Newsletter for June, 2019

It takes an island ... A local company supports the students of the Learning Center By Tylisha Miller Hairouna Daze is a local brand that promotes Saint Vincent and The Grenadines. They show us the life of a Vincentian through the eyes of a Vincentian and let's not forget they also give back a lot in the process. The brand's founder, Trish Ollivierre, asked me to prepare a short list for her of kids that could use new backpacks and school supplies. I compiled a list of 9 children and she provided a brand new backpack packed with books, rulers, erasers, highlighters, pens etc. The children were so grateful and excited. On behalf of the staff, parents and children we would like to thank the Hairouna Daze team for such a lovely donation.

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The Sargassum crisis An initiative taken jointly with Action Bequia may be one of the first steps in addressing the problem. It certainly won't be the last.

By Glen Herbert "This may be the worst algal bloom in the history of mankind on earth that we've ever seen," says George Buckley, a professor of the Harvard University Extinction School. (Buckley has created an excellent backgrounder on the problem, which can be viewed here .) That algae, sargassum, is a weed, though the potential for it to affect lifestyles and livelihoods is substantial. When researchers use the word "crisis" in reference to the bloom, they are thinking specifically of its ability to impact to the economies throughout the Caribbean. To date, nearly nothing has been done to counteract the effects in a way that answers the sheer size of the bloom. Some hotels in Mexico have been using sargassum as a medium in which to grow mushrooms. Other communities, including that of Mustique, rake the beaches every day at dawn. Those things are a starting point, to be sure, though they will soon be overcome by the scale of it all. Says Buckley, "the treatment that's being done so far is at best reactive. We really need to look quickly beyond that in terms of controls," including harvesting it in greater quantities, and establishing recycling facilities where it can be prepared for industrial use.

We've partnered with Action Bequia and to submit an application for a major grant to the Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA), a World Bank organization, targeting the problem. As noted in that grant application, this isn't a one that can be solved easily, nor is it one that can be addressed without significant partnership across the island and throughout the region. We believe that education is an important first step, both on island and beyond. If you have any ideas for student programs, we'd like to hear them. As happens so often, it's the work and the voices of children that can gain a unique purchase in the international commons. The fact that SVG has been elected to the UN Security Council puts the country, its communities, and its organizations in a unique position. This could be an opportunity to play a significant leadership role. That might begin with raising awareness at the UN, using the issue as a means of lobbying for a greater engagement with climate change initiatives. David Leonhardt of the New York Times wrote this week about a Yale University study that found that, since 2011, the number of Americans who say they are concerned about climate change has risen substantially. He reports that the primary reason cited by respondents was that they were "directly experiencing climate change impacts." The second was, "hearing about climate change impacts." That's a story that Vincentians can tell. Bequia, to be sure, has had a longer period of direct experience than the majority of the world population, first with the rising sea levels — there used to be beach off the Belmont Walkway not all that long ago — and now this. It goes without saying that most people in the world don't know what sargassum is, how it can affect them, or how they contribute to its growth. The irony is that they are one of the causes — the runoff from farms in North America is one of the main contributors to the crisis. Buckley notes that "help is needed from all fronts, particularly [from] those that are not on the islands. The victims can only clean up so much." It's a global problem, not a regional one, and it requires a global response. How the world responds will provide an analogue for how it will respond to later examples of the effects of climate change. Ultimately, this isn't a story about how we treat the environment, it's a story about how we treat each other. We don't have any answers, but Action Bequia and the Grenadines Initiative are keen to work with local projects and initiatives. We're also able to accept dedicated resources from benefactors in Canada, the US, and Britain to support those activities. An important and simple first step is to join the Bequia Sargassum Action Group, either online, via their facebook group , or in person. Please do that. Sometimes it's not the big things that change the world: the treaties, the work of presidents and prime ministers. Maybe this will be one of those cases. Perhaps it begins with raising our voices, both within the community and beyond. Bending the ear of local politicians, certainly, is indicated. Delivering messages by and on behalf of the local student population is too. Given that Vincentians may have easier access to the halls of the United Nations puts us in a position not only of opportunity, but responsibility. SVG is the only Caribbean nation to have that pulpit. In many ways, the next two years may prove to be a very interesting time.

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Contact Glen Herbert [email protected] Ph: 289.439.7052

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