I have only been once to the beach since I have been here even though there is absolutely nothing to do. The reason is simple, it is very difficult to find a clean beach on this island. I must have been to at least ten beaches before finding one that is not too dirty; not so long ago it was not too far from my hotel but now it is a 35 minutes drive to get there so I will try and find another one that is closer.
When you hear about Kiribati your first question will be where it is then once you find out that it is located in the pacific you will quickly imagine it to be a paradise and you couldn’t be more wrong. This place is one of the dirtiest places I have seen in my life! I live in a place where everyone who has some garbage will just throw it in the street, this didn’t occur to me in the beginning of my stay on the island because I was quite busy looking at the people. The locals are quite fond of frozen water with syrup which is kept in small plastic bags, they bite one corner of the plastic bag and suck on the ice; you will find those plastic bags everywhere along the road. Chinese noodle are also very popular around here but with a twist, you don’t eat them in a bowl with hot water but dry in the wrapping like potato chips and of course the wrapping ends up on the ground.
I have to be honest there is absolutely no trash cans anywhere and I haven’t seen any garbage collection. To get rid of your garbage you have 2 choices: either you bring it to one of the dump on the island, they are so close to the sea that when it is a little bit too strong it while bring some stuff in the lagoon; or you keep a place on your property or a barrel where you will put your garbage and burn it later. There is absolutely no education regarding how to deal with garbage on the island, yet it is crucial for such a place; anyone can do as they please. Almost every family has pigs on their property, they also act as waste management; some of them are cage but a lot of them roam free all day. Would you have pigs in your garden to take care of your garbage?
Coming back to the beach, you have to know that in the pacific islands, the inhabitants have become used to throwing their garbage to the sea thinking it would sink because they couldn’t see it anymore. In most cases what was thrown would be moved by the currents and end up somewhere else on the island becoming someone else’s problem: you get beaches covered with different kind of plastic products and metal elements. Tarawa is an atoll, there is an internal and an external lagoon, in each case what is thrown into the sea will end up on the ground.
During the week-end, the families will come to the seaside and have a picnic, as they spend the whole day there they bring everything they need. At the end of the day when everyone is gone you can see the traces of their stay. To find a really clean beach you need to go to an inhabited island. The photo below represents the same beach as above, you can now see what the beach really looks like when the angle is different and the garbage belt appears.
This is much much better than places where I have visited in other countries even in places in the developed countries where dump areas are hidden in the backyard. People are not leaving on the beach anyway. Developed countries need to pour more money to clean up the beaches and stop financing the nuclear weapons and many more.
ReplyDeleteIf the local government is not willing to clean its own country, there is no need for developed countries to pour money.
ReplyDeleteIt is very sad to see such a beautiful place look so dirty.
I support that the local Govt work together with CSO's churches and NGO's to counter this problem
ReplyDeleteit all about partnership and good relationships at all levels. FSPK had a program back in the early 2000 called te kaoki maange and was succesful as communities were engaged and empowered at the same time, before any developed countries intervene, the PEOPLE of KIRIBATI should take ownership of their problems.
In a place like this, as it is quite easy to touch all the population with radio, there should be a campaign to ask communities to be more responsible.
ReplyDeleteThis place has a lot to offer but it is not showing right now because i believe that on those islands nobody cares.
I am totally agreed with what Iam has just said. I'm a proud Gilbertese but ashamed to be known as one of the dirtiest country. I do wish that our Government could see in to this matter along with CSO's Churches and NGO's and Kiribati as a whole to join hands and help clean Kiribati. This is not what the tourists or people from outside Kiribati come to visit and see it. I'm for one would like to help clean and make Kiribati the cleanness place to visit.
ReplyDeleteLook Iam nowhere, you just been here for a month or so. You have no idea of what you are writing here. Kiribati is a country with small islands and every land is needed by the inhabitants. You are lucky that your country is quite big that you can manage your waste better.
ReplyDeleteYou should be thankful that you have big land size rather than criticizing others.
Thank you
Good waste management is not a land issue. It is a people's issue. You can live on a very small island and be able to properly dispose of your waste and you can live in a big country and not dispose of your waste.
ReplyDeleteI am not criticizing but just talking about what i see everyday. It really is a shame that such a beautiful place is so filthy.
Hey, who are you, what is the purpose for you to stay in Kiribati. do you have plenty of money to sponsored the cleaning?. why don't you give a hand to this country in order to make a better and clean country?. you are lucky because we don't know u very well so next time u visit here I will looking for you and I don't know what to do. thank you.
ReplyDeleteWow you sure are an angry one, aren't you. I would actually give a helping hand in cleaning the island if there indeed was a cleaning initiative but sadly i don't think it will happen anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteRelax, if you like your country just help it get better.
well, i from kiribati...to be honest i believe in everything mentioned...If any donor happen to come to this website, plis donate funds so we can clean Our Kiribati
ReplyDeleteI Love Kiribati even when its dirty
i'll have to agree to some of the comments with you Iam Nowhere but looks like your article is more than descriptory!! you're taking advantage of such matter!! you must research more and more before writing which is why there is always limit on everything!! the government (Ministry of Environment and Social Affairs) have from time to time taken certain measures to encourage waste management and other precautions regarding wastes. actually there is a progress every year and as an i-kiribati i've seen this slow progress...it is because of the funding which like other pacific island nations, is a problem. you could say all that you want but make sure not to be so over-estimating a peaceful island nation like ours!! we will get there some day but not during your visit!! we have many other islands but you're sourcing the capital which by far, has the largest portion of the population...thanks again for your views and i respect them but please respect ours!! GOD BLESS KIRIBATI AND I-KIRIBATI!!
ReplyDeleteWell, concerning this matter? As an I-Kiribati! is it quite annoying and ashamed at the same time from what Iamnowhere points of view, I will say your perspectives are right but you are not put it in a way that WE I-Kiribati will be encouraged. maybe I could be wrong in this but the way you put this is so frustration, well maybe you will make us very angry and do some movements??
ReplyDeleteNway, you are right but it seems that you are over estimating our nation. It is true what you are trying to convey here and I do understand and respect that, but at the same time I think it will be more better if you compare all the different islands in Kiribati with the capital one. I think this will be encouraged them to see the differences and be more motivated in doing their different roles within their communities.Sorry bt maybe you only concerns with this since International things takes place here?>>??...I am not quite sure..
Anyway, I would definitely say it is our own responsibility as 'I-KIRIBATI' to look after our beautiful island according to Iamnowhere saying (individual issues). I know and understand that it is also our government responsibility to take care of this but it is quite take long due to certain factors, especially the funding and many others that we sometimes can't really see it.
No one to be blamed but we have to look at our ownselves and ask us!!
Am I doing the right way in disposing waste? we have to cooperate to work each other as a team in doing our own responsibilities within our different community. Education may be one of the factor that associated with this since, sometimes we, people (uneducated) one don't know and account for the risks and a consequences of our own action toward this!
maybe we don't understand and know what will happen if we dispose our waste this way??>??...Therefore I think those who are more
educated, they can help each other especially within their families in clarifying on how to do things the right way and I think that will be more helpful.
I will come to end and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the person who posting this article.Well, it would be more interesting if you do your searching broader so that it can motivate us as IKIRIBATI to take our own responsibilities. From different perspectives, there is always a disagreement and aggrement with the presentation but you have done a very great job nway!!
Buetoo, I respect your views, otherwise i would have removed all the comments that don't agree with what i wrote.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that the government should be the one leading the waste management initiative but the government can't do everything. When i see people throwing garbage on the street or on the beach i tell myself that education is important as Carmel.Akura said. I don't overestimate this nation and i have no agenda, i am just talking about what i see.
Funding has been mentioned a lot and i think that it is not as important as you may think. What is the most important is dedication, the comments on this post all show how dedicated you are to Kiribati, so use that to stop throwing garbage in the streets or on the beach. When you see someone do it tell him to stop.
I have seen that church is very important in Kiribati, well you can ask the minister to explain people how to deal with garbage on a daily basis. This way you can reach a lot of people quickly.
The government could also do a daily radio show explaining what to do with plastic, metal or regular garbage.
There's a lot of ways to tackle this issue without funding.
P.S.: i will remove all comments with insults