What is your name?

Vera

Do you have a favorite childhood memory from the ocean? 

We call the ocean… a river… a creek… usually after my classes in the afternoon or if we ditch class then we hang out on the sea wall and joke around. 

What’s your relationship now with the ocean?

I go to the sea wall still but it needs enhancements when comes to the littering and the pollution. 

What can the youth people do to change this? 

It would be nice if there were some campaigns or some volunteers to clean the place… but I don’t really see that happening. 

Do you have a favorite childhood memory from the beach? 

I do but it is embarrassing! 

Can you tell me about it anyways? 

What I remember about the beach from my childhood was the nudity. We had a nude beach and we had a regular beach. That was it. I always wanted to go to the nude beach. So one time my parents took me and I was like… Wooooaaaa! And my parents were like… Well you know you can’t wear a bathing suit… and I was like… Reeeaaaallllllyyyyyy? And they were like… Yeah that’s why they call it the nude beach! So… I said okay and I took a leaf and I covered myself and ran into the water. So that was fun. 

Was the ocean clean? 

Yes… very… you could see straight to the bottom. 

What’s your relationship like today with the ocean? 

I don’t really get around to going much. I kinda have a fear of drowning. I can swim but still I have a fear of it. When I can’t feel the ground… I panic. 

What’s Guyanese society’s relationship with the ocean?

We don’t call it an ocean. We call it the Creek. 

You call the ocean a creek?

Yeah… we call the Atlantic Ocean a creek... I don’t know… that’s just where people go on their Sundays to relax… with your family and friends and just hangout the whole entire day. But that’s pretty much it… we don’t have many activities in the ocean. 

Is there a lot of trash? 

Yes… people are just littering… there is trash everywhere… but you can’t blame the people… the government is responsible. It is poor strategic planning. If there are plans in place with facilitates and a strictness attached to it… then you will find people will throw their papers in the bin. They have to help me by putting something in place so I don’t walk around with my trash all day. It is easier to throw it. If there is an event… you don’t even want to walk around the creek… there is trash everywhere. 

What about the tourism? 

It’s kinda terrible because you have people who could come from all over the world and you are saying “This is Beautiful Guyana” but what are people seeing? Trash Guyana. I think tourism isn’t here because you can’t come to a place and enjoy something full of trash. A country wants people to love it but the people aren’t loving their country. 

What do you think young people can do to change this?

I think there must be education so kids grow up into adults who take care of the environment once they are in the system of society. 

Do you have a favorite childhood memory from the ocean? 

You mean the creek? 

Yes… I suppose we do by now. 

Oh… yeah I liked going to the creek as a child… it was fun but I would never go now. 

So you don’t like the sea wall much?

No… it is disgusting… it’s just trash. There isn’t much to do there.... we don't take care of the beach. 

So you can’t swim in the ocean?

I wouldn’t swim in there. 

What’s Guyana’s relationship now with the ocean?

People are not so nature minded in Guyana…  I don’t know many people who enjoy hanging out at the beach like other Caribbean countries advertise… we don’t have many tourists. 

What could young people do to change this?

I think we should pressure the government to set up more bins so people can more easily through their trash and I think there should be more education around why the ocean is so important for Guyana.

Do you have a favorite childhood memory from the ocean? 

Favorite memory? Well this time… Well… I don’t like going to the sea wall… it’s really boring… but this time we went to the hot dog stand. I don’t know anyone at the sea wall… but this time I was with my friends. We played on the cars… and then we played on the trampolines. 

So you don’t like the sea wall much?

No… I don’t know nobody… my brother does… but I don’t. You’re just walking. 

So you can’t swim in the ocean?

I guess some people swim in there but I don’t swim in the ocean... it's too dirty.  

What’s Guyana’s relationship now with the ocean?

Well I think some people like to swim but… only last week I went… but most people walk along the wall and talk on their phones or hangout in a group but not on the beach.

So Guyana has a beach but no one really goes… would you like to swim and build sand castles at the beach? Would you like tourists to come and enjoy the beach?

Yeah! I think Guyana needs to make the beaches more open and attractive so people can actually like it… like I went to Trinidad and their beaches were really fun! We are connected by the same ocean so… I think it would be really fun if we took care of our beaches like Trinidad does. 

What is your name?

Kinesha 

Do you have a favorite childhood memory from the ocean? 

No... 

Not one? 

No... I have a favorite memory of the beach... not the ocean. 

Oh… can you tell me about your favorite childhood memory from the beach? 

Well the beach is where I would go with my school friends especially during holidays. It was full of people… it was nice because it was the first time you enjoyed your time in the water… you would go and swim. 

Was it clean?

It was cleaner than today but still it was muddy and brown and you had to wash off right away when you got out of the water because there was bleach in the sea and it would stain your skin… your skin would turn white. 

What’s Guyanese society’s relationship with the ocean?

I don’t think Guyanese have a relationship with the ocean… Guyanese are not really nature-minded. You will find educated people who would know this is what you should and should not do but Guyanese generally don’t care for the land… as you can see the ocean is full of trash. We eat and we throw. 

The other day a whale was washed up here… a baby whale… but more persons were taking photos then being sympathetic for the whale. It has happened twice. 

What can the youth people do to change this? 

It could start with the government but I think if we teach our children the importance of the earth… whatever we learn when we are small that is how we grow… if children learn the importance of the ocean and keeping it clean… I think it will grow better from there.  

What is your name?

Deborah 

Do you have a favorite childhood memory from the ocean? 

I remember going there when I was young and watching the big waves… it was memorizing. I loved it. 

Has it changed now?

It has… there is a lot more garbage. It was better when I was younger. You were able to walk on the beach… the sand itself. You didn’t notice any garbage. No you can't even walk on the sand... it is covered in garbage. 

What’s Guyana’s relationship now with the ocean?

Guyanese don't notice the ocean... it is just there. I think we need to embrace it… realize that it is something to protect and not pollute… I think it will only get worse at this point. We use a lot of plastics and instead of looking for a place to throw the garbage people just through it on the sand. 

What can the next generation do to protect the ocean?

It is going to get worse… the young people need to stop using a lot of plastic. 

What is your name?

Alex

Do you have a favorite childhood memory from the ocean? 

I love taking a shower on Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is one of my favorite memories… sunday morning every one is out at the beach. Everyone relaxing. Taking showers in the ocean.

What’s Guyanese society’s relationship with the ocean?

Well currently people don’t really pay attention to the ocean. People are not paying much interest. But there are religious groups who use the ocean a lot on a weekly base for religious functions… Hindus and Christians and even some Africans. They mostly will clean and protect the beach… but those are the only groups. 

What can the youth people do to change this? 

I think what we can do as youth to boost tourism so that people will utilize our beaches more so we need to put trash bins in place to be emptied twice per day… we also need to plant trees... this could boost the tourism sector… the beach will be a sight people want to see… right now I just see trash.