The winners were Courtez Radway, Tiffany Faulkner, Nicholas Smith, Dante Varlack, Ediesha Chinnery, Glenford Palmer, Kaiela Lewis, K’Launi Williams, Ky’Resha Hodge, Chloe-Rose Solomon, Jamaia Cousins, Amoi Blackman, Nazir Cooper, A’Marley Maduro, Denica Dasilva, Tae’Jon Dangleben, Guliana Faulkner and Yonatan Spector.

Awardees were selected from the 124 students who registered during the month of December based on the most collection of glass, plastic and aluminum recyclable waste. Awards were also given to students who participated in the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Video Submissions and a Super Recycler who collected the most recyclables.

Collectively, the 124 participants prevented a total of 42,833.53 pounds of recyclables from being burned which equated to 520,774 glass bottles; 1,337,599 plastic water bottles and 73,619.7 aluminums cans.

Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone stated at the ceremony hosted at Maria’s by the Sea on February 18, that the information collected from the student competition will be used in the Waste Management study that will continue to strengthen legislation for the National Waste Management Strategy.

He explained that the intention has always been to utilise schools and prompt student participation prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but due to the lockdowns and restrictions there was a delay in the start-up.

Minister Malone however praised the additional support rendered from the Minister of Finance, Minister for Education, and the Minister for Natural Resources for kick-starting the House-to-House Waste Collection system that prompted the enhanced recycling efforts.

“Waste is not anything new anywhere in the world and it is an issue no matter where you are. But we must be able to look at better ways in which we do it [collect waste]…[And] at the end of the day, you [students] are ambassadors for the environment,” said Health Minister Honourable Malone.

The 18 students were awarded new laptops and tablets to assist them with their studies.

Remarks were also rendered by Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie; Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley; Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley; the acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Development, Ms. Tasha Bertie; Director of Green VI, Sarah Penny; acting Manager for the Department of Waste Management, Mr. Neville Allen; and Super Recycler Awardee Courtez Radway. The ceremony was chaired by Acting Public Health Communications Specialist Adrianna Soverall and the Territorial Song and Anthem were both rendered by Ms. Deanna Wattley.

The ‘We Recycle’ Student competition’s purpose was to boost the Territory’s recycling programme in collaboration with the non-profit organisation Green VI.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development aspires to provide a caring and integrated system of health and social services that facilitates the recovery of human development and quality of life in the British Virgin Islands.