Young Marine Consultant on path to promote conservation
BY: Meishac Atkinson
Living in the world’s newest oil-producing nation and cognizant of the potential impacts of the oil and gas industry on the environment, Port Kaituma born first-ever Marine Consultant is determined to make a difference.
Twenty-four-year-old Felicia Collins was born and raised in Port Kaituma, Region One. At the age of 12, her stellar performance at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) landed her a hinterland scholarship to attend the North Georgetown Secondary School
Collins first thought she wanted to be a Doctor but after High School, she proceeded to complete the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) at Queen’s College which led her to her true passion for Environmental science.
“It was everything I liked about science and everything I wanted to know. I was curious about nature, animals and why they do certain things. It put everything into perspective. After learning that it is an actual field I could have pursued, my mind was set,” she recalled as she spoke about completing Environmental Science Unit 1 and II at CAPE.
Collins is calling on other people to see the importance of the sector. To raise awareness and to advocate for the sector. She is of the hope that other youngsters will see the importance of the sector and become marine scientists, she noted this will enable the youngster to teach the average person what conservation means to the county and what it means to local persons who depend on it. To bring awareness to the ecosystem, the animals
Collins said: “I decided maybe if I specialize in Marine Biology. It won’t only benefit me but my country as a whole. I could then bring back to my country.”
In the interview with the Big Smith News Watch Collins noted that so far, her journey has been good but has also been a challenge. She added that in Guyana there is a lot of expertise but a lack of resources to do the work necessary.
The theme for World Wildlife Day 2022 which is celebrated on the 3rd of March is ‘Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration. This theme aims to focus attention on the conservation status of critically endangered species of wild fauna and flora.
Collins said that her mission at this time is to bridge the gap between conservation and people, making conservation more people-friendly, and in the process, making a difference for people who lived within protected areas.
