Pledges support for President Donald Ramotar
PRESIDENT of Conservation International, Russ Mittermeier, has lauded former President Bharrat Jagdeo for his role in making Guyana a global leader in forest conservation. Mittermeier, in a statement, said the former president has played a significant role in calling global attention to the incredible importance of tropical forests in the global battle to mitigate climate change.
“I would like to pay tribute to him (Bharrat Jagdeo) because what he has accomplished in the global arena has been truly exceptional and should be brought to the world’s attention,” Mittermeier said.
Mittermeier, a former rainforest specialist with the Guiana Shield, first met Mr. Jagdeo shortly after he took office in 1999.
“He was only 35 at the time, but we were impressed from the first moment with his intellect, his charm and his willingness to listen and learn. Over the next few years, we developed a real friendship, and I could call him on his personal line any time the need arose — a rare thing for a head of state these days.” he said.
Mittermeier said from that moment on, Jagdeo took on the mantle of leadership for continually and forcefully speaking on this issue whenever the opportunity presented itself — at U.N. climate conventions in Bali, Copenhagen and Cancun, and at a wide variety of other global events, adding that ” he (Jagdeo) did press conferences on the issue with CI board member Harrison Ford, with prime ministers and presidents, and with key figures in the business world; along the way, he also designed and launched a Low Carbon Development Strategy for his country, one of the first of its kind and certainly the first for an HFLD country. “
Mittermeier said this became so appealing to the international donor community, that in 2009, the Norwegian government made a $250 million commitment to his Strategy.
The CI President also lauded Mr Jagdeo, under whose leadership, Guyana, in June 2011, passed the National Protected Areas Act in parliament.
“We were delighted. For us, this culminated 18 years of work with several governments, but most especially with the government of President Jagdeo who, with these protected areas created in the final months of his presidency, cemented his legacy and his place in history.” Mittermeier said.
“We have high hopes that his successor, President Donald Ramotar, who just took office last month, will carry this forward, and continue Guyana’s leadership role among the forest-rich countries of the world,” the CI president said.