FCCA
Member Lines Participate in the
Environmental Beautification Project
in St. Maarten
February
29, 2002
On February 6, 2002 approximately 115 volunteers from Disney Cruise Lines’
Disney Wonder, Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas,
St. Maarten Tourism Department, St. Maarten National Heritage Foundation
and St. Maarten Pride Foundation teamed up for the 2002 FCCA Environmental
Beautification Project held in St. Maarten.
Volunteers from each organization gathered at Mullet Bay and were disbursed
into two groups, starting from opposite ends of the beach; meeting in
the middle; spending more than two hours combing the beach for trash and
debris. The Disney crew Volunt-EARS, as they referred to each other and
the volunteers from Royal Caribbean, noted that the majority of the garbage
were bottle caps, straws, soda cans and cigarette butts.
Mr. Rommel Charles, Managing Director, St. Maarten Ports Authority delivered
a brief speech in recognition of this project; “On behalf of the
island of St. Maarten, we would like to say how pleased we are to be associated
with the environmental beautification project. It’s projects such
as these that play a significant role in stimulating the attention of
our local people and getting them interested in the cruise industry. We
look forward to collaborating with the FCCA and the Cruise Lines on projects
such as these in the future.”
Russell Daya, Environmental Officer-Disney Magic, Disney Cruise Line,
organized the volunteers from Disney and expressed his views on the project.
“We at Disney Cruise Line value the environment greatly, as being
part of the Walt Disney Company. The beautiful island of St. Maarten plays
host to our guests from the Disney Magic every week and by asking our
crew members to volunteer for the beautification project is our way of
giving back to the community.”
At the conclusion of the beach cleanup, volunteers were treated to a barbecue
lunch, followed by a volleyball tournament. The days’ refreshments
and activities were sponsored by B&C Beverages Distribution N.V.,
SXM Tender Services, Philipsburg Liquor Store, Caribbean Liquors and Tobacco,
Caribbean Pure, Barefoot Terrance, Budweiser, Heineken (Food Center),
Prime Distributors, St. Marten Ports Authority and SXM Red Cross.
The Environmental Beautification Project is staged throughout the Caribbean
region each year to enable the Member Lines of the FCCA to promote the
importance of environmental awareness and to reinforce the partnership
between the cruise industry and the destinations. Upcoming FCCA Environmental
Beautification Projects this year includes: Barbados, Curacao and the
Cayman Islands.
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