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THE national outreach on Guyana’s ambitious and historic draft low carbon development strategy is well underway with officials reporting good responses from the first sub-national consultations.President Bharrat Jagdeo,Kevin Faulk Patriots Jersey, on June 17, gave a detailed presentation on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) to a full house in the George Walcott Lecture Theatre at the University of Guyana. This was followed by consultations in the Rupununi over the weekend.Officials said that more than 600 people, predominantly Amerindians, from about 45 communities in Region Nine, participated in that first round of sub-national consultations.The region is probably the most remote in Guyana with some 20,000 people from the indigenous groups scattered over about 22,Lynn Swann Steelers Jersey,000 square miles. Many of those attending the sessions spent days traveling over mountains and sprawling savannahs to get to the three main meeting places.At his weekly post-Cabinet briefing on Wednesday, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon,Mike Ditka Bears Jersey, said that the initial public consultations “secured healthy participation” from the indigenous communities and constituencies.According to Dr Luncheon, there was an “impressive sharing” of information about the strategy and matters of concern to members of the indigenous community in Region Nine.The public consultations continue this weekend in Region One where Amerindian Affairs Minister,Ron Jaworski Eagles Jersey, Pauline Sukhai and Foreign Affairs Minister,Art Shell Raiders Jersey, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birket will lead the team that includes representatives from Amerindian and non-governmental organisations.The widespread national consultations on the draft Low Carbon Development Strategy are being conducted over three months and the government wants to table the plan at the December United Nations summit in Copenhagen,Deion Sanders Falcons Jersey, Denmark for inclusion in a new climate change regime.Guyana’s strategy is based on avoiding deforestation and preserving its standing forests in exchange for payment for this service in the cause of climate change from the international community.Climate change is a major agenda item for next month’s Caribbean Community summit here and officials feel the timing is opportune as it will be another opportunity to forge a common regional position for Copenhagen .Chairman of the National Climate Committee, Mr. Shyam Nokta, noted that the forests in CARICOM member states, Guyana,Irving Fryar Patriots Jersey, Suriname and Belize, provide a substantial forest cover to contribute to the climate change cause and the region needs to come together in the effort.“As a region we have a substantial amount of forest cover to contribute to climate change and we have to work together. We hope that the summit can identify clear concrete positions for Copenhagen,Darrell Green Redskins Jersey,” he said.In his presentation at UG,Kenny Stabler Raiders Jersey, President Jagdeo said the current debate for countries like Guyana is about, among other key issues, getting payment for helping to save the planet by preserving standing forests. |
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