–Minister Teixeira tells Bartica consultation on LCDS

MINISTER of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira on Saturday explained to Region Seven residents that the government’s Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 is “a mixed energy approach” to address the issue of climate change.

She noted that the new and expanded LCDS allows for sustainable development in every sector, including agriculture, oil and gas and infrastructure, while at the same time reducing the effects of climate change, and protecting the environment.

Minister Teixeira was at the time speaking at a LCDS consultation in Bartica.

“When we look at what we call a mixed energy approach, we will continue to exploit oil and gas to reduce the cost of electricity, so that our people will have reliable, affordable electricity, and also the manufacturers and others will have a reliable source to produce,” the minister said.

She added: “We intend to use the oil-and-gas revenues to be able to develop the country in a faster way than if we didn’t have oil and gas.”

She pointed to the tremendous benefits that will accrue to the citizens of Guyana, as the strategy will create hundreds of jobs.

Minister Teixeira noted, too, that over the past seven years, Guyana has earned approximately US$200 million through carbon services. This means the country was generating income by sustainably managing its rainforest.

Minister Teixeira further affirmed that Guyana has one of the best forest management programmes in the world.

Meanwhile, the minister said the LCDS will allow for newer methods to be established to protect Guyana’s agriculture sector.

“We have to use science and technology to help us to reduce the impact of flooding in our country, and that means infrastructure, which is expensive. We have to look at ways in which we can also use agriculture in a way that is not always subjected to flooding,” she said.

Further, Minister Teixeira assured citizens that the government will continue to build the necessary infrastructure, like sea defences.

Residents were also given an overview of the LCDS by Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) Vanessa Benn. (DPI)