HEAD of the Policy and Coordination Planning Unit of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr. Veetal Rajkumar, has disclosed that it will be embarking on a new policy to ban styrofoam objects.

But it remains to be looked at from the level of legislation, he said Thursday.
Rajkumar said plastics have been already put under focus by the ministry, as the two are both causing a lot of garbage pile-ups in rivers and streams and that is something of importance to be monitored closely.
He said it also has to be raised in Parliament, in order to gauge the reaction of policymakers but, for now, it is just another plan that the ministry has to better the lives of Guyanese, by making the environment garbage-free and providing a safe environment.
Rajkumar said he is confident that this initiative will be supported as it is the Ministry of Natural Resources pushing it forward.
Before concluding, he said this proposal will now have to be taken to the legislative stage and the ministry is one of the major stakeholders that will be pressing this initiative, as garbage in Guyana, because of styrofoam mostly, has gotten completely out of control and this will be a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, as well.
Rajkumar was among officials of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and related agencies who met with East Coast Demerara residents to discuss issues that require Government’s intervention.
The meeting was held at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground and was attended by scores of people who all  voiced various concerns.
Explaining the reason for the outreach, Rajkumar said that the People’s Progressive Part/Civic (PPP/C) is committed to improving the welfare of all people and ensuring that development takes place across the country.
He said members of the Cabinet and officials like himself, from the various ministries, have a responsibility to assist the President in fulfilling that mandate.
Rajkumar said such visits are important since the Government and its officials are servants of the people.
He told the gathering that the government takes its mandate very seriously and, as any good government would do, they were there to inform the residents what it is doing, to tell what is planned and for them to notify the Government if that is what they are expecting and is what they want.
Most importantly, if they are happy or unhappy and what it is that the Government should do to assist their situation, Rajkumar said.
Elaborating, he said this is one of the regional outreaches planned by the Natural Resources Ministry and the minister, to listen to residents and their concerns, specifically relating to natural resources and the work of that ministry and its partnering agencies, including the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).
Rajkumar said, although the officials would listen to issues relating to natural resources and their work, especially, it has been observed that residents are coming out and making other complaints which are related to different authorities and ministries.
However, he said officials will still be taking notes and have compiled a list which will be forwarded to the respective ministries.
Rajkumar said such interactions have been  countrywide exercises ongoing in various regions for quite a number of weeks now and will continue.