GSDS awareness workshop targets local government officials

DPI, GUYANA, Wednesday, December 6, 2017

A Green seminar held at the Grand Coastal Hotel, Le Ressouvenir, on Wednesday is seeking to accelerate the government’s Green ‘Economy’ Agenda in the regions.

The administration and the United Nations (UN) Environment Programme have partnered to host the one-day awareness forum on the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS).

Genevieve Allen, Regional Chairperson (RC), Regional Democratic Council (RDC).

Regional Chairperson (RC) Genevieve Allen, explained that the forum, the first of its kind, targets a wide cross-section of local government officials in order to promote leadership and ownership of the strategy.

Allen urged the participants to emulate the recommendations of the workshop and implement them in their respective communities, in order to propel the government’s agenda.

“We will hope that you will not allow the conversation to conclude within these walls but that you take this conversation to all the corners of Guyana, that you will engage all the stakeholders, constituencies at all levels within your community so that coming out of these deliberations, we can have contribution for inclusion in the GSDS,” the RC said.

Mikiko Tanaka, UN Resident Coordinator, said that though this is the starting point of the countrywide awareness workshop the strategy can be considered quite ambitious.

Meanwhile, Ndibi Schwiers, Director of Department of Environment, Ministry of Presidency, said that the focus of the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) creates a different pathway for the country regarding its soon-to-be oil production market as opposed to other countries that did not implement policies to safeguard their environments.

“We have the benefit, or we have the gift of hindsight. We are in a very fortunate position as we can now learn for those societies. We can do what they did not do, the green state development strategy is intended to bring together all of our sector policies and various sector strategies,” Schwiers said.

She added that the lack of policies and strategies when dealing with the economy and development of a country can lead to a catastrophe hence the implementation of the GSDS.

Schwiers reiterated that using the GSDS will holistically ensure that benefits are reaped from the country’s resources as a way to guarantee the good life for the future generation.

The aim of the Green State Development Strategy is to guide the country’s economic and socio-cultural development, by diversifying the economy, and reducing dependence on traditional sectors, whilst creating new sustainable income and investment opportunities.

This strategy also aims to achieve the goals set up in Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to attain the establishment of a Green Economy ensured by the government.

Mikiko Tanaka, United Nation (UN) Resident Coordinator.

Ndibi Schwiers, Director of Department of Environment, Ministry of Presidency.

 

By: Neola Damon

 

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