– says Jagdeo’s criticism unfair, unhelpful

By Neil Marks in Malta
PRESIDENT David Granger has dismissed criticism by former President Bharrat Jagdeo that Minister Raphael Trotman “has very vague understanding” of climate change issues and would not be able to adequately represent Guyana in Paris.“…we sent Minister Trotman to Paris and we have not heard what this government’s position on climate change is,” Jagdeo said this week.
“I do not believe it is a fair comment,” President Granger said on the programme “The Public Interest” which is produced by the Ministry of the Presidency and aired on state TV NCN.
Granger said he believes former presidents should be more prudent in their comments and Jagdeo’s comments about Minister Trotman just ahead of the Paris Climate Summit is “very unhelpful.”
“We met him [Jagdeo] before; he knows our contact numbers and if he has a strong view , we can meet and sit and discuss it; we are an inclusionary government, we are an inclusive government.
“We are prepared to sit and benefit from his experience, but to stay afar off and start to attack the representatives of this government is not the behaviour we expect of a former head of state.
“…I would welcome Mr Jagdeo sitting down and giving us the sort of brief, I feel, the new government is entitled to,” Mr Granger stated.
The new administration has taken on board Jagdeo’s flagship programme on the environment – the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), but has modified it to suit its push towards a “green economy.”
Granger said the LCDS was deficient in many areas and it was not understood by the masses, “and have made some modifications and we expect those modifications will guide us in the future.”
“We do not support fully the design of the programme.
“Many people got the impression that the whole idea or that a large part of the motivation under the previous administration was simply to get funds.
“The result is that many people at the bottom did not really understand how the strategy would work for him.
“Climate change is not just a matter of getting funds from another country.”
Granger said the government is preparing a more complete strategy which includes coastal zone management (including sea defence and managing fresh-water reservoirs), water supply in the hinterland, and new avenues for generating energy.
“We have modified the policy; we are looking at a more holistic strategy.”
Climate change is not a money- making venture; it’s not a device to get money from one country and simply transferring it; it is a means of transforming the economy.”
President Granger said Guyana will tap into the Commonwealth hub to help small states have greater access to funds to tackle climate change.
The Commonwealth Finance Access Hub will help countries successfully bid for climate-action funding.
“The hub will assist in unlocking existing and new climate funds for urgent adaptation and mitigation,” said Prime Minister of Mauritius, Sir Anerood Jugnauth.
Mauritius has agreed to host the Hub, which will be linked to technical advisers across the Commonwealth. Australia has pledged US$1 million to the Climate Finance Access Hub.The
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting has called for an ambitious, equitable, inclusive climate change agreement in Paris that will limit the rise in global temperatures to below 2 or 1.5 degrees.
“We are deeply concerned about the threat posed by climate change, which continues to grow and to put at risk the economic, social, environmental, and cultural well-being of our member states and citizens.
“Many of our most vulnerable states and communities are already facing the adverse impacts of climate change, which can roll back decades of development gains,” their statement said.
On Friday, developed Commonwealth countries reaffirmed their commitment to play their part in mobilising the US$100 billion every year by 2020 to address the adaptation and mitigation needs of developing countries.
During the special CHOGM session on climate change, Canada pledged $2.65 billion over five years to help developing countries cope with the issue, andt he UK pledged £21 million for disaster management and £5.5 million for the ocean-based economy.
“Forty-seven of the 53 Commonwealth nations have already declared their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, in other words the concrete actions they will take to address climate change.
“We are very proud of this achievement and the fact that diverse nations with different perspectives were able to come together and speak with one voice on this issue which is so critical to our survival,” the Commonwealth Secretary- General Kamalesh Sharma said.