World Environment Week 2006 in Santo

Vanuatu Daily Post, June 8 2006

Last Saturday, June 3, three primary schools and the general public of Luganville celebrated the start of World Environment Week with a voluntary town and undewater clean-up. Throughout the morning, Santo East, Rowhahni School and Sarakata schools and some members of the Luganville community gave their time to collect rubbish throughout Luganville including the main street, Le Leblas and the Market Place. Over 90 students and members of the public who were involved collected kilos of rubbish from the town that consisted mostly of plastic wrappers, bottles, batteries, cans and phone cards. Students and teachers then participated in an environmental quiz, receiving prizes for correct answers.

Luganville’s first underwater cleanup then took place at three sites along the Segond Channel. The three sites included Unity Park, BP Wharf and Rotary Park. Ten local and visiting scuba divers took part collecting several bags of rubbish. Students also assisted with the cleanup by collecting rubbish from the shoreline and by snorkelling. The majority of the waste consisted of car parts, scrap metal, nappies, bottles and tin cans. Aquamarine Dive Centre donated free gear hire and logistical support for scuba divers who took part in the underwater cleanup. All rubbish was collected by the Luganville Municipality and disposed of.

The clean-up was organized by Wantok Enviornment Centre (WTEC), a non-government organization that works with communities throughout Vanuatu to increase environmental awareness. Current projects for the organization include “Operasen Sevem Krab Kokonas”; aimed at ensuring the future survival of the largest land curstacean in the world, the Coconut Crab, Birus latro and “Management Plan Support Project”, a community based project whose objective are to assist communities with management planning of conservation areas throughout Vanuatu.

World Environment Week 2006 began on Sunday June 4 and will end on Saturday, June 10. The international these for this year’s World Environment Day (Tuesday, June 6) is Deserts and Desertification. Countries throughout the world will be recognising the importance of the environment with cleanup and awareness activities. WTEC will be holding more events on Saturday, June 10 at Unity Park, Luganville to celebrate the end of World Environment Week. Activities will include a school and community parade, school poster competition, cricket and volleyball tournaments, Malo Theatre performance, lunch fundraiser and Vanua Tai Totol Monitor DVD screening. The day will finish with a string band competition with a first prize of 25,000 vatu that has been donated by ANZ Bank and Dave Cross, second prize of 10,000 vatu and third prize of 5,000 vatu.

WTEC is grateful to ANZ, Aquamarine, Santo Island Diving and Fishing, David Cross, Hotel Santo, Coral Quays Resort, Aore Resort, LCM Store, LCC Store, LYC Store, Unity Store, Natangora Cafe, New Look, Vanuatu Luganville Handicraft, Luganville Stationery, Santo Butchery, Forestry Department, Virgin Coconut Oil, Vanuatu Cricket, Vanuatu Beverages and AusAid for their generous donations of prizes for the environmental quiz, school poster and banner competition, games and string band competition. WTEC is also grateful to members from Narbul Theatre, Malo Theatre, Land Holders Initiative, Luganville Municipality, Aquamarine and Forestry and Fisheries Departments for logistical support they have provided. WTEC is also thankful to Vanuatu Daily Post and Halo FM for providing free advertisement for World Environment Week.