–to help deliver on ‘green’, prosperous-state promise

GOVERNMENT is currently in discussion with Conservation International (CI) on ways the organisation can help it deliver on its Green-State Development Strategy (GSDS) promise.

Minister of State, Mr Joseph Harmon, in his capacity as Ministerial Lead on the Environment, co-hosted a meeting here, on Monday, with Co-Founder and Chair of Conservation International (CI),Mr Peter Seligmann,and Board Member Mr. Bob Walton at the Marriott Hotel.

Also present at that meeting were Minister of Natural Resources, Mr Raphael Trotman and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Mr Sydney Allicock, along with other stakeholders.

Minister Harmon later told the Guyana Chronicle that the Government of Guyana has already embarked on its Vision 2030 proposal for an inclusive ‘green’ and prosperous state.

“The Green-State Development Strategy (GSDS) and some of the challenges we face were discussed,” he said, adding:“I had also spoken of the need for development as oppose to conservation; we are talking about conservation at a time when you have a poor population.”

What this means, Minister Harmon said, is that Guyanese cannot expand or exploit their natural resources, which presents us with a dilemma.

“We needed technical and financial assistance from international organisations in that regard,” he said.

Noting that Conservation International has long moved away from strict conservation to managing people’s lifestyle to fit into the ecosystem, Minister Harmon said:“You do not altogether disturb somebody’s lifestyle to protect the environment, and there are no jobs being provided for them. “CI has made some offers and presentations which we can provide to Cabinet, and we are prepared to accept their offer of help.”

He said that not only will the ‘green-growth pathway’ positively transform Guyana’s economy by helping to maximise potential and develop adequate infrastructure to utilise energy resources, but it will also foster economic diversification,job creation and poverty reduction through the production of higher value-added goods and services, greater resource productivity, improved environmental services, and a minimisation of vulnerability to external shocks such as climate change.

The government, he said, has stated its commitment to conservation in several ways, including expanding the terrestrial area under conservation by an additional two million hectares, achieving sustainable management of forests, reducing the environmental and human health footprint from gold mining, and transitioning to renewable energy.

He said that the meeting with CI was organised to achieve three main purposes:

(1) To provide an opportunity for two of the world’s leading conservation and business entrepreneurs to share their views on economic prosperity;

(2) to provide an opportunity for ministers and heads of department to discuss the Government of Guyana’s commitment to conservation as expressed in the ‘Green- State Development Strategy’ and the 2018 National Budget; and

(3) to discuss how the organisation can improve its partnership with the Government of Guyana to deliver on its ‘Green-State’ vision.

He noted that at the end of their meeting, he expects that CI’s Chair will be well positioned to endorse Guyana’s GSDS vision, and will work with the government in partnership towards ensuring its support is in keeping with its vision.