NASSAU, Bahamas – The South Beach recreation area is cleaner, thanks to 30 visiting students from the University of Maryland and Rockhurst University.

 

Here as part of a service training programme with the College of The Bahamas, the students removed scores of bags of rubbish from that popular beach scene.

 

“They wanted to do something that made a difference,” said Valdez K Russell, International Relations Liaison, College of the Bahamas. “They are interested in helping us to appreciate our Bahamian environment,” he added

 

Minister of State for the Environment and the Member of Parliament for South Beach Phenton Neymour, was grateful to the students. He also unveiled plans to protect South Beach from excessive flooding as a result of development in that area.

 

“This is a very ecologically sensitive area that is, unfortunately, used very often for dumping by persons throughout New Providence,” said Mr Neymour.

 

Research shows that the South Beach wetlands area is critical to proper drainage in that residential and commercial constituency, he said.

 

Construction of Baillou Hill Road, East Street and Marshall Road, he said, significantly obstructed drainage during heavy rainfall in South Beach.

 

Plans to relieve the flooding include the cutting of channels and the laying of culverts, he said.

 

“It is critical that we begin to address our environmental issues now,” said Mr Neymour.

 

“Moreover, it is important that we improve the development of marine life in this ecologically sensitive area.”

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CAPTIONS

 

CoB

 

Valdez K Russell, International Relations Liaison, College of the Bahamas, explains the program. Pictured from right are Minister of State for the Environment and the MP for South Beach, Phenton Neymour; Director, Department of Environmental Health Services, Melanie McKenzie; Mr Russell; and Sean Grube, Rockhurst University. (BIS photo by Derek Smith)

 

 

Collect

 

Students from Rockhurst University and the University of Maryland helped clean up the South Beach recreational park on Thursday. (BIS photo by Derek Smith)

 

 

Neymour

 

Minister of State for the Environment and MP for South Beach, Phenton Neymour, (right) speaks with Rockhurst University students who were part of a clean-up of the South Beach recreation park. (BIS photo by Derek Smith)

 

 

Students

 

Scores of bags of garbage were removed from the South Beach recreation park by students of Rockhurst University and the University of Maryland who are here on a program with the College of the Bahamas. (BIS photo by Derek Smith)

 

 

Thanks

 

Minister of State for the Environment and MP for South Beach, Phenton Neymour, thanked University of Maryland and Rockhurst University students who helped clean up the South Beach recreation area Thursday. (BIS photo by Derek Smith)