Click Photo For Barbados Advocate Article About How Mangrove Swamps Fight Global Warming
Group Membership: 4,500+ Worldwide
I’ve never really been into FaceBook or other social networking sites like Shona has, but now that I see what is happening with the Graeme Hall cause I am excited about the future of citizen activism in Bajan environmental, political and social issues. We see some new tools to complement the blog during the next election and we’re learning to use them!
The FaceBook group Save The Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary is only two weeks old but already has 4,500+ members worldwide.
It is the worldwide reach that I find so impressive. While the Barbados-based membership remains in the majority, the number of international members is very impressive as is the variety of countries they represent. I spent a few minutes browsing the membership list yesterday and saw members from Barbados, Bolivia, Florida, Canada, California, Scotland, North Carolina, Malaysia, Trinidad & Tobago, London England, Nigeria, Ohio, Switzerland, Manchester, Italy, Bahamas, New York, Israel, Texas, Netherlands and… Bangladesh! (whew!)
International Bankers For Graeme Hall National Park! (Come again?!)
Graeme Hall Flamingos Networking on FaceBook! 
Also impressive is how Facebook can bring some influential people and groups to assist a cause. For instance, I see many many members who proclaim their school, church or profession and have brought with them an already establish network of trusted friends and colleagues. The financial community is for some reason quite well represented on the Graeme Hall Facebook group with members from Credit Suisse, Ernst & Young, CIBC Bank, Royal Bank and many others. There are also some big names in the group who everyone know. Big names as in influence and money.
All these diverse folks are coming together for one common cause: to establish a National Park to save the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary – which is the last significant mangrove forest in the Western Hemisphere.
We’re going to pay more attention to the Save The Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary group and the entire social networking world. Perhaps we might see a Barbados Free Press Facebook page run by Cliverton. Barack Obama’s election team was big into FaceBook and you can bet that Facebook will be a big part of the election effort in Barbados next time around.
In the meantime, why not drop over to the Graeme Hall group and see how many of your friends are there? Sign up and receive notifications of all the events and news surrounding the Graeme Hall National Park efforts. You owe it to yourself, Barbados and a better future for all Bajans.
8 Comments
November 25, 2008 at 10:07 am
Good, I sent the Facebook invite to everyone I knew thats been here, and they all joined!!
November 25, 2008 at 10:54 am
I joined too. My family has been to Barbados three times in the past four years to visit friends.
November 25, 2008 at 11:24 am
I followed the link and visited the website but cannot find how to join. I would very much like to join, so please help me out.
November 25, 2008 at 12:07 pm
You have to join Facebook first (www.facebook.com) then add the group onto your list. Then you’ll get the updates.
Another free day at the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary on December 1st.
November 25, 2008 at 6:28 pm
The majority of all successful parkland endeavours
are run by national NGO’s with a strong volunteer grassroots element that is accountable on an international level ( audited statements ) with components of bankers, businessmen and conservationists.
While this requires a new way of thinking for Barbados, it would be the kiss of death if the government were to run this project.
The bureaucrats and most politicians have done absolutely nothing in the past 30 years except stand in the way of conservation, preservation, education and eco-tourism.
Let a small competent team of private grassroots individuals with appropriate skill sets in full cooperation with government run the First National Park.
Private/public partnerships are run successfully all over the world but only with competent people and people of action who have proven themselves.
November 26, 2008 at 3:29 am
Surprised and pleased to see and read the article on
Graeme Hall in the Advocate.
November 26, 2008 at 9:56 pm
@notbajan
Advocate today 26.11.08 or yesterday 25.11.08?
November 27, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I still feel that as an Independence or Christmas gift to Barbadians, this DLP Governmnet could purchase this facility, especially now that it has used its large majority in Parliament to change the loan limits so that it can now borrow an additional $1.5 billion.