By Vivian Tyson
SUN Associate Editor

Kayla Higgs, Winner of the 2008 Turks and Caicos Islands ' Tourist Board's Essay Competition, commanded the attention of not only local policy makers, but also that of the wider Caribbean and further field, when she urged Government to take mitigating action against the destruction of the country's coral reef inflicted by cruise ships in our territorial waters.

Kayla, a second form student of the Raymond Gardiner High School in North Caicos , in her attention-grabbing delivery, also pricked the powers that be, to take even more severe actions against those who, in the name of tourism, steal corals to sell to guests, or individuals who broke off the pieces of the marine ridge for personal use.

Kayla showed that not only can she identify problems with our society but is able to also find solutions. She noted that cruise ships and other large vessels pose great dangers to the coral reef as they sail over them to dock at our ports resulting in the destruction of ocean barriers, which also serve as habitat for marine life.

Against that background, she urged our policy makers to formulate plans geared at establishing a correlation between sustainable tourism and the growth of the economy.

According to her, one way of doing so is to mandate cruise ships to dock outside the bounds of the reef and allow for smaller vessels to transport their passengers ashore. This, she told the packed Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa, would lessen the potential damage to the reef.

“Cruise Ship arrivals are very beneficial and provide solid revenues to our country's economy. However, such large vessels help to break down our reefs. My appeal is for the Tourist Board, the environmental body and our own able (Government) Ministers, to put in policies which can address the problem of cruise ships and other large vessels. My suggestion is for the policy of cruise ships to stay outside of the reefs, and smaller vessels be used to transport visitors to the shores,” she said.

Added young Kayla, who wants to be a biologist and journalist: “It is my duty also, to appeal to the various media houses and environmental faculties, to create more advertisements informing people about the reefs and coastal products we have around us and what should be done to protect them.”

Describing it as a ‘ludicrous practice', Kayla mooted for strong action to be taken against those who continue to go against the laws of the land by “breaking off pieces of corals to sell to tourists, and also persons who, while sightseeing, carry-out these practices.”

According to her, each person should be their own police in protecting the ecosystem, ensuring that the TCI remains safe, protected and beautiful by nature.