‘OPERATION Clean Up’ is gaining momentum in the country with several high-ranking government officials and the wider citizenry playing their part.

The clean-up campaign was initiated by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali in the city of Georgetown and has now spread to several other regions of Guyana.

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall and Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony recently spearheaded clean-up operations along the East Coast corridor in the Mon Repos, Enmore and Haslington communities.

This is a commendable initiative on the part of President Ali and his PPP/C administration which could not have come at a better time as the country is now in the process of changing its image to that of the most attractive tourist destination in the Region and the world.

According to the Attorney-General, “We cannot continue to live in an environment that is filthy, un-environmental and unhealthy” and he took the opportunity to encourage everyone to keep their communities and public spaces clean.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, who stressed the importance of a clean environment. According to the minister, an unclean and unkempt environment creates a habitat for insects to increase in numbers which could become a health hazard.

“We know that is a space where mosquito larvae can breathe and grow and with an increasing mosquito population, you can have the transmission of a number of diseases, so we want to prevent that and this is one simple way in which we can do that,” the Health Minister advised.

As pointed out by both ministers, the exercise has to be sustained and not be seen as a one-off exercise. This is why the involvement of all citizens is so important. What is required is an attitudinal change by the entire society in terms of garbage disposal and the way we treat with our environment.

One encouraging fact in the clean-up exercises is the inter-agency collaboration which has seen the participation of central government, regional administrations, the national democratic councils, the private sector and perhaps more significantly, the wider citizenry.

Guyana is today ranked among the best tourism destinations in the world, not because of its new oil-and-gas potential, but because of its natural beauty and the several initiatives that are being taken by the government to ensure a safe and environmentally friendly country. The country is home to some of the most biodiverse and beautiful rainforests in the world. Few countries in the world can offer a tourist package that is so rich in natural beauty and diversity, a fact that is now being recognised worldwide.

Unfortunately, the physical appearance of the city and coastal areas take away from the true beauty of the country and can project a different image of the country. This is why the initiative by President Ali and his administration is of such national importance.

There is no better sight than a clean environment. As noted by President Ali, one of the objectives of the nation-wide clean-up campaign is to build a new culture. The environment, according to the President, is a demonstration as to how we value each other, because if you can bring garbage and throw it in front of a school, in front of a church, then it demonstrates who really you are and this is what we have to change, and we can only do this together.

There is dignity in working together in making our community safe and clean. President Ali has led the way in this regard. It is now for us as a society to come on board for the good of all.