On Saturday, December 02, 2023, from as early as 7:30 am, over three hundred (300) hundred volunteers comprising staff of the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service (MYDNS); the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government (RDLG); Cox Football Academy; Diatonic and Firenation youth groups; CEPEP; and representatives from the office of the Member of Parliament for La Brea, converged at the Palo Seco Beach, to conduct a clean-up exercise along the shoreline.
Youth Development and National Service Minister, the Honourable Foster Cummings, who initiated the exercise, as a collaboration between the MYDNS and the MRDLG, said “the Ministry will continue to do more beach clean-up activities, in keeping with our National Service mandate and to protect the environment and encourage sustainable behaviours.”
This first joint clean-up among stakeholders, saw the removal of 65 jumbo bags of garbage from the Palo Seco Beach, which borders the MYDNS’ National Service programme facility.
Permanent Secretary – MYDNS, Mr. Narine Charran, stated that “an initiative such as this is pivotal to the Ministry’s mandate and in keeping with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also reflects the MYDNS’s commitment to preserving and maintaining a clean environment for our future generation in collaboration with stakeholders.”
Permanent Secretary (Ag.) – RDLG, Mr. Peter Mitchell, welcomed the collaboration between MYDNS and MRDLG and further endorsed PS Charran’s sentiment. PS Mitchell thanked the MYDNS and said “I know the youth Development Ministry will commit in the future to many more initiatives like this”. Permanent Secretary RDLG, Ms. Desdra Bascombe, who is currently on vacation, participated in the beach clean-up.
Councillor for Palo Seco Anton George; Councillor for Erin Arlene Ramdeo; and Alderman Ronald Prince, all from the Siparia Borough Corporation, also joined in the beach clean-up.
The Ministry of Youth Development and National Service remains committed to bringing all stakeholders together to promote youth development and encourages civic-minded citizens to contribute to national service across Trinidad and Tobago.
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