German gov’t initiates more funding for protected areas system

The Protected Areas Commission received a boost on Wednesday when the German government formally initiated a funding grant valued about 5M Euros to the Guyana government via the Ministry of Natural Resources.

According to a Government Infor-mation Agency (GINA) press release, future investments will focus on the construction and equipping of offices for the recently established Commission.

German Ambassador Stefan Schluter said that his country’s partnering with Guyana on environmental issues started in 1996 and has continued to grow. “We are actually now celebrating the third phase of this on-going project which so far amounts to US$14 -15M. This is the latest phase which will have about 5M Euros in aid,” he said.

This latest initiative is intended to serve as an endowment to the Protected Areas Trust Fund, partly fund the establishment of the Protected Areas Commission’s offices and develop infrastructural management plans in key protected areas.

Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud