Cimate change strategy…
MINISTER of Amerindian Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Sukhai announced Tuesday that consultations with the indigenous population, in their communities on the climate change strategy, will begin in Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo).

She made this announcement at a press conference in her ministry building on Quamina Street, Georgetown where she dealt with issues and developments in the hinterland locations.

Sukhai observed that a lot of questions were raised Monday when President Bharrat Jagdeo formally outlined the policy, that aims to transform the national economy to mesh with a new global climate change regime, to a wide cross-section of stakeholders at Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

She said the Government has wisely seen that, even though their lands are not part of the strategy nor committed, the Amerindians should be consulted on it.

The Minister said the exercise is to educate and make them more aware of what the approach entails and what it means for Guyana.

“What it means for hinterland development and also to help them to understand the strategy, so that they will be able to make their decision whether they want to opt in and at what time they may want to do so,” Sukhai elaborated.

She said: “It is our duty, as a government, to provide the Amerindian population with enough information and capacity to understand what this strategy holds for us, as a nation and also the benefits that may be accruing from pursuing such a development strategy.”

According to Sukhai, the consultative process will start on June 19, in Region Nine and continue in Regions One (Barima/Waini), Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) and Ten (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice).

“However, the coastal Amerindian communities would have a chance to join any of the coastal consultations and there are plans afoot to discuss further having them together, all the coastal Amerindian communities at one forum, whereby they, too, can sit together and be able to discuss,” she stated.

Sukhai said the communities will be able to hear from presenters on the Government side a more in-depth presentation on the strategy.

“I think this period here is going to be pretty exciting,” she anticipated, adding: “What we are trying to do in Guyana has never been tried in the world.”

President Jagdeo said Monday’s deliberations were just the beginning of the consultation process, through which the Government is seeking to reconcile competing interests.

He said Norway is helping the cause and is supporting a study to assess the state of forest law enforcement and governance here and the results should be available by September.