GEORGETOWN: The Government of Guyana, through the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas, which will allow the organisation’s work to continue in Guyana. The Agreement was signed by Minister of Governance with responsibility for Natural Resources and the Environment, Raphael Trotman and received by Ms. Aiesha Williams, Head of Office, WWF Guianas at the Department’s headquarters at Brickdam, a press release said.
Minister Trotman said that the signing of the agreement will ensure the continued promotion of sustainable development; something which, he said, President David Granger is extremely passionate about.
Additionally, he noted that as Guyana prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary as an independent country, Guyanese must be made aware of the wealth of their country and how best it can be preserved. In this regard, he said that the renewal of the agreement was timely as it provides a vehicle for that awareness to be achieved.
“Guyana prepares next year to celebrate its jubilee year and we would like to know that we are not just preserving our environment; our wildlife and flora and fauna but that we are educating Guyanese about what is theirs and how it can best be preserved. So we hope that coming out of this MoU that you are allowed, to of course continue your work, but we expect to deepen our relationship and expand it in the area of education,” Minister Trotman said.
In accepting the Agreement, Ms. Williams told the Minister that the renewal of the agreement is of high importance to the organisation since it will pave the way for sustainable development for the country and the Guianas as a whole.
“It is a pleasure for us to make this agreement with the Government of Guyana. We see this partnership as very important, not only for Guyana but for the conservation of the Guianas’ eco-region and we stand firm in our commitment to protect the natural resources with you and to also protect Guyana’s national patrimony.
“Our staff, our wider WWF partners have the same commitment and we look forward to working together with you on this in terms of development of local communities as it relates to the capacity building for the management of their resources, looking at reducing the impact of gold mining, ensuring that benefits derived from those go back into the local communities,” the Head of the WWF Guianas said.
The Agreement was signed in the presence of the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Joslyn McKenzie and Charles Hutchinson, Protected Areas REDD+Lead, a partner of the organisation, the release concluded.
