INDIAN High Commissioner to Jamaica Mayank Joshi is urging Jamaicans to apply small gestures which can make a big impact in keeping the environment clean.

Following a special cleanliness and community service observance over a two-week period from September 17 to October 2, Joshi told the Jamaica Observer that he recognises there are many Jamaicans who practise cleanliness and have an inclination to engage in service-driven initiatives, but there is much more to be achieved.

“From the Indian High Commission’s perspective, every country will have its own culture and practices, but the idea is that we should all follow the philosophy of cleanliness is next to Godliness.

It binds all the communities, the whole society, and the whole planet together,” said Joshi.

“The message from the Indian High Commission is to grow the efforts to have a clean environment because a clean planet is important for everybody.

Staff of the Indian High Commission in Jamaica pose with members of the Chandolu Global Health Group during a recent blood drive at the Blood Bank in Kingston.

Indian High Commissioner to Jamaica Mayank Joshi (right) watches as members of the local Indian community engage in treeplanting activities during Community Service Fortnight which was observed from September 17 to October 2.

With small, small gestures, we can make a big impact together, and that is the motto for a programme we have at the Indian High Commission,” added Joshi.

According to Joshi, he wants to impress upon members of the larger Indian community in Jamaica that they have a duty to share and live this message.

The high commissioner said the Jamaica Government is doing a commendable job to try and promote cleanliness across the island.

“I was reading recently that there has been a big drive in the Kingston Harbour to clean the area.

There are Jamaicans who are very, very active, and the Government is laying a lot of emphasis on cleanliness, and we are doing our bit with the Indian community in Jamaica,” added Joshi.

He told the Observer that the period of September 17 to October 2 is very important to the Indian community because it focuses on key values and lessons of service and cleanliness which have been imparted and emphasised by their Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Those values and principles were also spread by the late Indian freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi.

The period, which is referred to as Community Service Fortnight is observed each year across the world by Indian high commissions and embassies.

The birthdays of Modi and Gandhi fall on September 17 and October 2, respectively.

“If you know Mahatma Gandhi, who we call Father of the Nation, he put a lot of emphasis on community service and the alleviation of poverty and helping the poor and downtrodden people.

His message of helping community and doing service, it is a strong message in the world.

On October 2, we celebrate International Day of Non-Violence, which we celebrated in Jamaica also at The University of the West Indies,” he shared.

Also highly revered and respected by many of the people of India is Modi, who has led the country for 11 years.

“Even when he was chief minister of the state of Gujarat, he contributed a lot and emphasised community service.

He said that every individual should come out and spend at least three hours a week doing community service.

In that context, the two weeks from September 17 to October 2, every year we have been engaged all over the world through our missions and community service programmes,” said Joshi.

“The Indian High Commission in Jamaica last year and this year, we have done a lot to send a strong message of community service.

We do this in partnership with the Indian community in Jamaica, which is an integral part of the heritage of Jamaica and has contributed so much to social and economic development of Jamaica.

“This year we did six events, including a three kilometres run in Montego Bay with the Montego Bay Indian Association.

Also, we joined hands with the Chandolu Global Health Care Group to organise a blood drive at the Blood Bank,” added Joshi.

He pointed out that the high commission also did back-to-school events where they encouraged children to get involved in community service.

“We gave them cleaning instruments, brooms, dustbins, and we also gave them books and back-to-school equipment,” said Joshi as he also pointed to a tree-planting project which was done at Hope Gardens in St Andrew.

‘All this we did with the help of the Indian community in different places.

Next year, we are planning to do it in a bigger way and we are going to work with the local municipal corporations,” declared Joshi.