…despite meagre international support
SCIENCE and Environmental Advisor to the President, Navin Chandarpal, is of the view that Guyana’s Iwokrama Rainforest Programme could very well have stifled to death because of non-fulfillment of promises made at the first Rio Summit in 1992, had the Government of Guyana not made it clear that it will not sit by and allow the project to collapse under its watch.
Addressing the multi-stakeholders consultative meeting, at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, on Monday in the lead-up to Rio+20, Chandarpal chided those countries which had made bold promises and those who have the resources to give but have not been fulfilling their responsibilities.
He opined that Guyana has set the pace for many developing countries in the area of sustainable environmental management, being a small country with limited resources providing to the world a living laboratory to put into effect what sustainable forest management means. The project had some good beginnings, with support in a number of areas; but, unfortunately, is today not being supported.
According to Chandarpal, were a programme of such magnitude allowed to fail, it would not only embarrass the world, but would also be a disincentive for others to follow Guyana’s sterling example. He was, nevertheless, fearful that Guyana would have been close to experiencing failure with the very meagre support it received from the international community.
“One of the additional things that must come out of (Rio+20) must be resurrecting that vigour and that drive that gave birth to Iwokrama programme being as successful as it has become,” Chandarpal added.
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, Robert Persaud, said reference must be made to the project because Guyana is disappointed at other countries’ failure to meet their commitments made at the last Rio Summit.
He declared that lack of commitment has led to the project being in its current state and facing an uncertain future.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that, even in that regard, we will not allow the programme or the sender to sink. The Government of Guyana will ensure that it survives, even if there is limited support from the international community,” Persaud assured.
He is hopeful that greater support and resolve will result from Rio+20, using Iwokrama as an example; and he reiterated government’s commitment to ensure the viability of the project — one of the last untouched remains of the world’s rainforest.
According to Persaud, all Guyanese should be proud of the country’s achievements in fulfilling commitments from the first Rio summit, some 20 years ago. This, he said, should give all citizens a great sense of national pride, and a deeper resolve to pursue the pathway of sustainable development.
There is no alternative for Guyana and the international community, Persaud asserted.
President Donald Ramotar will be leading Guyana’s delegation to the summit next week. However, Presidential Advisor Chandarpal and another government representative are in Brazil for preliminary talks that commenced yesterday.