Wetlands Day Celebrations-Tripartite partnership gives new lease of life to Intendance marsh |06 February 2008

Partners involved in this endeavour gathered on the premises of the Banyan Tree Resort yesterday in approval and appreciation of the fruits of their two-year labour.

Yesterday’s gathering was in effect organized to commemorate the International Wetlands Day, which was also the perfect timing for the Banyan Tree Resort to open a newly constructed boardwalk across the marshland.

One of the three major partners of the project, the Banyan Tree Resort also saw it fit to present to the Department of Environment a cheque for $2,500 during the event. The money is to be used to purchase water quality testing equipment, tools needed by staff of the Wetlands Division in the Department of Environment for wetlands preservation activities.

The boardwalk was officially opened by the principal secretary for Environment, Didier Dogley, who also accepted the cheque on behalf of the Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and Transport, from the general manager of the Banyan Tree Resort, Johann Reinhold.

Besides the Banyan Tree Resort, the scheme to restore and maintain a level of cleanliness in the environs of the marshland at the Banyan Tree Resort involves the collaborative effort of the Department of Environment and the Takamaka community.

Consequently, among those present at the ceremony yesterday were the elected Member of the National Assembly for Takamaka, Terrence Mondon; the district’s Administrator, Rosita Hiborne; as well as manual workers and students from the district.

Also present was the chief executive officer of telecommunications company Cable and Wireless, Charles Hammond, whose company had also been involved in activities related to the commemoration of International Wetlands Day this year.

It is to be noted that activities organized locally to mark Wetlands Day this year were stretched over two days this year and were held under the theme ‘Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People”.

Addressing those present at the event yesterday, PS Dogley said that “wetlands, when managed properly and with sustainability, yields different goods and services to us, such as clean water, flood mitigation and sediment trap etc..”.
He noted that “a healthy wetland not only promotes human health, but also the biodiversity which depend on this very rich ecosystem”.

PS Dogley also commended the partnership involving the private sector and the local public with the Department of Environment for the realization of the project, saying he is very appreciative of the initiative taken by the management of the Banyan Tree Resort to adopt the Anse Intendance wetlands, and for working together with the Takamaka district community and the ministry in support of wetlands conservation activities.

The PS then joined other invitees on a tour of the marshland using the newly constructed boardwalk.