Dear Editor,
The Environmental Community Health Organization welcomes the announcement of President Donald Ramotar as reported in the Sunday Stabroek of August 5 that tax-free concessions will be granted for recycling plants. We, in Echo, believe that the announcement of the availability of tax-free concessions for recycling plants is encouraging news for those who are desirous of getting involved in the waste recycling industry and working towards protecting the health of the natural environment.
It is clear that in Guyana waste disposal is becoming increasingly unmanageable. Plastics, including PET bottles constitute a major public health nuisance in many local communities.
Plastic is suffocating the environment. It puts at risk the health of animals, birds and marine life. It is bad for the ecological system and consequently for all of us.
However, we continue to make the point that the challenge of plastic also presents an extremely good investment opportunity for businesses to get involved in investing in recycling.
There is the urgent need for an environmentally friendly recycling plant to effectively manage the abundance of plastic tossed about and hurting our local communities. The utility of such an investment is not only in terms of monetary profits but also in protecting the environment.
This in itself will allow businesses to give back to society. Moreover, it is very difficult to see sustainable national development taking place in the absence of waste recycling facilitates.
We now urge commercial banks and other allied institutions to design and promote special financial packages to assist and encourage those corporations, companies and individuals who are desirous of making that kind of investment.
Yours faithfully,
Oneeka Brown
Director of Communications
ECHO
