Press Release

Release Date:  Immediately

Contact:  George C. A. Emmanuel

722- 2274/2431

Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE)

School Days Are Happy Days

Saturday July 1, 2006 was certainly a happy school day for Edney Nunez, a young man from Punta Gorda Town who graduated from the St. Peter Claver Extension High School.

This young man we’re telling you about, some years ago was left for the worst.  Even his guardians had nothing to do with him.  He had his run-ins with the law, his fair share of “bad company” related activities, and considered by many as a juvenile delinquent.  Edney came from a fishing family who used gill nets as their method for fishing.  We knew that if we did not give him a second chance then more than likely he would end up doing the only thing he knows how to do best which is to fish in an unsustainable way.

We at TIDE did not think so and we certainly believed in the second chance.  It was decided that Edney should go back to school to earn himself a High School Diploma.  Surely we were not disappointed.  He was among the recipients of awards during his graduating exercise when he accepted the award for Third Highest Average for Computer Science.  

Not only did he get his act together and went back to school, he also joined a football team which took first place in the recently completed TIDE Freshwater cup and was considered their star player who was instrumental in getting his team to score the winning goals. 

TIDE’s mission is to promote the sustainable development of the Toledo District by fostering the efficient and effective management of the region's resources, conducting relevant research, and by promoting training and advocacy in order to preserve our natural heritage for present and future generations. 

We want you to know that it is because of people like you who make donations to us we could have afforded Edney the opportunity to complete his High School Education.  What is important here to remind you is that this is definitely a positive thing as we know for a fact that the vast majority of our fishermen who practice illegal fishing activities are the very ones who did not make it through High School.    

A High School Education will certainly help Edney in playing a role at TIDE in achieving its mission where he is known to volunteer his services, his way of expressing gratitude to the institution for sending out a life line to him.