Climate Change boss says…

Guyana owes enhanced international image to LCDS
–many countries now look to us for guidance

GUYANA has always been challenged by a negative image overseas, but since the Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) came into being, a lot of that has changed.
So said Advisor to the President, and Head of the Office of Climate Change, Shyam Nokta, when he spoke recently with this newspaper at his Office of the President, office, at Shiv Chanderpaul Drive in Georgetown.
Nokta said that change in the overseas perception of Guyana came about especially in view of the country’s development over the last ten years.
“No longer are we only known for Jonestown or the Omai spill, or for so many other negative things. Our country, because of its economic progress, is being seen as a good area for investment. With that, it’s opening up more interest. At the international level, Guyana is being known out there for more positive things,” he observed.
Accordingly, a lot of effort is being put into developing tourism in Guyana, even in setting up institutions and, over the years, building capacity in those institutions.
“We’re now placing a lot of emphasis on expanding accommodation capacity, more focus on training and services,” Nokta said.
Airlift capacity has been identified as one of the challenges in bringing international visitors to Guyana. Nokta opined that lack of capacity to bring people into the country can become a serious bugbear to development of tourism.
“You may have all the other things, but if you don’t have the capacity to bring people into the country… You don’t have enough flights and infrastructure, (but) we are already seeing these things being addressed,” Nokta said.
He said efforts are ongoing to expand the number of flights coming from major destinations. In this regard, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and the Ogle Airport have both seen tremendous development.
“The success of tourism hinges on a couple of things: The destination has to be known; we need to have the necessary facilities to be able to accommodate tourists, whether it is airports, hotels, tour operators, hospitality services. And we need to have a system in place to manage the industry. We have nature, bio-diversity, a rich culture, hospitable people; we know that,” Nokta said.
With regard to the criticism being heaped on the LCDS, Nokta said constructive criticism is always welcome, but if it is criticism for the sake of being negative, “I think we have to note it, but not let it pull us down.”
He observed, however, that the criticisms come from a small section of the country’s population, and often because people lack a full understanding of the LCDS and what it intends to accomplish.
“The fact that so many countries are interested in what we’re doing, and willing to have us share our experiences and lessons with them (is) in itself… testimony that we are doing something that’s good and beneficial, not only to Guyana but to the global community.”

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