Building a Pure, Green, and Clean Grenada

It all began when Mandoo (independent tour guide) stomped into Sunsation Tours’ office (firm specializing in tours for German-speaking guests), fixed Ian with a steady gaze, and asked “What are WE going to do about littler?” A fair question. We, and other tour guides, were regularly ashamed to drive our tourists through litter-strewn “pure” Grenada. What WE did was form a group. We were joined by an SGU marine biologist, who said that we needed a name and a logo (so Lizzie was born), and by a former Cabinet Minister, who aided our access to Government, and gave us many useful pointers on how to deal with ministries. Then by two more people, who devised an ‘interactive game’ for primary school children, originally delivered by American Peace Corps Workers, which is still used and even loaned out. We became an NGO. We did all the traditional things, like write articles for the press, and appear on TV. We made presentations to a handful of schools. We organised litter pick-ups. This had disappointingly little impact. We learned that we were really just preaching to the converted; and pick-ups just told people that they could litter with impunity: someone would sooner or later be along to pick up what they had dropped. Lockdown gave us an opportunity to re-think, and to strategise. We lost some members, we gained some new ones. We were fired by the comment of one member of the public: our task was to educate, educate, educate, legislate. And so to G3 in its current form. Schools involvement is increasing, and we prescribe a follow-up to presentations, to keep students aware and motivated. We have had our first community campaign. We are making educative videos for showing on public screens about the dangers of littering. We have a very fruitful liaison with SGU on several fronts. We are mounting public exhibitions. Relations with the Solid Waste Management Authority have never been stronger. And we have just petitioned the government with 1,930 signatures, asking for the speedy implementation of the Abatement of Litter Act, which has been languishing unused since 2015.