Over the next six weeks, The Urban Renewal Programme will conduct clean-up initiatives in communities throughout New Providence and on Monday started in the Englerston constituency.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force, the church community, members of the community, the Jones Communications Network ‘Operation Love Your Country’, the Ministry of Works and Heath all partnered with the Urban Renewal Programme to carry out the initiative.

Urban Renewal Commission Co-chair Algernon Allen said it is more than just a clean-up initiative.

“It is a powerful social initiative, it’s one that we will be taking into areas for the next six weeks,” he said.

“We’re moving into the other traditional areas in the country and we’re going to use the very same formula that seems to be working so well in this instance, not only the cleaning up of the area but the educating and transformation of minds and attitudes.”

Volunteers and residents were seen dumping their garbage and bulk items into huge dumpsters filled with debris.

Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt Co-chair of theUrban Renewal Commission said that the programme was a community effort.

“It’s a team effort along with the people of the area, young men walking about, they too are taking part in what we’re doing and that’s what is important we’re talking about bringing together all of us as a people. This operation is called ‘Love Your Country,’ it tells you that you put country above self so if you love your country you would do whatever you can to make your country the best in the world.”

She added that pollution remains a challenge in various communities and that it is important to reach out to the country’s youth on the issue.

Urban Renewal also has an ongoing home repair programme.

The Urban Renewal Programme has repaired more than 350 homes and according to Mr. Allen, over the next three years the program aims to repair 1,200 homes over a three year period.