Keeping up with the 24th Micronesian Forum held in the month of July, the President Remengesau has declared 13th of September as Micronesia cleanup day.
“I call on all People of Palau to join this mass effort to clean up our homes and communities, our land, and our sea,” President Remengesau said in the proclamation.
The forum was held in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia on July 10-11 and involved leaders of Palau, Marshal Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and its states of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.
At that meeting, the leaders recognized that the increase of trash on land and coastal debris swept up on the Micronesian shores is posing a great threat to islands marine and terrestrial life. This includes contamination of natural resources, creation of toxic microplastics, and bolstering the populations of disease-spreading vector species such as rats and mosquitoes.
Currently Palau has been experiencing Dengue outbreak for which several town hall meetings were organized by Ministry of Health and Koror State Government in the month of August. The KSG had also conducted clean up sessions in different locations.
The Micronesian Islands Forum collectively decided that September 13 will be acknowledged as a Micronesia Cleanup Day throughout Micronesia with activities to mark the day held simultaneously on all Micronesian islands.
The President in the proclamation said, “Our efforts will promote cleanliness within and around our homes and communities for our own benefit provide a more beautiful environment for our visitors to enjoy, foster public-private and community-individual partnerships, and encourage all Micronesian people to practice our long tradition of working together for the benefit of our communities and homes.”
The President has ordered ministries of the national government to participate in Micronesia Cleanup Day and has encouraged the legislative and judicial Branches of the National Government, the state government, civil society organizations, private sector, diplomatic embassies to join in Micronesia Cleanup Day by dedicating September 13 to cleaning up the island. (Eshan Kalyanikar)