THE Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GT&T) company recently made a donation to the Karanambu Trust contributing not only to the protection of the nation’s rich biodiversity but also to the work of the Trust that continues to portray Guyana positively. A press release from the telephone company said its Marketing Director Wystan Robertson presented a cheque for $375,000 last October to the Trust’s founder Ms. Diane McTurk, at the Cara Lodge. It said Robertson commended the work of the Trust and noted that it continues to promote Guyana positively to the world.
The release said Robertson noted that what happens in the interior still remains a mystery but that the work done by the Trust brings greater visibility to Guyana.
It said Robertson told a group of explorers who had just completed an expedition to the settlement of the Wai Wais in North Rupununi that it is really what happens in the interior that stands out as positive and exalts Guyana.
The donation made by GT&T is part of the company’s drive to demonstrate responsible environmental initiatives and to erase its carbon footprint. It joins the one made last year when the company made a donation to the Iwokarama rainforest reserve.
According to the release, Robertson further expressed the wish that the company’s donation will help to ensure that the legacy of Guyana is maintained. “Let us leave a positive legacy, something that is left for the generations to come,” he urged.
The Karanambu Trust is a private charity established by the McTurk family in 1997. Its mission is to ensure the sustainable use of the Karanambu Wetlands through wildlife and habitat conservation, research, and education in partnership with local communities.
While McTurk is the founder member, the Trust is run by a board chaired by Major General (rtd) Joe Singh, who recently stepped down as CEO of GT&T.
The expedition to the Wai Wai Amerindians was led by Colonel John Blashford-Snell, said to be one of the world’s most renowned and respected explorers.