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| Haynesley Benn, Minister of Commerce and Trade is intrigued by??a science project??by students of the St. Alban’s Primary School. (A.Miller/BGIS)?? |
Students across the island are being encouraged to join their counterparts at St. Alban’s Primary School in Weston, St. James in the preservation of the environment.
The call was made by Minister of Commerce and Trade, Senator Haynesley Benn, as he address students and teachers who gathered for the school’s fair’s and opening ceremony last Friday.
The Minister remarked that "As proud Barbadians we must give greater thought to our actions and the consequences of those actions or activities on our environment.?? The activities in which we are engaged especially as they relate to our methods of disposal could have a profound impact on our environment.
"…Take a minute and think about where you dispose of that Styrofoam food container or that soft drink cup or even that empty Pep bottle… Will you dispose of them responsibly so they can be properly recycled by reputable agencies such as B’s Bottle Depot or Sustainable Barbados Recycling Company (SBRC)?
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| ??Students of the St. Alban Primary School perform a dramatic presentation at their science fair last week. (A.Miller/BGIS) |
"… What about those pieces of old furniture, or worn-out appliances or those old abandoned vehicles? ??Will they now form part of the landscape of the Belle or the flora and fauna of Jack-in-the-Box Gully rotting and scarring our beautiful landscape?" he charged.
Senator Benn underlined that it was heartening to see the very young encouraged to take their environmental responsibility seriously. In turn, school Principal, Angela Ramsay, gave the assurance that the love for science and the environment displayed by the students would continue to be fostered by the school.
She noted "We have seen the energy [and] the excitement …We, at the St. Alban’s school will continue to activate and awaken the interest in things scientific in our charges, to ensure, as the theme for the day presents, that these Little Green Hands will secure for this country a Bright Green Future."
She said that the staff was always considering innovative ways to interpret the curriculum, and this was reflected in the social studies projects which were done for Heroes Day and Black History Month.?? She noted that including a science fair in the line up was to ensure that "…our children [are] sensitised to the concept of living in a green community, and the implications that has for [Barbados]."
The themes of reducing pollution, protecting ecological balance, conserving resources, reducing consumption and waste were the areas addressed by students in classes 1 to 4, respectively. ??In addition to the displays mounted throughout the school, the students shared their thoughts on the preservation of the environment through song, poetry and drama during the ceremony.