The National Conservation Commission will, this Sunday, May 2, launch its 40th anniversary celebrations under the theme: ???Stepping towards a Greener Barbados’.
The activities will get underway with a 9:30 a.m. church service at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Jackman’s, St. Michael. Acting Minister of the Environment, Senator Jepter Ince, will deliver an address to launch the celebrations.
The activities will continue the week of May 17 – 22, when the Folkestone Park and Marine Reserve, hosts a series of events to mark International Museum Day, which is observed worldwide on May 18.
On Monday, May 17, beginning at 10:00 a.m. there will be a lecture and museum tour for secondary school students on the topic: ???Impact of climate change on coral reefs’.
On International Museum Day, Tuesday, May 18, hundreds of primary school students are expected to converge on the Folkestone Marine Park and Reserve from 9:00 a.m. to?? 2:30 p.m. for?? an educational tour of the museum. At?? 7:00 p.m. that evening a lecture on the topic: ???Historical and Environmental Significance of Folkestone Park & Marine Reserve’, will be held at the St. James Secondary School.
On Wednesday, May 19, another educational tour of the museum will be staged for primary school students between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m; while on Thursday, May 20, a lecture and museum tour for secondary students from environmental clubs will be conducted on the topic: ???Impact of Marine Reserves on Fisheries’. It will begin at 10:00 a.m.
The final lecture and museum tour for secondary students will be staged on Friday, May 21, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The topic for this lecture will be ???Beach Management and Marine Research’.
Saturday, May 22, will be a time for fun and frolic, when a Museum Open/ Family Fun Day will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. In addition to entertainment from the Barbados Landship, Tukband and Mother Sally and Lifeguard demonstrations, there will be health checks, craft and variety stalls and children’s activities, including jumping tents, face painting and Glass Bottom Boat tours. A number of Government departments will also have display tents to promote their services. Displays will also be made from the junior Coral Reef Ambassadors and the St. James Secondary and Alexandra Schools’ Environmental Clubs.
The highlight of the anniversary celebrations will be an Environmental Community Walk under the same theme. Slated for June 5, World Environment Day, the walk will commence at 6:00 a.m. from 11 separate routes across the island, and climax at a beach or park managed by the NCC. The NCC is also expected to plant trees at each of the sites at the end of the journey.
The aim of the walk is to foster increased community participation and demonstrate the scope of the NCC’s field services department since each group will be originating and culminating at a site managed or maintained by the Commission.
Persons interested in registering for the walk are asked to contact Patrick Williams at 422-2871; Coral Harrison at 425-1200 or email ncc@caribsurf.com.
The NCC will also be staging a series of sporting events as part of the anniversary activities. The first, an inter-house netball competition, will get underway on Monday, May 10, at the National Netball Stadium, beginning at 3:00 p.m.
On Tuesday, May 11, an Inter-house 20 x 20 cricket match will be held at the Barbados Lumber Company’s playing field, starting at 4:00 p.m.
An inter-house football tournament will be the focus of activities on Tuesday, May 18. The competition, which will get underway at 4:00 p.m., will also take place at the Barbados Lumber Company’s playing field.
Lovers of in-door games, including dominoes, will have the opportunity for friendly rivalry on Friday, May 21, when contests will take place at the NCC’s Headquarters, beginning at 10: 00 a.m.
The highlight of the sporting tournament will be a 20 x 20 Celebrity Cricket match featuring the NCC versus an invitational 11. Slated to be staged on Friday, May 21, beginning at 6:00 p.m., it will be held at the University of the West Indies’ 3Ws Oval.
The curtain will come down on the sporting aspect of the NCC’s celebrations, on Saturday, July 3, with Beach games and a fun day scheduled to take place at Brandon’s Beach, at a time to be announced.
Barbadians of all walks of life are being invited to join the NCC as it celebrates 40 years of service to Barbados.