Minister Allicock touts teaching children to respect nature, environment

GINA, Guyana, Thursday, September 22, 2016

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock is calling for programmes to be incorporated into the schools’ curriculum that would provide young people with the opportunity to learn about the natural and cultural values of the environment.

The Minister said this would help them develop an awareness of environmental and conservation issues and lay the foundation for changing attitudes needed for the sustainable development of the country.

Speaking at the recent launch of the “Read Play Love” Campaign Minister Allicock noted that, “For too long the extractive industry had caused greed to flourish and persons of ambition, for gold and riches, timber and riches,” to lay bare  the environment. Further the Minister noted, “they say that they go to the back dam (hinterland), not realising that they are intruding into the homeland of a people.”

The Minister pointed out that the early education of children on environmental issues will help in planning for the proper management of the country’s natural resources.  “The early childhood (education) will help others to understand the values of living with nature, living with one another, respecting one another and planning properly for the proper management of our natural resources,” the Minister said.

The Minister noted that the indigenous people have been respecting nature and protecting the environment, for many years.

“We have been doing our part by managing the natural environment, keeping the rivers clean, allowing the other life forms to be there by not taking all. We have not destroyed the trees. We have not upturned the soils, and we have not become greedy. We share, because we care,” the Minister said.

The Government has been laying out a path for the country to transition into a green state. Educating young people to respect nature and the environment is pivotal to this process.