In honour of World Earth Day (April 22), officials from Kooyman, Newport, and the National Conservation Commission (NCC), entered into a partnership under Hydrate Caribbean at Folkestone Beach.
Extending the programme’s reach to yet another public space in Barbados, this location was carefully chosen by sponsor, Kooyman.
Folkestone Park and Marine Reserve holds the distinction of being the first and only legislated Marine Protected Area in Barbados. This 26th water station symbolizes Newport’s unwavering dedication to combating plastic pollution, aligning perfectly with this year’s World Earth Day theme: Planet vs. Plastics.
Speaking during the launch on Tuesday, April 23, Charlene Mullin, Marketing Officer at Kooyman Barbados, explained how their sponsorship supports the initiative.
“Kooyman is excited to partner with Hydrate Caribbean for this venture. As long time supporters of sustainability projects throughout the Caribbean, we felt that this partnership fit well with our company ethos. We hope that this installation will help to decrease the use of single use plastics.”
Despite one of the primary goals of the programme being hydrating communities, the challenge of plastic pollution remains a significant concern.
Sheridan Greaves, Client Development Executive at Newport, emphasized this to those in attendance, explaining that relying solely on recycling is not a sustainable solution for addressing this challenge.
“While we celebrate the strides this programme has made in reducing single-use plastics across the island, we recognize that recycling, while commendable, is not the ultimate solution. It’s time we, at a country level, delve deeper upstream to understand the root cause of our reliance on recycling. The fundamental need is for accessible drinking water. The challenge persists with the enduring legacy of plastic waste, spanning generations.”
He continued:
“Fortunately, Hydrate Caribbean presents a practical and effective solution with our innovative water stations. These stations offer an immediate source of purified water, conveniently placed at any location, all without contributing to plastic waste.”
Carlos Gilkes, Acting Manager of Folkstone Marine Park and Reserve, and Representative of the National Conservation Commission which manages the area, extended thanks to Kooyman & the Newport team behind Hydrate Caribbean.
“This is not our first dance with Newport, as we would have seen that there is the cooling station at Hastings. This by all reports has been a resounding success.”
“I urge you, Newport, to continue this collaborative effort, in the rehydration of the average Bajan across all spaces and all parks that we manage.”
Another water station will be unveiled this week at Parkinson Memorial School, as businesses like Kooyman continue to pair their profits with purpose, sponsoring various spaces around the island.
