The Sustainable Beach and Lagoon Cleanup Programme, an initiative of the Beach Authority, aiming to enhance the experience of beach users and promote environmental sustainability, was launched by the Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mr Kavydass Ramano, at Flic en Flac Public Beach. A tree-planting ceremony was also held on the occasion.
Also present, the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Mr Alan Ganoo; the Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS), the Chairperson of Beach Authority, Mr Jean Marie Desire Levaillant; and other personalities were present on the occasion.
The main objective of this programme is to reduce pollution and protect the beach ecosystem, positioning Mauritian public beaches as prime tourist attractions while simultaneously promoting economic growth through sustainable tourism practices. The campaign also endeavours to engage communities in collective action towards a cleaner environment. The motto of this campaign is ‘Netway, Protez Ek Preserv Nou Laplaz’.
Minister Ramano emphasised the collaborative nature of the programme. The funds for this initiative were allocated in the last budget for the Beach Authority to execute a sustainable project which involves the cooperation of authorities such as the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, Hotels, the National Coast Guard, the Mauritius Police Force, civil society organisations, and the inhabitants of coastal villages. This collective effort is crucial to ensure that the programme is not a one-off event but a part of the daily lives of the population, he stated.
The Minister outlined measures in the pipeline regarding the embellishment of public beaches, namely, the Beach Management Plan comprising the upgrading of public beaches such as Flic en Flac, Choisy and, Belle Mare to include an outdoor gym, parking areas and picnic tables. Similar facilities will be replicated at the remaining public beaches around the island and in Rodrigues to preserve the beauty of beaches, he pointed out.
He, moreover, spoke of the fact that beaches need to be accessible to everyone, including disabled persons. In this context, the Beach Authority, with the support of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, has purchased several floating wheelchairs and is in the process of recruiting beach lifeguards to oversee the use of these facilities.
The Environment Minister underlined that as a Small Island Developing State, Mauritius is more exposed to challenges related to climate change, and, to counter them, Government is investing massively in the protection of coastal areas and preventing seawater infiltration in regions such as Bois des Amourettes and Bambous Virieux.
Mr Ganoo joined Minister Ramano to appeal to the contribution of everyone towards environmental sustainability. He also outlined the challenges related to climate change, highlighting that a budget of some 6,5 billion dollars has been earmarked to combat climate change in the Republic of Mauritius through adaptation and mitigation measures.
The Chairperson of the Beach Authority indicated that this programme is in line with Government’s policy to create a cleaner, greener and safer environment, adding that the Beach Authority is continuously contributing towards sensitising the beach users and the public, in general, to protect our public beaches and keep them clean at all times.
He also emphasised that raising awareness and calling on people to refrain from polluting beaches, including through noise pollution, is not limited only to authorities, but concerns the population in general.
