CIBC FirstCaribbean has launched a partnership with nongovernmental organisation Seacology and will sponsor projects aimed at preserving the ecosystem and wildlife of three Caribbean islands – Grenada, St. Kitts and San Salvador in the Bahamas.
The programmes will protect critical mangrove forests, nesting beaches of sea turtles and endangered iguanas in the three countries.
CIBC FirstCaribbean Executive Chairman Michael Mansoor, who is also the chairman of the bank’s charitable foundation, presented the first payment of a three year US$63,000 commitment to Seacology Director Duane Silverstein at a ceremony in Barbados.
The grant fully funds the self-sustaining projects, which will involve members of the various island communities.
“CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank is concerned about our customers as well as the sustainability of the island environment in which we live. These projects have the potential of not only sustaining the environment but also the livelihoods of many Caribbean people and we are happy to be a part of it,” Mr. Mansoor said.
The individual projects were chosen by local field representatives of Seacology in collaboration with local community leaders, explained Mr. Silverstein. As the “eyes and ears of Seacology” local representatives are familiar with the local culture, language, environment and needs and will ensure the now approved projects are properly executed, he said.
In Grenada, the mangrove area between Woburn and Calivigny Bays contains the largest intact mangrove ecosystem in the country. It is a nesting, roosting and feeding area for many species and was damaged during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The project will seek to assist the groups who were already working to restore the mangroves, clean up man-made litter and promote awareness of the importance of the mangrove to both local and visiting audiences.
The project in St. Kitts will work with the St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network to protect the Sea turtles and their habitats including the nesting beaches, focusing on the Leatherback, Hawksbill and Green turtles, while the project in San Salvador Bahamas will fund an iguana head starting facility to protect the endemic San Salvador iguana of which only 500 remain in the wild.
Mr. Silverstein said, “Seacology seeks projects that respond to the clear and pressing needs of island communities while protecting vulnerable ecosystems containing healthy habitat, often for rare, endemic or endangered species of plants and animals.”
Of the 222 projects in 140 islands around the world the organisation has undertaken these are the first projects planned for the Caribbean. To date, the organisation has worked on preserving coral reefs, rainforest and other imperilled habitats as well as saving turtles and their nesting sites, crocodiles and other endangered animal species.
“We are very thankful to CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank for this generous donation and I look forward to working with the Bank closely on these projects.” Mr. Silverstein said.
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