Littering while travelling: A favourite pastime of some Guyanese

OLD KAI was travelling along the East Bank Demerara public road one lazy afternoon in early May when the monotony was suddenly broken by a partly empty, crumpled tin of energy drink being hurled by a passenger of the minibus in front of the vehicle I was in.The tin took flight and landed at the feet of a police traffic officer who was a short distance from the Providence Station. The rank was on foot, so it was impossible for him to react in time and go after the perpetrator.

Old Kai took down the licence number of the mini-bus, but in hindsight it would be pointless to publish it, as one cannot hold the operators responsible for the actions of their passengers. They may not have even been aware of the individual’s action.

If you want to get an idea of the sickening habit of littering by some of our citizens while they are travelling, simply take a glance at the section of the East Bank or East Coast road under construction. At times they are filled with empty beer and other disposable beverage bottles. There is no way of confirming if the alcoholic containers belong to drivers, but it underlines the fact that people litter with impunity when they are travelling.

The guilty parties have become emboldened because people hardly ever stand up and chastise them for their behaviour, reminding them that it is not only against the law, but it reflects negatively on their character.

Old Kai once looked a minibus driver in the eye as he was driving along the Stabroek Market area, the reason being that he had just finished a ‘snow-cone’ in a plastic bag and instinctively placed his hand containing the bag on the roof of the bus. I knew what was to come next, so I gave him a stern look and shook my head to indicate ‘No, don’t do it’. He smiled and released the bag to fall where it may.

Whenever I was at the wheel, I would flash a car or two ahead of me when I observed boxes, bags or bottles flying out the window. In return, I received some colourful language, and at times a strange greeting, characterized by their holding up one finger of the hand. I assume that it meant they had taken note of their folly and were repenting.

It is no secret that littering is a major problem in our country; but to effectively tackle it on a national front, we need to compartmentalize it in its various forms, and then develop specific programmes to target the demographics.

A few years ago, there was an effort to place bins in the minibuses, and to educate the public transport operators so they can encourage their passengers to put any refuse they have in the bin, rather than throw it through the window. This was short-lived, but it is a good idea and needs to be revived.

To add meat to this idea, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment should work with the GRA to make it mandatory that, before public transport operators have their licences renewed, they must participate in a special class on environmental awareness and the role they play. You may not convert all at first, but you would make significant inroads. The programme would encourage drivers to put up anti-littering information in their vehicles, and also, from time to time, verbally remind passengers to refrain from littering.

After being publicly reminded of this, that individual would be morally pressured against lifting his/her hand in plain sight of others to dispose of his/her garbage from a vehicle.

With the new littering laws out, which increases to $50,000 the penalty for anyone caught littering, passengers and operators should be given an incentive for bringing to the nearest police station anyone caught littering, once the guilty party has been fined. This would automatically encourage more people to be on the alert, and those who previously littered with impunity would equally be on the lookout.

Old Kai also wonders if the new laws have taken into consideration the fate of children if they are caught littering. Depending on their age range, I am of the opinion that penalties could range from an environmental awareness class specially designed for that age group; and for teenagers, a combination of awareness classes and mandatory involvement in at least one ‘Pick It Up campaign.

There should be an increase in the public relations campaign, with specially designed television and radio programmes or infomercials and newspaper ads giving our people real-life scenarios, and not just telling them what they should not do, but, more importantly, show them the right way.

We need these messages coming from all ages, walks of life, economic status, and communities across the country so the majority of our population will be able to relate directly. We need a sustained anti-littering programme from playschool to the University of Guyana.

Last, but not least, parents have the most important role of all. Old Kai once observed a kid in the rear passenger seat of a car dispose of the plastic wrapping of his snacks along the roadside as his mother was in the driver’s seat. I attempted to flash the driver; when the road was clear, I pulled up alongside her and told her the kid was littering. Her response was “mind your f…… business!”

Sorry madam, I cannot; the actions of your child and others who litter will also affect me. It is the litter that clogs up drains and canals which causes flooding that affects our citizens; and it is in the litter that the insects, such as mosquitoes that carry viruses which would affect our citizens, find ideal shelter.

Those are just two of several reasons why it is my business to upbraid litterbugs, and why I will continue to make it my business!

If you are reading this article, it is also your business to spread this message as far and as widely as you possibly can. Your health and wellbeing depends on it, and you will also be saving some of your relatives and friends the added expense of a $50,000 fine.