The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force ( RSLPF) embarked on a tree-planting exercise on Saturday in Grace, Vieux Fort, involving young people.
During the event, a minimum of 600 trees were planted as part of an initiative to address deforestation while also fostering community spirit, particularly among young people.
The significance of the activity was underscored by Ernest Charlery, Sub Unit Commander of the Special Services Unit’s Southern Division.
“The police have seen the destruction of our forest reserve, and we embarked on a project where we were doing some restoration… The goal was to engage the youth to bring about a positive outcome. The essence of it was to plant trees in a one-acre area designated by the Ministry of Agriculture,” he said.
Charlery also expressed his satisfaction with the strong turnout and the positive attitude of the participants, emphasising the importance of youth involvement in such efforts.
“I am very impressed with the turnout, the attitude, the camaraderie, and the effort that the various groups put into it, and I can say this is the first of many more activities like this to come, and it is something that we’re going to re-engage in the near future,” the Unit Commander noted.
“There are youths that engage in productive activities where they don’t have to be engaged in things that destroy, but things that build and uplift. I hope their energy and their work can rub off on the [other] youth. So the next time around, we’ll have even more people in the youth to join us on this venture.”
The RSLPF explained that the initiative demonstrated the positive impact young people can have on their communities.
By engaging the youngsters in environmental restoration, the RSLPF is not only tackling deforestation but also inspiring the next generation to take part in productive and meaningful activities for the growth and development of both society and the environment.
Thanks, RSLPF! Those kinds of activities educate, bind and provide great memories. They also put a human face to policing.