MANAGING-DIRECTOR of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) Dr Richard Van-West Charles, has emphasised the need for changes in the way solid waste is disposed of in the country, and too, for there to be better management of our waterways.

“So this area of watershed management is now going to be an area that occupies not only central ministries , Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) and the citizens as a whole, because we have got to change our practices in terms of disposal; and this has to start now.”

He made the observation on Monday during a presentation ceremony for five winners of a Poster and Essay Competition for children, that GWI hosted to coincide with the observance of World Water Day, 2019. Guyana, like the rest of the world, observed WWD 2019 on March 22 last, under the theme, “Leaving No One Behind”, with the emphasis on fresh water.”

The topic for the GWI Poster and Essay competition was “Happy habits for our watersheds” and participants were required to indicate activities such as fishing, aquaculture, swimming and birdwatching, among others.

For placing first in the Poster Competition, Cristian Narayan, 14, of Good Hope Learning Centre (GHLC), East Coast Demerara, won a bicycle while placing second was Maleah Pollard, 12, of Queens College (QC); and in third place was Bibi Halima Bacchus, 13, of GHLC. Their prizes were a hamper and a haversack with school supplies.

Deigo Barnett, another Queen’s College student, won himself a $50,000 gift voucher for emerging as the winner in the Poster competition, while Zaleena Salim of the GHLC got a $30,000 gift voucher as the second-place winner. Sophia Wilson of Region One, the third-place winner, but who was unavoidably absent, was awarded a $15,000 gift voucher.

Said the GWI managing- director,“Guyana is known as the land of many waters, but what value is it if the water is polluted. We have no use as humans and it damages the environment,” adding, that the moment was a very critical one and in relation to GWI’s activities of its watersheds and their management.

Such an important moment should engage the citizens of this country for the rest of the year, and alluding to the theme, Dr Van-West Charles reminded attendees that water is life, and is important not only for human life, but for habitats and the environment as a whole.
“It therefore means that many agencies, along with the communities, will have to be involved in the management and protection of the various watersheds throughout Guyana,” he added.

Reminding the audience that one of the country’s biggest watersheds is in Georgetown, and that the water is obtained from the conservancy, the GWI managing-director said, that in Linden, the main watershed is a new system at Dakoura Creek and the water is treated and distributed to over 1000 residents at Wismar.

But, he remarked, it will take time for citizens to understand why they must become involved.

The issue with all of the watersheds, though, is the quality of water, and as new sources are found it is imperative that work be done in the communities so that such sources can be protected. It is for such reasons that the topic chosen for the competition was very critical in terms of solid waste disposal.

On this note, Dr Van-West Charles told the audience, which included senior GWI management, parents of the winners and two teachers, that re-emerging in some areas are people being stricken with leptospirosis and other diseases.

“That in many instances, is linked to how solid waste is disposed throughout the country. We as a people have got to now take stock, because we are evolving into a different phase of life in Guyana, and so the environment now becomes critical. Water becomes critical and the protection of our water ways, so when we boast that we are a land of many waters, our waters must be pristine, good quality, good for tourism, good to drink and good for varying habitats; so we go forward with a different dispensation as of now, he remarked.

He added that the winning posters on display are indications of the grounding of the concept GWI embraces , as he urged the winners to continue to be ambassadors for their country and its waterways.

It is amazing what’s happening in terms of the environment as we go forward” and recalled that Guyana was recently voted as the number one eco-tourism destination in the world — a significant achievement, he said.

In the hinterland, the evidence is of the development of eco-lodges, and more people are arriving from afar to see the rare species of birds and other life; hence, the importance of waterways.

And as GWI collaborates with many agencies to address the issue, it is important to note that President David Granger in addressing the issue of inequities speaks to the topic of leaving no one behind; and by seeking to ensure that there should be no difference between the hinterland and the coastal regions, the GWI managing-director said.
“This is a significant moment for us as a country as we embark on the whole aspect at what comes to us with the potential for oil. So we have to increasingly move forward to give more appreciation to our water, the land of many waters. It now becomes even more meaningful to us,” he added.

The Poster and Essay competitions were both run from March 4 to 18, and attracted good responses from students in Regions One, Three, Four , Six and 10. The top three of the posters were displayed during the ceremony on Monday.

Under the judging criteria, prior to poster winners being selected, all 33 entries that were submitted were uploaded to GWI’s Facebook page, from which five with the most likes were shortlisted. Those shortlisted were further judged on the basis of relevance to the topic and Guyana, clarity and visual impact without explanation, creativity and aesthetics, as well as originality.

The judges for the poster competition were Ms Angela Franklyn, Hydrologist ; Delmay Dehnert, Video Artist and Dillion Charles, Environmental Officer at the Environmental Protection Agency (APA). For the essay competition, the judges were Ms Denise Woolford, GWI Manager, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Mr Aubrey Roberts, Executive Director, Design Infrastructure and the Stakeholder Management Coordinator at the Ministry of the Presidency.