-says President Granger at observance of National Tree Day

PRESIDENT David Granger Saturday pledged to ensure that Guyana becomes a leader in the fight against climate change and in the pursuit of “green’ and sustainable development,” but said this can only be achieved if a concerted effort is taken by all citizens of the country. President Granger, who was at the time addressing Ministry of Agriculture staffers, residents of Fairview, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine) and other surrounding villages of the Iwokrama Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, said that the National Tree Day is an important observance in the pursuit of Guyana becoming a “green state and a leader in the fight against climate change.”

He used the opportunity to officially launch the Department of the Environment and introduce its Head, Mrs Ndibi Schweirs.

The President noted that the world continues to grapple with the effects of climate change and global warming, but Guyana has the potential and resources to help in the fight.

“I’ve undertaken to improve the monitoring of our forests so as reduce illegal deforestation, increase value-added activities in the forestry sector so as to augment carbon storage in long-use wood products and introduce mineral mapping in order to better identify exploitable deposits, thus reducing deforestation caused by the clearing of lands with only minimal deposits.

“The ultimate objective of Guyana’s ‘green agenda is the creation of a green state. Guyana’s green state rests on six pillars: the protection of our biodiversity and wildlife; the provision of educational, environmental services and ecotourism; the generation of sustainable energy, the mitigation of the adverse effects of climate change; management of our coastal zone, rivers, wetlands and protected areas; and the management of waste and sanitation services,” he said.

The establishment of the Department of the Environment will coordinate the activities of the various agencies involved in environmental management to ensure that Guyana’s patrimony is preserved.  While these agencies will continue to function within their subject ministries, the Department of the Environment will allow them to work more closely together.

The Iwokrama Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, the President said, is a pioneering example of what Guyana has to offer the world in the fight against climate change.

“We are here because Iwokrama is in the centre of Guyana and Guyana is in the centre of the Guiana Shield and the Guyana Shield is bigger than Greenland. The Guiana Shield is perhaps the largest area of unspoilt biodiversity on Planet Earth.

“I call it the second ‘Garden of Eden.’ Iwokrama represents the essential environmental services, which trees provide and we provide these services to the entire earth not just to Region Eight or Nine.
President Granger noted that the forests of Iwokrama preserve the habitats of Guyana’s abundant and high-endemic biodiversity and the destruction of trees destroys these habitats and increases the risk of extinction of our floral and faunal species. Trees, also, reduce environmental degradation, he said.

“I am serious about National Tree Day, because I want each one of you to take away the message that emphasises Guyana’s beauty and biodiversity… Our forests take up about 85 percent of our land mass, the second highest largest percentage forest cover in the world… The trees provide cover for our animals, our beautiful flora and fauna. If you cut down the trees, then the animals will be left in the desert and they will perish and we will lose that valuable cycle of biodiversity. So today is very, very important… Far beyond the importance of planting a tree, it is telling us why we should plant trees,” President Granger said.

Minister of Agriculture Mr Noel Holder said that by proclaiming a National Tree Day, it is the Government’s and his ministry’s hope to create more awareness on the importance of all types of trees for food, medicinal purposes, fibres for clothing and wood for shelter, and other such uses. “I urge all Guyanese to commit to planting trees, reducing deforestation with the continued effects of reducing poverty and promoting sustainable livelihoods for all dependent on trees,” he said.

Vice-President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Mr Sydney Allicock, emphasised the importance of education and awareness so that every Guyanese can see themselves as stewards of the environment.

“It is about education, about bringing people together and understanding more of what it is to have a country like ours, a centre like Iwokrama and people like ourselves.

For us to achieve this, it is not going to happen by Government alone. Government, as we see it, is the facilitating body, but you are the partners in this drive… this is one way we can help to bring the people in the country together and the President is very passionate about this.”

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Mrs Dawn Hastings-Williams, delivering a speech on behalf of Minister of Communities Mr Ronald Bulkan, said that the National Tree Day is much more than an emblematic event. Rather, it is a commitment on Government’s part to ensure that a better world is left for the generations to come.

As part of National Tree Day activities, the President planted trees at the Fairview Airstrip, the People’s National Congress Headquarters at Sophia and at the Iwokrama Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development.

National Tree Day was launched on October 1, 2015 by President David Granger and will be observed annually on the first Saturday in October going forward.