The Tribune

The Colonial Group’s three Bahamas-based subsidiaries have pledged their support for an initiative aimed at raising awareness about the environment.

Atlantic Medical Insurance, Security and General Insurance and Colonial Pension Services will turn off all their lights for an hour in the run-up to Earth Hour on Saturday, March 29.

Colonial Group International’s chief executive, Alan Peacock, said: “As an insurance and pension firm we are well aware of how changes in the environment can affect the climate, and how those changes can cause catastrophic events.

“Earth Hour is an international event, and it is more than just turning lights off for an hour. It is about creating a legacy that creates a sustainable future for our children and their children.

“I am delighted to be able to announce that we are supporting Earth Hour, and I sincerely hope others, whether it be an individual, an organisation or a company, follow suit.”

Colonial’s operations in Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos and the Cayman Islands are also turning off their lights to mark the event.

Earth Hour, www.earthhour.org, started six years ago and has become the world’s largest mass participation event in history, involving 7,000 cities in seven continents and millions of people.

Its mission is three-fold: To bring people together through a symbolic hour-long event; to galvanise people into taking action beyond Earth Hour; and to create a global community with a shared aim of creating a sustainable future for the planet.

Lynda Gibson, executive vice-president and general manager of Atlantic Medical Insurance, said the three firms would turn off their lights on March 27 between 10am and 11am. Earth Hour itself is from 8.30pm to 9.30pm on March 29.

She added: “We are delighted to support this event and to help raise awareness of Earth Hour, which might help to change attitudes in the Bahamas.

“We desire less reliance on fossil fuels, and we must think of more sustainable ways of creating sources of energy. Islands such as the Bahamas could easily be held to ransom if we continue to rely on traditional power supplies.”