Grievance mechanism contract signed under project to limit forest carbon emissions

Permanent Secretary Joslyn McKenzie (right) and TCG’s Managing Director Timothy McIntosh shaking hands on the deal. (Ministry of Natural Resources photo)
Permanent Secretary Joslyn McKenzie (right) and TCG’s Managing Director Timothy McIntosh shaking hands on the deal. (Ministry of Natural Resources photo)

The Ministry of Natural Resources has signed a contract with a local consultancy firm to develop a Grievance and Redress Mechanism (GRM) under a project which aims to limit greenhouse gas emissions from forests.

This is the first consultancy awarded under the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), which is readying Guyana to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+).  According to a release from the FCPF Project under the Ministry of Natural Resources, the GRM is the national coordinating structure and procedure to receive, process and probe issues affecting stakeholders/communities under the REDD+ implementation process.

The release said that the contract has been awarded to The Consultancy Group (TCG) and will be completed within six months. It was signed on December 19 at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Brickdam, by Permanent Secretary Joslyn McKenzie and TCG’s Managing Director Timothy McIntosh.

The release said that GRM is one of the most important pillars of the REDD+ readiness process. The Mechanism is based on engagement and dialogue among stakeholders in a transparent manner.

FCPF is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society, Indigenous Peoples and Forest-Dependent communities focused on lowering emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

The release said that in Guyana, FCPF is being executed in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) under a US$3.8 million technical cooperation agreement.