The Tribune

BAHAMAS National Trust and Paradise Games on Friday announced a three-year partnership.

BNT will receive an annual gift of $25,000 for the next three years for a total commitment of $75,000. The agreement will support the organisation's educational initiatives as well as assist with general natural resource conservation.

The first installment of this pledge was delivered to the BNT recently at the Retreat Garden, on Village Road, one of the 32 parks managed by the group.

The gift will enable BNT educational programmes to provide environmental education experiences to the students of the E P Roberts and Gambier Primary Schools, two schools that the principals of Paradise Games are keen to support.

"BNT's educational activities celebrate the beauty, uniqueness and fragile nature of Bahamian ecosystems," a press release said. "Special activities help students acquire the knowledge, values and skills needed to generate respect for the unique culture, nature and history of The Bahamas while gaining a better understanding of the value of national parks.

"One such programme is the Discovery Club, BNT's award winning youth environmental education programme."

The BNT currently operates nearly 60 Discovery Clubs on nine islands including; New Providence, Grand Bahama, Andros, Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, Inagua, Cat Island and Long Island. BNT's education programmes focus on creating environmental stewardship especially amongst Bahamian youth. This is achieved through fun, conservation-based classroom lessons, hands on activities and field trips.

BNT executive director Eric Carey said: "Paradise Games has demonstrated the type of corporate responsibility we hope other companies will emulate. Their generosity powerfully impacts the BNT's efforts to continue to make outstanding advances in preserving and conserving, our natural resources for present and future generations through stewardship and education."

Paradise Games said the funds will not only make educational programming available to more government schools but will assist in offsetting some of the costs to otherwise fund the general maintenance and operations of the more than 30 national parks and sanctuaries.

"This commitment perfectly encapsulates the ethos of our overarching charitable philosophy, which is a commitment to the improvement of the quality of life of the communities in which we live and work," Paradise Games noted.