern about it in Barbados, but I don’t think it has come about there either. Last week, however, it did in fact happen in Antigua and Barbuda; the Government of Prime Minister Gaston Brown banned the importation of plastic bags. The ban will be instituted from the beginning of next year. The only exception will be plastic bags used for the collection and disposal of household and other garbage. In the meantime, authorities in the islands’ Ministry of Health are planning to engage the private sector, especially retailers who are heavy users of plastic bags, to come up with alternatives. The Antiguan government says it will go as far as waiving duties and other taxes to assist businesses to make the transition. Some supermarkets are already proposing a switch to recyclable bags.
In Guyana, where we have recently seen a number of many commendable clean-up efforts, particularly noticeable in Georgetown and environs,
