Partly sunny
By Raymond Kongwa,Guardian Staff Reporter
More than 50 journalists, students, educators and environmental advocates were encouraged on Wednesday to petition the Constitutional Reform Commission to include protection of the environment as a fundamental constitutional right.
Making the charge was Attorney General and Minister of Education Alfred Sears who gave the keynote address during the opening session of a two-day seminar presented by his ministry. If environmental conservation was so important to the sustainablity of The Bahamas and its resources said Mr Sears, "then I would have expected it to be in the constitution."
Drawing on the seminar's theme of "Building Community Media Capacity for Environmental Stewardship," the Attorney General said true stewardship meant Bahamians taking responsibility for the country they had been given to manage. Pointing to allegations of environmental degradation on the island of Grand Bahama he questioned whether such actions should not be considered a fundamental offenses. "It is in this context that we stewards must ask ourselves if these basic rights are enshrined in our basic law" added Mr Sears.
Journalists and educators played an important role in the dissemination of information he said, adding that he considered journalists to be educators in their own right, since much of what the public learned came from them. He conceded that many in the field of journalism were very young but said they still had critical roles to play in the development of the country as "their voices can be more clearly heard than most of us. Their classroom is the entire country."
Mr Sears assured journalists of the Ministry of Education's commitment to helping them wherever possible and extended an open invitation for the use of the ministry's resources . Additionally, he said greater emphasis was needed in developing The Bahamas in the area of science and technology as the global economy had now become knowledge based. Ending his remarks on a note which highlighted the need for environmental conservation Mr Sears said "we must preserve where we need conservation and where there is damage we must restore."
Partnering with the Ministry of Education in facilitating the seminar at the SuperClubs Breezes was the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), The Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology Commission (BEST), the Bahamas Information Services and the Bahamas National Trust (BNT). Among the many featured guest speakers were BIS Information Officer Mr Eric Rose, BEST Senior Environmental Officer Mrs Nakira Wilchcolmbe, UNESCO Advisor in Communication and Information for the Caribbean Jocelyne Josiah and Department of Environmental Health Deputy Chief Inspector Mr Dwight Steven Allen.
Participants took part in a number of interactive activities, including break-out group discussions and a tour of the BNT retreat during the second day. An action plan was created by participants for promoting environmental issues and alliances were formed between media practitioners and environmental advocates with a view of bringing more attention to environmental issues through increased media coverage. The seminar ended Thursday after two full days.
By Raymond Kongwa,Guardian Staff Reporter
More than 50 journalists, students, educators and environmental advocates were encouraged on Wednesday to petition the Constitutional Reform Commission to include protection of the environment as a fundamental constitutional right.
Making the charge was Attorney General and Minister of Education Alfred Sears who gave the keynote address during the opening session of a two-day seminar presented by his ministry. If environmental conservation was so important to the sustainablity of The Bahamas and its resources said Mr Sears, "then I would have expected it to be in the constitution."
Drawing on the seminar's theme of "Building Community Media Capacity for Environmental Stewardship," the Attorney General said true stewardship meant Bahamians taking responsibility for the country they had been given to manage. Pointing to allegations of environmental degradation on the island of Grand Bahama he questioned whether such actions should not be considered a fundamental offenses. "It is in this context that we stewards must ask ourselves if these basic rights are enshrined in our basic law" added Mr Sears.
Journalists and educators played an important role in the dissemination of information he said, adding that he considered journalists to be educators in their own right, since much of what the public learned came from them. He conceded that many in the field of journalism were very young but said they still had critical roles to play in the development of the country as "their voices can be more clearly heard than most of us. Their classroom is the entire country."
Mr Sears assured journalists of the Ministry of Education's commitment to helping them wherever possible and extended an open invitation for the use of the ministry's resources . Additionally, he said greater emphasis was needed in developing The Bahamas in the area of science and technology as the global economy had now become knowledge based. Ending his remarks on a note which highlighted the need for environmental conservation Mr Sears said "we must preserve where we need conservation and where there is damage we must restore."
Partnering with the Ministry of Education in facilitating the seminar at the SuperClubs Breezes was the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), The Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology Commission (BEST), the Bahamas Information Services and the Bahamas National Trust (BNT). Among the many featured guest speakers were BIS Information Officer Mr Eric Rose, BEST Senior Environmental Officer Mrs Nakira Wilchcolmbe, UNESCO Advisor in Communication and Information for the Caribbean Jocelyne Josiah and Department of Environmental Health Deputy Chief Inspector Mr Dwight Steven Allen.
Participants took part in a number of interactive activities, including break-out group discussions and a tour of the BNT retreat during the second day. An action plan was created by participants for promoting environmental issues and alliances were formed between media practitioners and environmental advocates with a view of bringing more attention to environmental issues through increased media coverage. The seminar ended Thursday after two full days.
