The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

POPULAR tourist spot Barbary beach got a thorough clean-up due to a partnership between the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) and the Keep Grand Bahama Clean Committee (KGBCC) this month.

In keeping with its philosophy of creating and maintaining cleaner and greener communities across Grand Bahama, more than 70 participants conducted a clean sweep last Saturday.

Representatives from the Cancer Society, Pride of Grand Bahama Lodge, Earth Care, Buckeye, Freeport Gospel Chapel School, St. Paul’s Methodist College, BMES, Pilot Club/Anchor Club of Lucaya, PharmaChem, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and Rhoer Club, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Kiku Zeki Temple #184, 3rd GB Sea Scouts, Kiwanis Club, Harmony Lodge, LUSCO, DEVCO and GBPA, all banded together to do their part in keeping Grand Bahama clean.

Barbary Beach, which is well known for its expanse of beautiful sand and spectacular ocean view, has, in recent years, suffered at the hands of people who use the beach for picnics, parties and other events but leave behind a sea of trash.

“Our focus with such clean-ups is to bring groups and residents together in act of solidarity and to highlight the issues of litter often found on our beaches,” explained Olethea Gardiner, Co-Chair of the Keep Grand Bahama Clean Committee.

“We believe it’s important for beach-goers to understand that our beaches are a shared space for everyone to enjoy and so we all need to keep it clean.”

The Barbary Beach area is the first of several to be targeted by the committee for clean-up over the course of the year. Teams collected a mixture of trash and litter to construction debris, filling a 20-yard dumpster.

Persons interested in being a part of future cleanups, or to receive support for their own clean-up initiatives, are asked to contact Keep Grand Bahama Clean representatives at 350-9158 or reach out via social media at https://www.facebook.com/keepgbclean/.