By David Singh, director WWF Guianas and Aiesha Williams, country manager Guyana of WWF Guianas
More than 12,000 km from the Guianas a devastating oil disaster is unfolding on the coastline of the island of Mauritius. Hundreds of tonnes of oil are threatening unique wildlife, corals and wetlands after a stranded Japanese carrier broke in two. This might seem far away, but it is in fact a sharp reminder for the Guianas to be very mindful of the risks of extraction and transportation of oil.
The oil boom in our region will be a reality in a few years. It can elevate Guyana and Suriname to cash-rich countries in less than one generation. And the income – if used wisely – can build a sustainable economy for generations to come. But oil can also make our societies poor if we don’t learn from the past, from others, and ignore the risks of oil production.
