| Date: Thu 03-Mar-1994 Paper Page: 2 Publication: Daily Nation PRIMARY and high school students will soon be moving around Barbados, brightening up their environment in a Rotary Club project scheduled to officially end in May. The Environmental Beautification project, coinciding with next month's Global Conference on Sustainable Development in Small Island Developing States, is expected to involve the 100-plus schools in a country-wide clean-up and related poster and essay competitions. The schools are being twinned with local business houses and teams of 20 students are expected to conceptualise, plan and execute the environmental beautification projects. The private sector will defray the cost of the programme, provide students with printed T-shirts and badges for those who will be known as `environmental helpers'. The business houses are also expected to assist students with a tree-planting project in June. The Environmental Beautification programme has won the blessings of and pledges of cooperation from several organisations, including the Ministry of Education, the Sanitation Service Authority, the National Conservation Commission and the Barbados Environmental Association. The Tourism Development Corporation is awarding computers and printers to schools with the best projects and members of the Barbados Hotel Association (BHA) engaged in the Adopt-a-School scheme, are offering picnics for the winning teams and a weekend for two to the liaison teachers of victorious groups. Combermere School has already taken responsibility for beautifying the round-about at Hothersal Turning, St. Michael. Students of the Ursuline Convent are working on the open window between the Old Hospital's Eye Ward and the Child Care Board on Bay Street. Other projects will include beautification of children's playgrounds and community centres, as well as beaches, particularly along the northern and eastern coastlines, the Bridgetown Port and Princess Alice Highway. Separating garbage and making compost heaps with leaves and vegetable matter; collecting and selling bottles and newspapers; cleaning, tidying and maintaining nature trails and germinating seedling trees for students to plant at various locations, are also listed as projects in the Rotary Club of Barbados venture. |