Guyana to use UN summit to advance ‘green’ agenda
From left are: Mr. Nikolaus Oudkerk, Mr. James Singh, Ms. Jenelle Christian, President David Granger, Ms. Ndibi Schwiers-Ceres, Mr. Vanessa Benn, Ms. Alona Sankar, Dr. Indarjit Ramdass and Mr. Damian Fernandes. They are at the Ministry of the Presidency
From left are: Mr. Nikolaus Oudkerk, Mr. James Singh, Ms. Jenelle Christian, President David Granger, Ms. Ndibi Schwiers-Ceres, Mr. Vanessa Benn, Ms. Alona Sankar, Dr. Indarjit Ramdass and Mr. Damian Fernandes. They are at the Ministry of the Presidency

PRESIDENT David Granger has met with senior officials of the various agencies responsible for protection and management of the environment, and has requested that, as a group, they prepare a document which details the priority areas, opportunities and other relevant information regarding Guyana’s biodiversity.He explained that the information would be used to inform his bilateral talks with heads of states on the sidelines of the 71st Regular Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York next month, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency (MoP) noted.

Promising to advance his administration’s green agenda during bilateral talks with those heads of states, the President said, “This is a country we love. It has tremendous wealth, and we can share that wealth for generations to come… We have poverty around us, and we need to make our wealth work for us.”

According to the MoP release, the President informed that Government would be establishing a Department of Environment to better coordinate the work of the different agencies that deal with the environment, and help to address some of the challenges.

The release said the Head of State explained that, as it stands, there are problems with deforestation; a decline in, and smuggling of, wildlife species; and little to no mention of biodiversity, zoology and botany in the schools’ curriculum.

The release said the President also spoke of the vast potential of the Guiana Shield, and said that Guyana cannot wait for other counties within the Shield to act.

“Our responsibilities are massive to this and future generations of Guyanese… Guyana is poised to play a dominant role in making the Guiana Shield central,” President Granger said.

He also spoke of the need for children to be taught at an early age about Guyana’s unique flora and fauna, in order for them to develop a greater appreciation for the natural beauty that the country possesses. This, he said, would help to attract more young people to the sciences, where they would develop viable careers and at the same time emerge as strong advocates for environmental protection.

Held at the Ministry of the Presidency, the President’s meeting with these heads on Tuesday was attended by Head of the Guyana Forestry Commission, Mr. James Singh; Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Indarjit Ramdass; Head of the Wildlife Division, Ms. Alona Sankar; Commissioner of the Protected Areas Commission, Mr. Damian Fernandes; Iwokrama Consultant Ms. Vanessa Benn; Mr. Nikolaus Oudkerk from the Ministry of the Presidency; Head of the Office of Climate Change, Ms. Jenelle Christian; and Advisor on Climate Change at the Ministry of the Presidency, Ms. Ndibi Schwiers-Ceres.

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