Keep Bermuda Beautiful is seeking to fund a formal research project on litter with the Bermuda Biological Station, it was revealed yesterday.

In a speech given to the Hamilton Lions Club during its weekly luncheon at Pier Six, KBB president Scott Kitson explained that KBB was in the process of building an information database about the litter problem on the Island.

Mr. Kitson said the idea for creating the database came from seeing similar projects around the world that will be used in a worldwide study on littering via the Internet.

The project with the Biological Station may be part of the process of obtaining information, Mr. Kitson said.

The KBB hoped the level of research, assisted by a prominent US university, would give credibility to KBB's own research, he added.

Meanwhile, Biological Station director Tony Knapp told The Royal Gazette that negotiations were underway with Duke University in North Carolina.

"We are looking to have a continuing programme with Duke, where one of their student interns will come to Bermuda and study the litter problem for graduate credit,'' he explained.

In addition to the project, Mr. Kitson told Hamilton Lions that KBB had adapted a scientific project for use in the local school system.

The school project, which was used in both New Zealand and South Africa, introduced students to field research and result analysis.

Also in his speech, Mr. Kitson said KBB needed to change its public image.

"Keep Bermuda Beautiful's role is perceived to be that of an organisation that cleans up other people's trash,'' he noted.

"Keep Bermuda Beautiful needs to change its perception to be more in line with its stated mission.'' Mr. Kitson pointed out that the anti-litter group's responsibilities were to act against "the proliferation of litter and other unsightly conditions damaging to the beauty of Bermuda'' and to promote through education an awareness of the importance of keeping Bermuda beautiful.

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