Local companies have teamed up with the Oman Dive Centre (ODC) to bring about a joint effort that will see a new dimension to this year`s reef and beach clean-up, which will kick off on the ODC premises this Friday.
The event is supported by PADI`s (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) project Aware.
The reef and beach clean-up involves both divers and beach combers that will be transported to the many beaches surrounding the Jissah area, such as Qantab bay, Al Bustan Jissah and Fahal Island, Bernard Radvaner, manager of the ODC, said at a press conference held at the Muscat Inter-Continental Hotel on Saturday.
Radvaner also highlighted the objective of the cleaning event, as being an environment eye-opener to many people on how pollution, caused by the modern day lifestyle is affecting the underwater life even in Oman.
He further emphasised that ensuring the protection of marine life today was essential to securing the ecosystem for the future. Oman was a great place to kick start such an awareness drive because it was a country that was always on the forefront of protecting its natural resources.
The beauty of this event was that companies like Shell, HSBC, and Oman International Group (OIG) have teamed up with ODC to make this happen, he added.
Faisal Al Hashar, corporate affairs and business development manager of Shell, said that considering Oman`s naturally beautiful surroundings, the responsibility was on all to preserve this beauty for the future generations, "Within this context, Shell Oman has supported in the past initiatives like this one that are aimed for preservation of our environment," Faisal Al Hashar said.
Dana Sarhan, corporate affairs officer at HSBC Bank Middle East, expressed the global bank`s commitment to the promotion of good environmental practice through the HSBC in the community programme. The programme is carried out by HSBC worldwide and focuses mainly primarily on education and the environment. Last year, HSBC spent $35 million through the programme, of which $500,000 was spent in the Middle East Region. Corporate social responsibility is now a very important part of what large corporations do today.
"It not only means giving back to the community, but how we do business with and the integrity with which we deliver our services," she said.
Mark Lee, manager at OIG, stated that their group has been offering environmental services to Oman since 1976. "Although we are primarily land-based, we are proud to have been associated with the Oman PADI project `Aware` in the previous occasion.
"The OIG is working towards a cleaner tomorrow, and we regard this important annual worldwide event as an opportunity to further demonstrate our commitment to the preservation," he said. Bernardm meanwhile, thanked the main sponsors of the event for their support and noted how it would have been impossible to organise such an event with proper backing. The main sponsors are Shell, HSBC, Muscat Inter-Continental Hotel, Gulf Air, the BEC, OIG, Scubatec, Tanuf MASE and OHI.
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© Press Release 2005
