…high on President’s agenda at UNGA

AS the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) gets under way,

President David Granger has said that his main message to his fellow Heads of Government is the need for a more tangible demonstration of commitment to protecting the planet.
He made these remarks on Monday during an interview on the sidelines of the meeting which is being held at UN Headquarters in New York. “Guyana has committed itself to becoming a ‘green state’; Guyana has committed itself to contributing to the adaptation to measures to deal with global warming and climate change… Guyana is ideally suited because of its presence in the Guiana Shield, because of our commitment to the conservation of our forests and our commitment to introducing green measures so that is important…So our concern for the planet is real and this is one outcome we are aiming at, at this 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly,” President Granger explained.

Speaking of the climatic catastrophes with which countries in the Caribbean Region and the hemisphere have been grappling, the Head of State said that this is a direct result of global warming and noted that the UN is perhaps the more influential place where the cause of environmental protection can be furthered. The issue of climate change and environmental protection were also high on the agenda during two bilateral engagements between President Granger and the President of Costa Rica, Mr. Luis Guillermo Solís and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta, Mr. Joseph Muscat.

President Granger said that it is prudent for Guyana to seek greater cooperation and partnerships with like-minded states such as Malta, which has a strong commitment to the environment. Similarly, he said that his meeting with President Guillermo was aimed at

opening the door of cooperation between Guyana and Costa Rica, a country which he noted has distinguished itself as a major player in the maintenance of the environment and from which Guyana can learn a lot. The UNGA is being held under the theme, “Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet.” (Ministry of the Presidency)