– new village to be added to Protected Areas

THE BUDGET for the National Resources Ministry was approved in the Committee of Supply yesterday, but not without a slew of questions from the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) parliamentarians. Subject Minister Raphael Trotman was grilled on the 56 contracted employees at the ministry and was asked by the opposition to provide a list of their names and salaries, which he subsequently did during the course of the sitting.
Meanwhile, during questioning on the monies budgeted under Capital Projects, the minister revealed that $50M would be allocated for the restoration of the Botanical Gardens, which will be channelled through the National Parks Commission.
According to Minister Trotman, the restoration will include the construction of a Black Caiman Walkway, rehabilitation of the fencing structure, improvements to drainage and irrigation structures and the rehabilitation of the plant nursery.
The minister revealed that in order to alleviate flooding, government had to purchase an excavator at a cost of $19M.
“We will be rehabilitating offices and raising the walkway. There is going to be a Black Caiman walkway built. We will rehabilitate the eastern fence (facing Vlissengen Road), which is crumbling, because we discovered there is no foundation. We are investing $2.12M in the restoration of the plant nursery, and the koker will be rehabilitated,” Minister Trotman revealed.
He noted that the government’s aim was to “restore the Botanical Gardens to its original intent…for botany.”

NEW PROTECTED AREA
Meanwhile, Minister Trotman also announced that the government was considering the establishment of a new Protected Area by adding the village of Konashen.
He noted that his ministry had already received a legal opinion on the issue, which has since been handed over to Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams.
The Guyana Chronicle understands that the decision to include Konashen in the Protected Area dates back to March 2015. Konashen has an estimated one million acres of rainforest.
The Wai Wais of Konashen District in the south of Guyana received title to the land in 2004 and partnered with Conservation International and the Government of Guyana to have the entire area established as a protected area.