Placencia Becomes First Community With Dedicated Anti-Litter Officers

Placencia is now the first community in Belize to have a team of Authorized Officers dedicated to enforcing the country’s anti-littering laws. Nine residents have been appointed by the Department of the Environment under the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change as part of the National Anti-Littering Campaign. The officers are authorized to issue tickets for littering offences, while also educating residents on proper waste disposal. We spoke with Chief Environmental Officer, Anthony Mai Sr., about the new initiative.

But the officers’ work will go beyond issuing tickets. They will also engage residents, promote proper waste disposal and help change attitudes toward littering. The campaign is targeting a thirty percent reduction in visible litter in key areas of Belize over the next two years, using enforcement, education and community involvement. The nine officers appointed in Placencia are Warren Garbutt, Brice Dial, Sheldon Lopez, Conrad Villanueva, Christine Small, Henry Hamilton, Charles Westby Jr., Edwin Westby and Naomi Anderson. Officials say having residents involved is important because people within the community are often in the best position to identify problem areas and encourage others to keep their surroundings clean. For the newly appointed officers, the responsibility also provides an opportunity to give back to their communities. Mai says there are simple ways Belizeans can practice greater civic pride and take responsibility for the environment.

Placencia is only the first step. The Department of the Environment says similar training and appointments are expected in other communities as the National Anti-Littering Campaign expands across the country.