I wish to refer to a Kaieteur news article under the caption “LCDS based on junk Economics – UK Group” in its issue of Wednesday December 1, 2010.
Please permit me to state the following:
1) Norway’s partnership with Guyana to demonstrate to the world how a model can be produced to combat Global Climate change and its damaging consequences is definitely attracting negative reactions both nationally and internationally by groups and individuals who want this partnership to fail based on incorrect and unfounded assumptions.
2) The Rainforest Foundation of the United Kingdom is one such group which wants to see badly the failure of Guyana’s LCDS and its REDD+ Strategy wickedly using Guyana’s indigenous peoples as its trump card. But this group calling itself the rainforest foundation of the UK shall fail in its political agenda, since the indigenous Peoples of Guyana do not support or accept their unfounded contentions. It is also interesting to note what right this unknown grouping in the United Kingdom has to do with Guyana’s indigenous Peoples and its REDD + Strategy. This group claims to be engaged in Forest Foundation of the UK then a Grouping of mystery without a Forest Foundation?
3) But exactly what is the Rainforest Foundation of the UK? Is it an unknown grouping qualified to make pronouncements on the McKinsey & company reports for national governments pursuing the REDD+ Strategy to combat global climate change? Or are they being merely told what to say? For the knowledge of the Rain Forest Foundation UK the McKinsey Company is a credible consultancy on forest economics and its work is highly respected and acknowledged by National Governments of Brazil, Papa New Guinea, The Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia secured the consultancy of the McKinsey Company.
4) For the knowledge of the Rainforest Foundation, UNFCCC is unable to verify that indigenous peoples subsistence activities are drivers of deforestation and the Government of Guyana is fully committed to indigenous peoples subsistence Agriculture in Guyana’s REDD+ Strategy.
5) Guyana’s LCDS and REDD+ Strategy fully respect the Rights of Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples and their participation in such strategies are guided by the International Indigenous Rights Principle of Free Prior and Informed consent (FPIC).
6) The Rainforest Foundation UK is definitely against developing countries such as Guyana receiving financial support for its LCDS and REDD+ Strategy and is working overtime to have this stopped despite its main objective of Forest protection as they claim to have pursued since 1989. How two-faced can this grouping be? Also what is important to note is that this grouping is using indigenous peoples to achieve credibility for its wicked contentions. Guyana’s indigenous peoples must take note.
7) Guyana’s indigenous peoples generally support the REDD+ Strategy since it is an initiative to put them back on the course of conservation practised by their ancestors. This was verified by thirty one (31) REDD+ meetings held in thirty-one (31) Amerindian Villages conducted by the Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (Taamog).