300 fruit trees distributed at Green Walk in Bartica
Some 300 fruit trees were distributed to residents of Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) during this year’s Green Walk Exercise which was held in observation of National Tree Planting Day, being celebrated under the theme ‘Sustaining Biodiversity: Plant a Tree’.
Dozens of residents participated in the walk which commenced from First Avenue and ended at Golden Beach, where there was a simple presentation by Business and Tourism Minister Dominic Gaskin and Bartica Mayor Gifford Marshall.
With Bartica earmarked to lead the way for Guyana’s transition into a model green economy, the initiative was aimed at educating the population on the benefits of making more environmentally friendly decisions.
Participants in the Bartica Green Walk Exercise pose with their plants as they cool down at the Golden Beach
According to Mayor Marshall, the transformation into a green economy will bring numerous social, economic and environmental benefits to the entire of Guyana.
Over the past few months, the municipality of Bartica committed to the five stages of the “Green Economy” as was outlined by President David Granger during the first Tree Planting Day ceremony last year. The stages are sustainable exploitation of our natural resources; environmental protection; promoting sustainable energy; promotion of sound ecological services and green technology.
“As a result, Bartica becoming the cleanest and greenest town in Guyana is now well within our grasp. The establishment of a municipal solid waste department and the continued transformation of the Byderabo “Dump Site” is testimony to our commitment of a cleaner greener Bartica,” he noted.
The Bartica Mayor noted too that the development of a Green Park is another indication of the municipality’s commitment to become a green town.
Marshall added that under the astute leadership of the Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan, Bartica now has a Local Economic Development Strategic Plan for the next three to five years.
This short to medium-term LED Strategic Plan is fully integrated with Bartica’s green township plan, which carries a 15-20 year implementation period, and is led by the Ministry of the Presidency under Rear Admiral Gary Best.
These two plans when implemented will transition Bartica into using fully renewable energy, sustainable organic agriculture development, establish Bartica as an information and communications technology centre of excellence, among other revolutionary changes.
“While these large-scale changes are taking place at the community level, there are still important steps that can be taken at the individual and organisational level towards accomplishing these overall goals,” he explained.
The Mayor stressed that it is in this context that the seemingly simple exercise of planting individual trees can take on such a profound meaning because with simple individual acts, the cumulative effects of these will impact the aesthetics, appearance, and attractiveness of the community.
“The combined efforts of many residents doing their individual parts to bring us along this developmental journey should not be underestimated. If we all continue to do our individual parts to the best of our ability, together our efforts can be multiplied, we can achieve greatness for this type town that we all call home,” he underscored.
Among the fruit trees distributed include guavas, cherries, tangerines, limes, and oranges.
