Simon Leads – By Kisean Joseph
Simon Leads Early Morning
St. Mary’s South MP Kelvin Simon rolled up his sleeves at 6 o’clock yesterday morning to lead a cleanup effort at the entrance to Ffryes Beach in Bolans, citing civic pride and the need to maintain one of Antigua’s premier tourism attractions.
The MP and his crew tackled overgrown bushes and neglected signage at the beach entrance, which Simon described as falling short of acceptable standards for one of the island’s most popular and renowned beaches.
“It’s about love for community, civic pride, and having an appreciation for what we call our breadbasket – tourism,” Simon said. “Ffryes Beach is one of the most popular, renowned beaches in Antigua and Barbuda, and I just find that it is not kept the way that it should.”
The entrance is overgrown, obscuring the welcome sign and making it barely visible. Simon outlined plans to paint the monument, give it a proper facelift, and plant flowers around it to create an attractive photo opportunity for both locals and tourists.
“As it is right now, nobody’s going to want to go next to that to take a picture because it’s filthy,” he said.
This morning’s effort focused on the entrance area, but Simon indicated that further cleanup work deeper into the beach area is planned for the near future. He emphasized that this initiative is neither the first nor the last of its kind, with plans to tackle various areas throughout St. Mary’s South.
The MP noted that his constituency boasts the most hotels and beaches in Antigua and Barbuda, making maintenance efforts particularly important for the tourism sector. He also revealed that he had previously installed garbage bins at various beaches in the area, though he believes they haven’t been utilized enough.
Simon used the occasion to deliver a broader message about community stewardship, urging residents to take ownership to keep their surroundings clean.
“It belongs to all of us, and whatever we can do to keep it clean and tidy, it will benefit every one of us,” he said. “That culture of not littering should be a message that everybody tries to own because I think we don’t do well enough as a community.”
He stressed that residents shouldn’t assume littering is acceptable simply because someone is paid to clean up, calling on everyone to be proper stewards of their communities and to maintain them with care.
The cleanup initiative represents a hands-on approach by the MP to address aesthetic and environmental concerns in his constituency while promoting civic responsibility among residents and visitors alike.
