Scores of Atlanteans clad in rubber gloves and armed with garbage bags, rakes and shovels took to the streets just beyond the bridge Monday, October 9th – the National Heroes Day Holiday – in a community clean-up effort spearheaded by Atlantis executives. The initiative targeted the Eastern Parade, Betty Cole Park, Retirement Park, the area known as ‘The Pond’ and portions of Okra Hill, and is part of an overall vision to make New Providence a ‘clean, green and pristine’ environment for all. The effort was also supported by the Paradise Island Tourism Development Association (PITDA), Bahamas Waste Management and businesses in the area like Bahamas Hand prints, Craig Butler and Company and businessman Franklyn Butler.  

Atlantis President & Managing Director Audrey Oswald says the effort and what it means for the island as a whole are very important to Atlantis.  

“This clean-up effort is a part of our commitment to the community. Seeing the transformation in real time is amazing and we are so very happy that we are able to contribute to the betterment and the uplifting of these areas in such a meaningful and tangible way.” She adds that seeing residents of the areas targeted not only thanking and applauding the Atlantis team for the clean-up, but getting involved as well, was very rewarding. We are also grateful to PITDA and other stakeholders in the community who lent their support. “That made it all worth the hard labour.”  

Minister with responsibility for the environment,  Romauld Ferreira,  was also on hand and joined in the clean-up effort from start to finish. He agrees that the effort is one of importance and called the Atlantis and Pond business and resident community volunteers the day’s ‘true heroes.’  

“This is the beginning of what we hope to be a groundswell of really taking pride in our country and our environment, because I’ve said this many times – nobody can really do this for us… It’s only through working together that we can achieve the goals that we want, which is a clean Bahamas and we’ve been saying this all along that the environment is the golden thread of our Bahamas. It’s the one thing that connects us all; we breathe the same air, drink the same water. We all want to live in a clean environment and the Government cannot do it all. We have to embrace a spirit of volunteerism so I thank Atlantis and the partners from The Pond because this being National Heroes Day, the charge is to be a hero. Do your part. This is our Bahamas.”  

Ed Fields, Atlantis’ Senior Vice-President of Public Affairs, stated the Pond is “our” neighborhood too. He added that it is “our intention to get to know every business owner and resident in the area with a view to creating a community that everyone can view as the model of partnerships between business and residents. We wish to create an environment that everyone is proud to work and live in. it will take some time to accomplish, but we will not give up until we get there.”  

In addition to picking up and bagging garbage refuse in the area, the clean-up effort will also see the removal of larger debris, derelict vehicles and abandoned structures which have been serving as breeding grounds for rodents, mosquitos and other pests.