Over 200 youth from schools across the country yesterday participated in the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment’s National Youth Environment Forum, held in commemoration of World Environment Day 2016 (WED) which is being observed tomorrow under the localized theme – ‘Fight against illegal trade of Wildlife.’
Observed annually by millions of people worldwide, the United Nations’ World Environment Day is aimed at encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment.
With this year’s focus of raising awareness and articulating action that can lead to strengthened systems to curtail the illegal trade of wildlife, yesterday’s forum provided a space for youths to express their understanding of the WED theme in creative ways, display exhibits in a mini exhibition, while benefiting from presentation by both governmental and non-governmental agencies on the work they do with regards to the protection of wildlife and the environment in Guyana.
In his remarks to those who gathered at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, where the forum was held, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman emphasised the importance of youth participation in the protection and sustainable management of Guyana’s wildlife.
He urged the students to consider Guyana as being one of the world’s most important countries for biodiversity conservation, specifically because Guyana boasts the highest biodiversity per capita in the world and has one of the highest levels of biological diversity and concentration.
If that were not enough, he explained that Guyana is also part of a unique 1.7 billion years old Guiana Shield, a region that is home to over 3,000 wildlife species and shared with neighbours Venezuela, Surname and Brazil along with French Guiana and parts of Colombia.
However, the minister expressed the view that not enough is being done to protect or promote sustainable management of the environment.
He said, “Unfortunately, I believe that we have spent too much time digging it up and cutting it down and far too little time in seeing its tremendous value as is and intact and learning to live, utilize and enjoy it in a sustainable manner.”
Trotman further noted that aside from its inherent value, biodiversity continues to be important to the survival and prosperity of many Guyanese and people worldwide as such resources are utilised in diverse ways for food, clothing, income and even health care.
This, he said, is particularly true with regard to Guyana’s indigenous peoples as these resources often represent the foundation on which village economies are based and traditional cultures sustained.
On the other hand, the economic value of the trade in wildlife fauna and flora makes these resources particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
“Human well-being is inextricably linked to the well-being of wild fauna and flora. It is, therefore, our responsibility to ensure that there is responsible utilisation of our resources so that current and future generations can enjoy the benefits derived from our wildlife,” the minister posited.
It is with this in mind, he said, that the Wildlife Division and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the purview of his ministry, have strived to ensure that the trade in wildlife is done in a sustainable and respectful manner.
However, he explained that this alone is not enough, as the government has been cognisant of the illegal wildlife trade and the threat the largely unregulated domestic trade system presents to these resources.
Therefore, his ministry has made it a high priority and aggressively sought to create a much-needed overarching legal framework and mechanism to govern the internal and external trade in all species of wildlife in Guyana. “As we observe World Environment Day…, I am delighted to inform you that the Wildlife Conservation and Management Bill 2016 has been presented to parliament, paving the way for the establishment of the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission to be charged with overseeing the management of wildlife as so as to ensure its conservation and sustainable use,” he announced.
Nevertheless, the minister noted that even with a strong body of laws, citizens must also play their part.
He said, “We the people of Guyana must be the solution beyond all laws and regulations that are documented. It is the human factor that makes the difference in any circumstance and as beneficiaries of wildlife, we must look at ourselves as protectors of that wildlife and there are many ways to ensure that we utilize that wildlife responsibly.
“We must strengthen the view that our flora and fauna… are a part of our national patrimony and accept that it is our patriotic duty and responsibility to ensure their protection and sustainable usage that will lend itself to a greener and more sustainable economy.”
Trotman encouraged the students to become environmental stewards by promoting environmental sustainability while taking advantage of the platform to elevate an opinion and to define a better vison of Guyana and the world that they wish to inherit and mould for future generations.
“Guyana has done well and has given the world many gifts such as the Kaieteur Falls which we have preserved along with the golden frog; we have the Giant River Otter, the Arapaima, the Giant Anteater, the mighty Jaguar and the majestic Harpy Eagle.
We have even given the world Demerara sugar, Eddy Grant and we can claim 50% of Rihanna. I represent those first 50 years and you represent the next 50 years and so we look to you with great pride and admiration as we prepare you to collect the baton of stewardship. I admonish you to reach for higher heights and perform greater feats that we did, doing so as a more cohesive and caring generation,” Trotman said.
“I also encourage you to celebrate all our species under threat and to take action on your own to safeguard for future generations; whoever you are and wherever you live, show zero tolerance for illegal trade in wildlife in word and deed and do make a difference,” he added.
The forum also saw students from schools across the country expressing their understanding of this year’s WED focus through presentations of their own including dramatic and factual pieces.
Additionally, students had the opportunity to network with other schools through interactions during the mini-exhibition.
The ministry also took the opportunity to announce the winners of its ‘Best Kept School’ competition which was rolled out March 12th, 2016 as a pilot project in Region 5. Beating out more than 30 schools for the win was Hopetown Primary School, which received a brand new computer system, followed by Number Eight Primary School in second place, which received a printer.
