PMA Office Hosts Youth Summer Camp

The Pitons Management Area (PMA) office of the Department of Sustainable Development hosted a 3-day summer camp for approximately forty (40) youth from Secondary Schools around Saint Lucia. The camp which run from July 18-20 at Leisure Inn in Soufriere; targeted youth aged 14-16 years. Camp activities took a global to local approach and included presentations on the Sustainable Development Goals and the PMA- Saint Lucia’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During the formal Open Session on Day 2, Manager for Protected Areas, Augustine Dominique informed guests and participants that the camp would be an annual activity on the Departments’s that engaged youth in advocacy and outreach on environment and world heritage matters. Secretary-General of the National Commission for UNESCO in Saint Lucia, Mrs. Marcia Symphorien addressed the Open Session on the theme Preserving Heritage and Economy through Youth Participation. She implored participants to “make a commitment to protect our heritage to preserve it and to advocate for its sustainable use”.

Minister for Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, Honourable Dr. Gale Rigobert gave a huge nod of approval to the activity. In her own words; “… activities like these facilitate youth involvement in promoting the sustainable development goals”.

On the final Day of the Camp, participants visited some of the sites and attractions within the PMA. The camp culminated with participants lending their voices to the preservation of the PMA and sustainable development in an ad which will soon be published on the PMA website at www.pma.govt.lc

The camp received support from the private sector, and the Department would like to thank the following entities for their contribution:
Hotel Chocolat, Bank of Saint Lucia Ltd, Anse Chastanet Hotel, Soufriere Regional Development Foundation, LADERA, Blue Waters, Soufriere Marine Management Authority, Windward & Leeward Brewery Ltd, Fond St Jacques Cooperative Credit Society, Choiseul Credit Union, Massy Stores; and Stonefield Estate Villa Resort & Spa.