Dear Editor,
In a few days’ time, we will note the Ides of March. A time when the soothsayer warned the Mighty Caesar that it would be unwise for him to venture forth. According to Shakespeare’s play, the Mighty Caesar ignored the warning and met his death.
In some strange way, I mentioned this as an anecdote to refer to our excessive and harmful use of plastic in our country. Are we ignoring warnings? If you purchase tablets which are sealed, the Pharmacist puts it into a plastic bag. Formally, if you want tablets for sale, such as Panadol or multi-symptom, a gentleman will put it in his pocket and a lady will put it in her purse. Not so these days.
I remember as a youngster being sent to the meat company and everything was wrapped in biodegradable brown paper and placed in those mokoro baskets, made of local materials. Today, everything from fruits, vegetables, and cooked chicken are presented in large plastic bags. This harmful habit, which we have now developed with much abandonment, is doing irreparable harm to our town and countryside.
As Mayor of the City of Georgetown in 1999, faced with problems at the dumpsite, plastic bags, particularly those black plastic bags block drains and where there are irresponsible citizens, present an ugly, unhealthy site. I proposed that we ban the use of plastic bags and containers. I was told then that certain businesses had large quantities of these plastic containers on the high seas and therefore the matter should not be pursued.
At that time, a business group had shown the Council samples of biodegradable bags, but no one took this matter seriously. Why, is beyond belief. A nearby Caricom country, Antigua and Barbuda took this matter seriously and housewives and shoppers now go to the Supermarket with cloth bags, which are not only reusable but biodegradable. I was happy to visit Antigua, when the Customs Officer ordered a certain Officer to remove the plastic bag that wrapped his shoes, because it was wet from the rainfall.
This matter should go beyond politics and fit in nicely with those who proclaim, as we all do, a desire to protect our environment. I write that when this matter is raised, it will find common ground and all patriots, every political party, every social group, would find common ground and move to end this destruction of our country.
To all, I say if wittingly or unwittingly we contribute to the destruction and the beauty of our country being the fastest growing economy of the world would be meaningless. Let us pledge to be kind to our environment, our neighbours and ourselves.
Dear Editors, I hope this is one issue that we can be at one and in harmony say: “Ban the harmful use of plastic bags and containers as soon as possible.”
Yours truly,
Hamilton Green
Elder
