PHILIPSBURG:--- Director of the Tourist Office May-Ling Chun says that Government in collaboration with the country's environmental organizations such as Love the Lagoon and EPIC, would be setting up environmental awareness signs at Great Bay beach by the end of June 2012.
This initiative according to Chun is part of the environmental awareness program of the Tourist Office. The program has the full support of the government, since its first partnership with EPIC in 2008 with respect to working towards enhancing and increasing the local community's and visitors' awareness on environmental protection methods and keeping our beaches and lagoon clean.
The signage will provide practical environmental guidelines to beach users. More beaches are expected to follow suit i.e. Mullet bay, Simpson bay, Kim Sha beach.
In October 2011, Divi Little Bay beach and Isle de Sol Marina were awarded the Blue Flag, making Sint Maarten the first country in the Dutch Caribbean to have Blue Flag locations.
The Blue Flag is awarded to beaches or marinas that meet a specific set of criteria concerning environmental information and education, water quality, safety, services and environmental management.
The program is designed to raise environmental awareness and increase sound environmental practices among residents, tourists, marina-, beach- or resort management and staff.
The eco-label has become an international symbol of quality recognized by Governments, Non- Governmental Organizations and tour operators, and is used for the promotion of the awarded beach, marina or destination.