I WOULD like to offer my congratulations to The Future Centre Trust, volunteers and businesses that helped make “No Plastic Bag Day” on May 8 the success it needed to be. Not forgetting the people who bought the reusable bags.
The same good wishes cannot however be aimed at the Government for not helping in any way. I read an article stating that the Environment Ministry failed to attend planning meetings claiming “more important commitments”.
Reports are that Government did not waive import duty on the environmentally friendly reuseable shopping bags. The outcome of which meant the bags had to be sold at a greater than desired price. Once again the Government reneging on an election promise – to keep the cost of living down.
On what planet is the DLP government on that it cannot see the need for an effective and coherent environment policy? This is not necessarily just this administration’s fault.
However, only last week Sue Springer, vice president of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association was asking both the Democratic Labour Party and the Barbados Labour Party, where was the Environment Act that had been promised for the last 15-20 years?
The world’s climate is changing and we all need to do what we can to reduce our own damage to the environment, even here in Barbados. Everyone must play their part in combating climate change, however big or small.
It all makes a difference! The Government must act and take the environment and climate change issue seriously and not pay its usual lip service.
JASON STEPHENS
