The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

I write concerning the Insight column published in The Tribune, Monday, January 13, 2020 titled “Well-intentioned but poorly executed and once again the public takes the hit.”

While I rarely take issue with Tribune columnists (being one myself and hoping for forgiveness if I get something wrong) and while I have only the highest regard for those who earn their living by way of pen and keyboard, I have to request a clarification.

Malcolm Strachan’s Insight piece which was critical about the execution rather than intent of the single use plastics ban ran with a huge photo of Minister of Environment and Housing Romauld Ferreira against a backdrop of a completely different initiative, the Be A Hero campaign, easily lending itself to confusion between the two programmes. It was kind of like advertising the movie Little Women with a picture of Star Trek that could be playing in a nearby theatre.

Be A Hero, launched in October 2018, was a school-based clean-up and beautification campaign aimed at changing the mindset of the very young. The Minister of Environment addressed thousands of students in 19 public and private schools, presumably most of whom at ages 6, 7, 8 are not going to decide whether to carry a reusable bag or pay 25 cents. If I’m wrong, please let me know. Yes, both campaigns are to raise environmental awareness, but Be A Hero was not intended to prepare the populace for a single-use plastics ban so appreciate the distinction and The Tribune’s strong ongoing support for protecting and preserving our environment.

Thanks for sharing,

Diane Phillips, Founder, Diane Phillips & Associates who along with Barefoot Marketing handled Be A Hero but not the plastics ban campaign, though fully supportive of the initiative.

Nassau

January 14, 2019