– Minister Persaud
GUYANA has begun advancing preparations for participation in the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD). The Conference is scheduled for June 20 – 22 in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, where Guyana is scheduled to present a national assessment of the country’s progress; gaps remaining and experiences and opportunities pertaining to the themes of the UNCSD. This presentation will be made in the form of a Stocktaking Report. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) financially supported ‘phase one’ of the process in preparing the assessment. The preparation has three phases, the first being the preparation of the report based on interviews, consultations and desk reviews. The second phase is the facilitation of a workshop followed by the final phase of documenting the outcomes of the first two into the national report.

The RIO + 20 Draft Guyana Stocktaking Report (For circulation to Stakeholders) ‘A Green Economy and Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development: The Guyana Context’, was presented to a multi-stakeholder meeting at the Umana Yana on Saturday last by Dr. Paulette Bynoe, who prepared it. 
The stakeholders were able to listen to the main findings and conclusions of the report and respond.

Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud noted that the report has shown that Guyana has been able to deliver on its commitments, and in many areas exceeded them despite limited resources.
He noted that even successive governments in Guyana are made up of different political parties, one constant has been the commitment in ensuring that sustainable development is undertaken along with the kinds of decisions, policies and initiatives that give a balance in terms of developing natural resources and managing the environment in a sustainable way.
Minister Persaud commended the late President Desmond Hoyte for the initiative of dedicating an entire area, Iwokrama, for sustainable purposes. He noted also the PPP/Cs commitment has held true to this commitment and followed through with the Low Carbon Development Strategy, which gives a vision in terms of development and takes into account current world development and the signs of climate change.

Minister Persaud noted however, that though the review of the national stock taking report shows national commitment, it is one of the issues that has a small amount of difficulty and division at a political level in civil society.

Nevertheless, the report states the terms of Guyana’s commitment in addition to the many challenges in terms of the economic and social position of Guyana in 1992. He noted that “we were able to overcome those challenges. We had a situation where we were in a structural adjustment programme, and then we were able to emerge from that, and to record consistent economic growth.”

He emphasised that with the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the National Competitiveness Strategy and the LCDS, Guyana has integrated the three pillars of sustainable development.

Navin Chandarpal, Advisor to the President on Sustainable Development, Science and Technology explained that the Rio Declaration of 20 years ago described sustainable development as the “harmonious way in which we can have development while at the same time protecting our environment, and particularly the conservation and sustainable use of the natural resources of our planet.”

He noted that after the conference, the Government and people of Guyana made the commitment to sustainable development approach. Chandarpal noted that one of the issues to be addressed at the UNCSD conference is how the three pillars of sustainable development can be integrated. Economic, social and environmental pillars can be developed in a way so that there can be the best results for the people of the planet.

UN Resident Representative of Guyana Ms. Khadija Musa noted that the process is an important one that should not be taken lightly. On behalf of the UN she congratulated Guyana on the decision to participate in the preparatory process in advance of the conference, and acknowledged the collaboration between the UN organisations UNDP, UNPESA, the Ministry of Natural Resource and the Environment and the Environment Protection Agency in supporting the preparatory process.
The meeting is expected to build on the stakeholders report. 
Ms. Musa noted that green growth and poverty reduction must go hand in hand adding that development and cooperation will promote growth, a core element of the Government of Guyana and the LCDS, an issue fully supported by the UN.
Other stakeholders from a wide cross section of society and organisations made their contributions towards the report, pointing out minor issues that they felt could have been included. However, they were referred to the Terms of Reference set out for the compilation of the report by the UN and advised once again of the issues required to be outlined.
The draft report is to be reworked and resubmitted to the stakeholders, including the points noted during Saturday’s consultation. The revised report will be presented at another forum at a later date. (GINA)