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THE National Toshaos Council (NTC) and the Office of Climate Change(OCC), on Thursday, continued discussions on the Opt-In Mechanism Concept Paper, among other areas of mutual interests for the implementation of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). The discussions formed part of the ongoing stakeholder’s engagement framework of the LCDS and saw presentations and the exchange of views between Presidential Adviser and Head of the Office of Climate Change Shyam Nokta and his technical team, and the Chairman of the NTC Toshao Derick John and his Council members.
Mr. Nokta provided an update on the climate change scenario at the international level, the current status of the LCDS and LCDS projects, and the Guyana-Norway partnership. Principal among the discussion was the issue of the Opt-In Mechanism Concept.
Mr. Nokta informed the NTC that “A proposed Opt-In Mechanism was raised in the May 2010 version of the LCDS, and in 2011, an Opt-In Concept Paper was considered by the Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee and also presented to the NTC for review and to be provided to villages for their review.
From the Inception of the Opt-In Mechanism, there have been some misconceptions which we have clarified, and I would like to take the opportunity again today to do so. Firstly, under the Guyana-Norway partnership, only state forests have been included in the model and for which we are being paid for performance to the tune of US$70M to date. The Opt-In Mechanism presents an opportunity for those titled villages with forests to voluntarily include their forests, if they so wish, into the model, and in so doing, receive payments based on performance. This does not mean that if villages choose not to Opt-In they will not get benefits under the LCDS. Amerindians and all Guyanese will benefit from the projects under the LCDS. Secondly, as with the LCDS process, the principle of free, prior and informed consent will apply to the Opt In Mechanism. Villages can decide if and when they wish to Opt-In and will be provided with all available information to assist them making this decision.“
Nokta also provided an update on current LCDS projects, such as the recently launched US$6M Amerindian Development Fund (ADF) that will provide funding for the community development plans and projects of Amerindian villages, the Amerindian land titling project; the micro and small enterprise development and the building of alternative livelihoods for vulnerable groups project and other related LCDS initiatives, such as the hinterland electrification programme.
Most of the toshaos present indicated high interest from their villages in the Opt-In Mechanism and to learn more of how this could possibly work, while recognizing that this is something new and there is still much work to be done.
The NTC executive agreed to work closely with the OCC to move the process forward to the next stages. Newly elected Chairman of the NTC, Toshao Derick John, in urging full participation of communities declared, “ We are forest people, we have been the stewards of these forests all of our lives, while the LCDS is bringing unspeakable benefits that will fast track our development, we must not only see the monetary gains from our involvement, but the opportunity to bolster our efforts in preserving our precious resource. And if Norway or any other country is willing to pay us for doing what we have been doing all of our lives then what more can we ask for.”
During the recently held National Toshaos Conference in August, a resolution supporting the Opt In Mechanism was approved by the majority of toshaos who also indicated their full and continued support for the LCDS.
Mr. Nokta provided an update on the climate change scenario at the international level, the current status of the LCDS and LCDS projects, and the Guyana-Norway partnership. Principal among the discussion was the issue of the Opt-In Mechanism Concept.
Mr. Nokta informed the NTC that “A proposed Opt-In Mechanism was raised in the May 2010 version of the LCDS, and in 2011, an Opt-In Concept Paper was considered by the Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee and also presented to the NTC for review and to be provided to villages for their review.
From the Inception of the Opt-In Mechanism, there have been some misconceptions which we have clarified, and I would like to take the opportunity again today to do so. Firstly, under the Guyana-Norway partnership, only state forests have been included in the model and for which we are being paid for performance to the tune of US$70M to date. The Opt-In Mechanism presents an opportunity for those titled villages with forests to voluntarily include their forests, if they so wish, into the model, and in so doing, receive payments based on performance. This does not mean that if villages choose not to Opt-In they will not get benefits under the LCDS. Amerindians and all Guyanese will benefit from the projects under the LCDS. Secondly, as with the LCDS process, the principle of free, prior and informed consent will apply to the Opt In Mechanism. Villages can decide if and when they wish to Opt-In and will be provided with all available information to assist them making this decision.“
Nokta also provided an update on current LCDS projects, such as the recently launched US$6M Amerindian Development Fund (ADF) that will provide funding for the community development plans and projects of Amerindian villages, the Amerindian land titling project; the micro and small enterprise development and the building of alternative livelihoods for vulnerable groups project and other related LCDS initiatives, such as the hinterland electrification programme.
Most of the toshaos present indicated high interest from their villages in the Opt-In Mechanism and to learn more of how this could possibly work, while recognizing that this is something new and there is still much work to be done.
The NTC executive agreed to work closely with the OCC to move the process forward to the next stages. Newly elected Chairman of the NTC, Toshao Derick John, in urging full participation of communities declared, “ We are forest people, we have been the stewards of these forests all of our lives, while the LCDS is bringing unspeakable benefits that will fast track our development, we must not only see the monetary gains from our involvement, but the opportunity to bolster our efforts in preserving our precious resource. And if Norway or any other country is willing to pay us for doing what we have been doing all of our lives then what more can we ask for.”
During the recently held National Toshaos Conference in August, a resolution supporting the Opt In Mechanism was approved by the majority of toshaos who also indicated their full and continued support for the LCDS.
