The Blue Economy will come under focus when the Coastal Hazards & Earthquake Month of activities gets under way from Friday, March 1, with the theme Safety and Security in the Blue Economy.
The day will start with a press conference at the Barbados Coast Guard’s (BCG) HMBS Pelican base at 10:00 a.m. Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit, Dr. Leo Brewster, will deliver brief remarks.
This will be followed by an open day in the form of a tour of the “Blue Economy” for schools, and will feature various booths where school children will be able to explore, sample products and take information.
A Coastal Vision will be the first stop in the blue economy tour, and students will be educated about the past achievements during the Coastal Hazards and Earthquake Month. This will be followed by Careers in Coastal, where they would be exposed to the various careers at sea; and then Fisherman’s Corner where there will be demonstrations of a fish net and basket being made.
Students will also be taken on a tour of the HMBS Pelican base and vessels in organized groups, and will witness an exercise rescue operation by members of the BCG on water during the Role Play and Demonstration segment.
The Barbados Fire Service Appliance Display and Tour will also be a part of the day’s proceedings as members of the Barbados Fire Service will give students an opportunity to tour a fire truck and receive safety information.
In addition, they will also be treated to a Taste of the Sea. Students and teachers will get the opportunity to sample the Amber Fish, one of the fish species which has increased with the influx of the Sargassum seaweed.
The Technical Standing Committee on Coastal Hazards Information Booth will be the last stop in the Blue Economy tour, and students and teachers will be asked to fill out a post-event survey form and submit queries to the committee about their journey through the Blue Economy.
In addition, brochures and other paraphernalia on the Common Alerting Protocol will be available during the event, and persons will be encouraged to sign-up for this App.