Minister of Social Sciences and Community Development the Hon. Melanie Griffin said this year’s National Women’s Week focuses on women who work in the environment: it provides an opportunity for the public to salute the work and contributions so many women make towards keeping the islands of The Bahamas, and the waters and air free of pollutants, plastics and harmful toxins.
Minister Griffin was speaking at the soft opening of the exhibition on “Women and the Environment” as a pre-launch to National Women’s Week 2015 at the Ministry of Education, November 20, 2015.
The Minister Griffin explained that the focus of the exhibition is in keeping with the theme for this year: “Women and the Environment: Creating Partnerships for Sustainable Development.”
“National Women’s Week, which was established some twenty-four years ago, commemorates the day that women in The Bahamas voted for the first time on November 26, 1962.
“It also serves to highlight the achievements and contributions of women to the growth and development of The Bahamas.”
The Minister said the photos and short biographies of the women showcased in the exhibition are but a small representation of the many, many women who work in the field of the environment
“Some of them are household names and trailblazers, like Sam Duncombe (Re-Earth), Lyn Gape (Bahamas National Trust), Eleanor Phillips (The Nature Conservancy), Melonie McKenzie (Environmental Health), Margo Blackwell (The College of The Bahamas), Casuarina Mckinney-Lambert (BREEF), and Lisa Benjamin (Environmental Law, COB). Others such as Felicity Burrows, Stacey Moultrie, Dr. Thalia Micklewhite, Kristal Ambrose, Nikita Shiel-Rolle are the ones who will shape and guide our future.”
The Social Services Minister added, “one thing is certain about all of them, they are all passionate about their work and want to see The Bahamas strive and thrive environmentally.
“They are also keenly aware that as a low-lying Small Island Developing State, we are very vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and therefore as a nation we must become more sensitive and protective of our surroundings if we are to preserve it for future generations.”
She said in September of this year, The Bahamas adopted the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Numerous scientists have concluded that much of the ill effects of climate change can be linked directly to human behavior.
From production, to consumption, then to disposal of food and other materials/items, humans bear a great responsibility in compounding the negative effects of climate change.
“The good news is that we can alter our present direction. We can start by changing our attitudes towards the planet, increase environmentally conscious behaviors on an individual level – for example, unplug the vampire devices, turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms, plant something, and use those food scraps to enrich the soil.
“Each of us can be an example to others who are not environmentally conscious. Let us create and seek out opportunities to flex your environmentally conscious muscles. Remember that the change begins with each of us taking positive steps toward the goal of sustainability,” Minister Griffin said.
Opening- Minister of Social Services and Community Development the Hon. Melanie Griffin officially opened the National Women’s Week exhibition on “Women and the Environment” at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, November 20, 2015.
Exhibition- Minister of Social Services and Community Development the Hon. Melanie Griffin looks at the displays on exhibit with Acting Permanent Secretary, Alan Strachan at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, November 20, 2015. (BIS Photos/Kemuel Stubbs)
