Georgetown: Acting President Samuel Hinds, along with Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud and German Ambassador Stefan Schueleter, reveals the plaque at the entrance to the PAC building
The Protected Areas Commission (PAC) building at the National Park was declared open on Tuesday evening with much talk of sustainable bilateral relations between Guyana and Germany from Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud, and German Ambassador Stefan Schlueter.
Speaking at the opening of the building, which was dedicated to German Geographer and Surveyor, Robert Schomburgk, Persaud highlighted that Guyana continues to strengthen bilateral ties with the European nation of Germany.
“Our partnership with Germany, which represents one of the only bilateral cooperation agreements in the Caribbean, is now into a €5.15 million Phase II of GPAS, with €4 million serving as an endowment to the Protected Areas Trust Fund,” said Minister Persaud.
Persaud pointed out that, it was with the aid of the German Government and members of the German private sector that Guyana has managed to pursue extensive works. In 2004, Germany and Guyana implemented phase one of the €2.56 million Guyana Protected Areas System (GPAS), funded by the aforementioned entities.
“The innovation fostered under this bilateral relationship will, no doubt, be applicable to other member states in Caricom, and others in the developing world” Minister Persaud said, while addressing the gathering.
“So, this is not just about building offices, it is about transforming the way we view our environment and its role in our development as communities, as a nation, and as citizens of the earth,” Persaud said, while explaining that the project supported sustainable livelihood projects in more than 30 Amerindian communities.
He added that the initiative also led to the drafting of the National Protected Areas Act, demarcation plans for both the Kanuku Mountains and Shell Beach Protected Areas, and a draft Kanuku Mountains Management Plan.
He further pointed out that work on the project will be in tandem with the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
As such, the Minister related, a world-class National Protected Areas System will put Guyana on par with other nations at the forefront of new and novel approaches to preservation and sustainable development.
Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Hinds pointed out that Guyana is not heading into the area of industrialisation but rather into tourism. “Make Guyana into a park for the world,” said Acting President Hinds.
He posited that forest protection and development of natural areas must be placed on the front burner as it related to development.
Further, Ambassador Schlueter related that it was delightful that steps were taken to open the building in honour of the late geographer that “literally put Guyana on the map”.
He said Germany is looking forward to continued initiatives in conjunction with the Government of Guyana.
In his remarks, PAC Commissioner Damien Fernandes related that the building will not only improve the work of PAC, but also that of the Three Parks Initiative, which will be used as a window for the protected areas
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