THE Protected Areas Commission (PAC), with local and international support, continues to enhance its skills and capabilities to manage Guyana’s protected areas and has recently placed its focus on mining in protected areas.

According to a press statement from the commission, the focus came in the form of a regional workshop on strategies against the threats from illegal goldmining in the Protected Areas of the Guianas held in French Guiana from Wednesday February 12, to Friday February 14, 2020 and attended by technical personnel from Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.

The aim of the workshop was to improve the management of protected areas through the sharing of best practices and experiences between stakeholders and communities on strategies to address illegal mining in Protected Areas of the Guianas.

The workshop was the third Regional Workshop organised under the RENFORSAP (“Strengthening the Network of Protected Areas in the Guiana Shield and their contributions to sustainable development in respect of local cultures, values and lifestyles”) Project. This project is a multi-stakeholder and transnational approach amongst protected area managers of French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana.

Brief opening remarks at the workshop were delivered by PAC Commissioner, Denise Fraser, on behalf of the Protected Areas Commission, a partner in the project. The commissioner noted the international significance of the Guiana Shield, its geology, and biological and cultural diversity. Mrs. Fraser noted that the workshop brought together a range of persons working in the field with different experiences, strategies, and lessons learnt that could contribute towards developing more effective ways to deal with illegal gold mining in the Protected Areas of the three Guianas. She called on all participants to take part and expect rich and fruitful discussions in the workshop, the release said.

PAC said that its Chairperson, Raquel Thomas-Caesar, also represented the PAC, as well as the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, at the three-day workshop.

Further, the team from Guyana included not only the PAC, but representatives from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Corps of Wardens, Ministry of Natural Resources, and Conservation International – Guyana.

The completion of the workshop saw the beginning of a synthesis on strategies against the threats from illegal gold mining in the protected areas of the Guianas and the identification of potential opportunities for cooperation.