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Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr Robert Persaud, in his feature address at the opening of the workshop, yesterday, said Guyana has already started work on the process side of creating green jobs, particularly in the traditional sectors. He said the country can also contribute to green jobs on the output side by looking at manufacturing and producing green items and services.
The minister maintained that, for any nation or economy to tap into the opportunities of a green economy and creating green jobs, it requires innovation, which requires input not only from the government, but also from the private sector and other stakeholders.
In this regard, he said all stakeholders need to understand the importance of innovation, so that Guyana can sustain and build a green economy while creating more jobs and opportunities.
Highlighting Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), Minister Persaud noted that Guyana is among the few countries in the world that have genuinely demonstrated political commitment and will to do something in ensuring they develop a green economy.
He said Guyana has been able to move from talking about low carbon and green economy from a theoretical standpoint to becoming one in which it has presented to the international community a practical model in which they see national embrace and continuity in development and enhancement.
Persaud said the Government and other stakeholders and entities which work on different facets of the LCDS are constantly looking at ways to reinvent themselves so as to ensure the strategy is consistent with global realities while being responsive to national needs.
He explained that, contrary to views that the country’s development along the green or low carbon pathway will retard the growth and expansion of various activities, it will in fact create more opportunities.
Minister Persaud said that when people talk about green jobs, they need to clearly define what is meant by this term, since he can place green jobs into two categories — those jobs which are created by outputs related to industries and entities which produce goods and services that contribute to a green economy, and those activities that reduce or minimise their impact on the environmental preservation.
This type of thinking, he said, needs to be embraced, since it presents new opportunities that will not only add to Guyana’s economic benefit, but also lead to personal prosperity.
Persaud expressed hope that in the discussions at the workshop, some of those key ingredients of green jobs and the green economy would be addressed.
Also making brief remarks at the opening was Labour Minister Dr. Nanda Gopaul, who noted that green jobs cannot be created in a vacuum, since other areas need to be made equally sound.
He assured that the Government of Guyana would take initiatives to promote green jobs, as well as healthy, clean and safe working environments for all.
Pointing out that Guyana signed on to the ILO’s decent work country programme last year, Dr. Gopaul said the ILO has since given Guyana commitment to assist in executing training programmes, and has honoured that commitment.
According to Dr. Gopaul, Guyana has, over the years, moved to create decent working environments by enacting legislation to protect workers and give them job security; but apart from legislation, government has also committed internationally to recognise and ratify important ILO conventions, such as the convention on occupational health and safety.
Meanwhile, ILO specialist, Mr. Kelvin Sergeant, said the field of green jobs is an essential pillar of the transition to a green economy, and is critical to Guyana’s LCDS.
Pointing out that the workshop was organised by the ILO to respond to the capacity building needs identified by the Labour Ministry, he added that it is also one of the activities under the ‘decent work country’ programme of Guyana.
According to him, the workshop could not be timelier, since the issue of green jobs is critical for small island developing states.
Mr. Sergeant noted that the move towards a green economy has been gaining momentum in tandem with the international debate and negotiations on climate change and the economy. He said the cost of environmental degradation and the loss of eco-systems are increasingly compromising social and economic gains.
He added that the green economy offers an option for development, and allows for increased competitiveness and resilience of an economy, as well as increased prosperity and growth with sustainability.
Mr. Sergeant explained that the term “green” is more about raising consciousness to the fact that there’s a different way to do things, the results of which can be improved human well-being and social equity while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.
Those present at the opening of the workshop included Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Ms Jennifer Webster; representatives of the various trade unions, and head of the Climate Change Unit, Mr. Shyam Nokta.
Participants at the workshop included representatives from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO), the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), and the Russian Embassy.
