…Director Royston King calls for good, environmental stewardship
GUYANA has done well at attaining recognition and compensation for the ecological services of a natural environment. But when individuals from overseas do visit Georgetown, they are “appalled” to see that sections of the populace show disregard for a clean, friendly and healthy environment.
“It is time we all have a wake up call,” Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud urged Saturday, just before voicing the sentiments above.
He was at the time speaking at the Training of Trainers’ seminar, themed “Each One Teach One” was organized by the Environmental Community Health Organisation (ECHO) at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown.
Persaud lauded the initiative by ECHO and pointed out how, as a small country endowed with natural resources, particularly pristine rain forests, Guyana is willing to play its part in the global environment.
Many of the raging civil conflicts across the globe have their genesis in the fact that the environment was poorly managed and hence initiatives such as this one by ECHO are welcome, Persaud said.
At the macro level, we have done well, but have we done well at the community level, at the local level? Have we taken that commitment to a corresponding level of local and individual action? “And that is where we have that gap,” the minister pointed out, assuring that the small individual and community initiatives will certainly make a difference.
He observed, too, that there is not a single person in society who does not know that littering is wrong, but would nevertheless do it.
“I wish we were able to have a bit of flogging (as a punishment for engaging in the practice) and we don’t want to lock up people, but more needs to be done.”
“The government perhaps has not done a good job in public awareness and education, and we need to do more. So we will accept the blame in this regard; but it is not only the role of government to clean,” he acknowledged.
Meanwhile, ECHO Executive Director, Royston King, told the gathering that the challenges that Guyana faces at present can be overcome if there is good environmental stewardship.
Many of the problems arise because of the indiscriminate use of resources by individuals, and even businesses and large companies that exploit natural resources in an unsustainable way, King said.
He informed that there are currently about 50 ECHO clubs, and that by the end of this year, the organisation is hoping to have doubled that amount in the school community. Children, he said, can also make a contribution to the environment as a flow of ideas and creative energy are usually at their end.
ECHO has big plans to become more efficient, as the establishment of two learning centres in local communities is on stream, in Regions 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) and 10 (Upper Demerara/ Upper Berbice).
Also delivering remarks were United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative Audrey Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, and Chief Education Officer at the Ministry of Education Olato Sam.
ECHO is a non-governmental environmental organisation that was established by Royston King and a group of Guyanese in 2006. The organisation is involved in developing urban and rural projects and is working to involve local communities in the conservation of local biodiversity and the care of the natural environment.
In 2007, it started the project-echo-clubs in schools and is now in Regions 3, 4 and 10. Activities range from tree planting exercises to anti-littering campaigns. It is now moving to launch its ‘Green Ambassadors Programme’ in high schools and local communities. Groups of enthusiastic environmentally concerned and socially committed students, between 8 and 15 years, are chosen to form an ECHO club.
For each new club, 25 to 30 students are registered and become members, as well as interested teachers who have enrolled as ECHO club coordinators. The teachers are responsible for the clubs in their schools.
Students are initially invited to help with local environmental activities and those who are interested are then selected to enroll.
The membership fee is $500 and members receive an ECHO club notebook, badge, and pen.