Thousands join BSP clean up streets

MORE than 250,000 school children and people nationwide joined Bank South Pacific to clean up their schools and communities last Friday and Saturday in one of the biggest cleanup initiatives undertaken.
The clean-up programme was part of the BSP “go green” initiative, which is part of the “clean up the world” campaign.
BSP is spearheading clean-ups throughout Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Niue.
Last Friday’s event targeted schools while BSP went to the community on Saturday.
In Port Moresby, BSP chief executive officer Ian Clyne and NCD Governor Powes Parkop joined several schools and communities last Friday and Saturday to clean the city.
Parkop said: “We cannot leave the problem-solving entirely to the experts. We all have a responsibility to our environment and we must do our part in keeping it clean.”
He said ideally everyone should get to “keep their environment clean and healthy everyday”, and that was what the BSP “go green initiative is all about – keeping the environment free from litter and pollution”.
Parkop lauded BSP for the initiative and said it had set the pace for other citizens and schools to follow.
Clyne said “unlike other clean-up projects, this is a programme developed in response to the community’s desire for long-term solutions to environmental problems”.
“Working in partnership with different sections
of the PNG community, BSP’s annual clean-up days are part of an education programme.   
“The primary aim of getting schools involved is to inspire children to care for the environment; we take a step towards changing the future.
“It is important that we create a culture where everyone respects their environment and keep it clean and healthy everyday,” Clyne said.