The recent waste management hierarchy poster and essay competition organised by the Department of Environmental Health in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Culture, served to encourage the Cayman Islands community, starting with its youth, to consider living with awareness of the waste hierarchy.

The competition brought together the work of 110 entrants aged 6-16 from government and private schools across Grand Cayman. The competition required participants to make reference to the theme: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, and Dispose Waste Management in the Cayman Islands, also known as the waste management hierarchy, which is used internationally.

Premier Alden McLaughlin recognised the winners from the four primary and high school categories at a brief presentation ceremony, at the library on 28th April after which the works were exhibited briefly.

The 12 finalists in each age group and category, and the names of their winning entries, were as follows:

In the primary school poster division the winner in 1st place was Raven Rhoden, Age 8, George Town Primary School, ‘Always Remember the Four R’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover’ (note Ms Rhoden was absent from the photo); 2nd place Ella Kane, Age 9, Red Bay Primary School, ‘Oh Sea of Palest Emerald merging to darkest Blue … Our Islands It’s time to start thinking of you!’; 3rd place Witney Nathan-Davis, Age 10, Red Bay Primary School, ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover & Dispose Waste Management in the Cayman Islands Newspaper theme.’

In the primary school essay division the winner all had the title ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recover and Dispose – Waste Management in the Cayman Islands’ with the winner of 1st place Lexi Gould, Age 9, Red Bay Primary School; 2nd place Ellie Nickason, Age 9, Cayman Prep School; 3rd place Diandra Whittaker, Age 11, St. Ignatius Catholic High School

In the secondary school poster division the winners were: 1st place Veko Ramgeet, Age 16, Wesleyan Christian Academy, ‘Waste Management in the Cayman Islands theme with Solar Hotel’; 2nd place Ariana Thompson, Age 14, Triple C ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Dispose – The Earth’; 3rd place Shania Barnett, Age 14, Triple C, ‘Recycle Beach theme with Waste Pyramid on Trash Can.’

Finally, in the secondary school essay division, winners were: 1st place Justine Rhule, Age 12, St. Ignatius High School; 2nd place Madison Miranda, Age 15, Triple C School; 3rd place Dianne Asuncion, Age 14, Triple C School.

Driven by Government’s work towards an integrated solid waste management system for the Cayman Islands, the competition and exhibition aimed to raise young people’s awareness of good practices in waste management. The Ministry will engage further with some of the winners in due course. All winning entries can be viewed / read on the Ministry of Health website www.ministryofhealth.gov.ky

Photos:

1)        Group of winners with Hon Premier Alden McLaughlin and other Ministry of Culture representatives and DEH representatives

2)        The winning poster in the primary age group

3)        The winning poster in the secondary age group