Water, the world’s most precious natural resource will come into focus next week when the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) hosts a series of events in observance of World Water Day 2011.??
This year’s theme, Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge, will be used locally, as well as by various global agencies, including the United Nations, to draw attention to the importance of fresh water and advocate for the sustainable management of fresh water resources.
Observance begins on Sunday, March 20, with a church service at James Street Methodist Church, James Street, Bridgetown, at 9:00 a.m. Activities will continue that afternoon when BWA representatives distribute gift baskets to those staff members on sick leave, in recognition of their dedication to the department over the years.
On Tuesday, March 22, World Water Day, the BWA will host a showcase of its operations in Queen’s Park, Bridgetown, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., when students and the public will have the opportunity to learn more about the importance of water conservation and protection. There will also be staff games evenings on Monday and Tuesday.
The BWA will host a Customer Appreciation Day on Wednesday, March 23, at its payment centre on Probyn Street, Bridgetown.?? The following day, Thursday, March 24, it will be the employees’ turn, with a Staff Appreciation function, featuring health checks and presentations from the Barbados Cancer Society and the Diabetes Association of Barbados.?? That morning, the BWA will also join Q in the Community at Bridgefield Playing Field, St. Thomas, from 11:00 a.m., to interact with the public.
The week of activities culminates on Friday, March 25, with an Awards Ceremony and Dinner at the Plantation Theatre starting at 7:00 p.m., when the BWA will honour its most recent retirees and highlight the achievements of more than two hundred of its employees, who have served the organisation for decades.
This year’s global World Water Day event will be hosted by the Government of South Africa, Cape Town, in collaboration with various UN agencies, including the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB).????