LIME on board with Chemical school poster competition

Telecommunications full service provider LIME has teamed up with the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, in conjunction with the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI),{{more}} to launch a school poster competition under the theme “Better Chemicals Management, Better Health, Better Environment.” The project is aimed at creating awareness amongst students on issues of chemical management.

The Strategic Approach to International Chemical management (SAICM) is a plan for ensuring that by 2020 that all chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on the human health and the environment.

Even though it is the responsibility of the Government to development National Programs for the environmentally sound management and the effective implementation of SAICM across all sectors at the national level, LIME has made a commitment to contribute to national development as part of its social and corporate responsibility.

LIME Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager Fitzgerald Huggins expressed appreciation to the Ministry for having LIME on board with this very important environmental project. “We are quite aware of the importance of protecting our environment. In fact, we are working closely with environmental groups like GEMS. Our recent directory speaks to preserving the leatherback turtle, so we are accustomed to work with agencies to support matters of environmental preservation. We have set very high standards and practices on chemical management at our workplace since the nature of telecommunications we are required to use chemicals to deliver our services. We must show concerns for protecting our environment and we congratulate the Ministry for placing a special emphasis on this project,” said Huggins.

National Project Coordinator Tasheka Haynes, who has the responsibility for managing the project, stressed the importance of environmentally sound management of chemicals in small island development states like St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Haynes said “the project was launched in August under the theme “Strengthening National Capacity for the sound management of chemicals in SVG.” The project aims to strengthen national capacities for sound chemical management. To this end, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment in conjunction with CEHI have agreed to engage the schools to drive awareness through a national poster competition. Even though we don’t produce chemicals here, we have a big problem since we import products for agricultural and industrial purposes and we have to manage the process of disposal. The students will use their creative juices to express through art their impressions of chemical management and the dangers they can cause to the environment if not managed effectively.”

Students from Kindergarten to the Tertiary level are eligible to enter the contest. Entries must be done in groups of a minimum of two and a maximum of six persons. Areas of focus for judging will be as follows: Agricultural chemicals, household cleaners, office supplies, oils and greases, personal hygiene and beauty products, pharmaceuticals, refrigerants and paints and solvents.

LIME will be responsible for donating several prizes for the winners of the competition. The competition will end on November 30 and will be judged in December.