By The Star Staff
Vega Baja Mayor Marcos Cruz Molina announced the ninth underwater cleanup organized by the Reflect and Act Movement, along with volunteers and municipal staff.
“In Vega Baja, we appreciate and encourage community work through organized groups with common goals,” Cruz Molina said. “With great enthusiasm, we make this call for a cleanup that will be held this Saturday, August 19 at 7:30 in the morning at our Puerto Nuevo Beach, until 12 noon.”
Anyone who practices diving, snorkeling or paddleboarding is invited to join the effort. Municipal staff and volunteers from the Office of Public Works, the Office of Arts, Culture and Tourism, and the Office of Emergency Management will participate, along with members of the nonprofit community organization Pro-Reserva Natural Playa Puerto Nuevo de Vega Baja and Manatí Scuba PR.
“To students who are interested in participating in the event, we inform them that on the part of the municipality, we will certify ‘community hours’ and ‘green contact hours,’” Cruz Molina said. “We will also have an information table and educational talks at the family level.”
Puerto Nuevo Beach is one of the only beaches in the world that has the recognized Blue Flag award granted to beaches, marinas and operators of tourist boats that meet strict criteria established internationally to guide and improve the standards of operation, safety, basic services and environmental education.
“The Municipality of Vega Baja has managed this natural resource since the 1990s, and has made significant investments in security, facilities and maintenance,” the mayor noted. “In order to be part of Blue Flag, the Cruz Molina administration originally allocated an investment of approximately $250,000 to transform public spaces with environmentally friendly practices. It is a great project where it is evident that the municipalities are the ideal administrators of our natural resources, working jointly with the state and federal government and nonprofit organizations.”