THE health and wellbeing of citizens should not be laid on the sacrificial altar of economic expediency and regulations are important for the holistic development in local government operations, Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan has said.

Minister Bulkan made this comment at the International Workshop on City Planning and Sustainable Resource Management in Guyana: Community Engagement held at Cara Lodge, Georgetown on Thursday.

The workshop which targets stakeholders and government representatives involved in national and local planning has seen a number of international experts sharing their knowledge and expertise.

Noting that communities will be building on their successes, Minister Bulkan said that in the near future there will be a “Councilors Handbook” which will train councilors and residents in local economic development facilitation, community participation, project management, financial regulations, waste and water management among others.

He said such are tenets of a sustainable environment and are good practices for a green and prosperous economy. “Cognisant of the important role envisage for local government in this dispensation, our approach at this juncture is to consolidate the gains with a focus on improving community engagement, involvement and electoral participation in local government via the medium of public education and awareness,” the minister of communities said.

Regional Coordinator Resource Efficiency of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Adriana Zacarias explained that the use of natural resources and the way cities and towns are designed play an essential role in achieving the transition towards a Green State. She explained that the aim of the workshop is to provide capacity-building on issues related to urban planning, innovation, data, indicators and community engagement.

The UNEP coordinator said that the agency is working closely with the office of climate change, Ministry of the Presidency and the Ministry of Communities in supporting Bartica’s effort as a model Green Town.

Acknowledging the economic, social and environmental relevance of the mining sector, she noted that the project also includes an assessment of the mining industry at the national level to provide science based evidence on the relation between this industry and urban development, while exploring opportunities for diversifying both mining and other economic activities.

Head of the Office of Climate Change, Janelle Christian said an important part in the development of Bartica is the layout, design and planning while the workshop will also be looking at resource management. She explained that given that Bartica imports all of its food, agriculture will also have to play a major part in its sustainable development.

“If you’re talking about sustainable cities in its truest sense, it means it’s truly self-sustaining in terms of what are the needs, where are the resources coming from, even if you’re not producing then where would be the best place for you to bring that resource from because all of this goes back to emissions,” the Climate Change head said.

Noting that it’s not business as usual, Ms. Christian said there are many opportunities Bartica can take advantage of especially in industries and economic activities, but in all this, waste management is paramount. Bartica’s Mayor Gifford Marshall encouraged his fellow mayors and administrative leaders to always give consideration to issues that affect the lives of the populace in the various communities they represent. “If we act hastily and if we operate in a high-handed attitude of course our people will suffer,” he said.

Marshall praised President David Granger and Minister Bulkan in having the vision in creating new towns and municipalities in Bartica, Lethem and Mabaruma which was a discussion that started in 2014 when they were in opposition.

Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Association of Municipalities (GAM) Carwyn Holland said he hopes the initiative grows to the extent that its tenets are not only endorsed by municipalities but enacted at all levels of administration.
He explained that effective city planning and sustainable resource management in Guyana will distribute economic development within a given territory to reach social objectives and create a framework of collaboration between local-government, the private sector and the public.

In attendance were Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Town Clerks of the municipalities and UN representatives.