Ministers Endorse Greening of St George’s City

Two senior government officials believes that the eco-friendly project to “green” the town of St. George’s that is being embarked upon by the Willie Redhead Foundation (WRF) will not only aid in improving the island’s tourism product but will also make the city one of cleanest in the Caribbean.

With a planning grant of $3,500 from the United Nation Development Program (UNDP), Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grant Program, the WRF, which has now adopted the preservation of the natural environment as one its mandates, will be preparing the matrix for “greening the city” through a project called “Green Places Open Spaces.”

Describing the initiative as one that will have tremendous positive effects on the tourism industry, Tourism Minster Peter David, who is also Member of Parliament for the Town of St George, said that although from time to time there will be tension between development and the preservation of the environment, the eco-friendly long-term plan of the project will make St George’s a special city when mixed with its Georgian heritage.

The Planning Grant will help the group to undertake research; begin a series of consultations and planning sessions; prepare Geographic Information Systems maps of the city; develop a plan of action; and prepare a full grant project proposal.

The project will focus on transforming the capital into a green city by developing and promoting the establishment of green spaces where trees are planted and by reducing carbon emissions from business through energy conservation initiatives.