Cabinet green-lights Guyana’s participation at regional, international fora

-approves appointment of non-resident envoy of Romania to Guyana 

Cabinet at its Tuesday, October 2, 2018 meeting consented to a number of matters. They are as follows:

Cabinet briefed on the impact of US gov’t sanctions on operations of RUSAL

Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Raphael Trotman on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 briefed Cabinet on the impact of the United States (US) Government sanctions on operations of RUSAL and its subsidiary – Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc.

During his brief, Minister Trotman said the date for the imposition of the sanctions had been extended to November 12, 2018 while noting the uncertainty which existed. He nevertheless said that there was a window of hope that the situation would normalise.

Additionally, the Minister of Natural Resources said there was no credibility to reports in the local media which suggested that RUSAL intended to close operations, but noted that the challenge was that the shipping company- Olendorff Carriers, had opted to abide by the sanctions. Minister Trotman also said that RUSAL was engaged in the sourcing of an alternative shipping company and that a number of companies have signalled their interest.

Non-Resident Ambassador of Romania to Guyana appointed

Cabinet granted its approval for the appointment of His Excellency Mr. Stefan Mera as Non-Resident Ambassador of Romania to Guyana.  Ambassador Mera’s appointment is expected to foster and strengthen relations and provide the opportunity to intensify collaboration in the political, economic and social fields between Romania and Guyana. It will also provide a framework for advancing discussions on a possible economic agreement between our two countries.

Guyana to participate in 30^th MoP to Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete ozone layer

Guyana will be participating in the 30^th Meeting of the Parties (MoP) to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the ozone layer from November 5 to 9, 2018 in Quito, Ecuador.

The meeting, which will be attended by Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Noel Holder, will focus on the continued efforts under the Montreal Protocol to phase out the use of ozone depleting substances worldwide.

Guyana is a party to the Protocol and has successfully phased out the use of chlorofluorocarbons. Participation in this meeting will assist Guyana to transition smoothly from ozone depleting technology to newer alternatives in keeping with our obligations under the Protocol and the country’s thrust for sustainable development. 

Guyana participates in RENFORESAP project

Cabinet granted approval for Guyana to participate at the launch of the Cooperation Project- RENFORESAP- Strengthening the Network of Protected Areas in the Guiana Shield from October 1 to 3, 2018 in Paramaribo, Suriname.

The project was designed to strengthen the resilience of the forest and the livelihoods of the local populations in the Guiana Shield. It has been organised to strengthen capacities in ‘protected or conservation area management’.

Guyana’s team was led by Vice-President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Mr. Sydney Allicock and included three representatives of the Protected Areas Commission: Ms. Denise Fraser, Commissioner; Ms. Odacy Davis, Deputy Commissioner; and Ms. Sara Henry, Planning Officer.

The Department of Environment was represented by Ms. Aretha Forde, Stakeholder Management Coordinator while the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were represented by Ms. Stacy Lord, Senior Environmental Officer and Ms. Savita Kum, Foreign Service Officer, respectively.

Cabinet approves attendance at several regional workshops

Cabinet approved Guyana’s participation in a Latin American and Caribbean Workshop on the environmentally sound management of E-Wastages and Forum on their Trans-boundary movements from November 6 to 9, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The forum has been organised to address the mounting international concern over the large quantities of used and end-of-life electrical equipment (E-Waste) that are accumulating in countries around the globe.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the focal point for the Basel Convention on the control of Trans-Boundary Movements of Hazardous wastes and their disposal.  The Agency’s attendance at the forum is expected to enable Guyana to enhance its capacity and to honour its obligations under the Convention. Guyana will be represented by Ms. Odessa Duncan, Senior Environmental Officer, EPA.

Similarly, Cabinet has approved the attendance of Ms. Tashana George, Senior Environmental Officer, of the EPA to represent Guyana at the Regional Workshop on Project Design for the Establishment and Operation of Regulatory Programmes for the Safety and Security of Radiation from November 12 to 16, 2018 in Jamaica. This workshop has been organised to facilitate discussions on the best practices for the management of radiation sources and it will provide Guyana with critical knowledge in this area.

Meanwhile, Guyana participated in the 19^th American Regional Meeting of the International Labour Organisation, which was held from October 1 to 5, 2018 in Panama City, Panama.  That meeting is focused mainly on the progress made by countries during the past four years in the area of Decent Work.

At the meeting, Guyana’s delegation, which comprised Mr. Charles Ogle, Chief Labour Officer; Ms. Coretta McDonald of the Guyana Trades Union Council and Mr. Samuel Goolsarran, Consultant, Consultative Association of Guyanese Industry was involved in discussions on workers’ rights and decent work principles as a guide to policy making.

Additionally, Cabinet approved Guyana’s participation in the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Center (CARTAC) sponsored Regional Workshop on Real Sector Statistics which was held from October 1 to 4, 2018 in Castries, St. Lucia. The workshop focused on assessing progress by member states in the development and improvement of National Accounts and Price Statistics. As a result of Guyana’s participation, the country’s capacity for gathering statistical information and analysis has been enhanced.

Guyana was represented by Ms. Maxine Bentt, Deputy Chief Statistician, Bureau of Statistics.

Further, Chief Statistician, Bureau of Statistics, Mr. Lennox Benjamin, Ms. Bentt and Mrs. Vanessa Profitt, Head of Division, Demography, Vital and Social Statistics of the Bureau of Statistics will attend the 23^rd Meeting of the Advisory Group on Statistics (AGS), the 43^rd Meeting of the Standing Committee of Caribbean Statisticians (SCCS) and the 29^th Meeting of the Regional Census Coordinating Committee (RCCC) from October 18 to 26, 2018 in Brades, Montserrat.  The meetings have been formulated to provide policy initiatives, directions and innovations to work programmes and the promotion of South-South cooperation among members of these groups; forge advances in the region’s statistical work programme and facilitate coordinated censuses in member countries.

Guyana participates in IPCC and Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Programme

Guyana is being represented at the 48^th Session of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the First Joint Session of the Working Groups I, II and III of the IPCC which started on October 1 and will conclude today in Incheon, Korea.

The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is tasked with assessing global climate change and the panel discussions were designed to facilitate the sharing of ideas and information on climate change. Guyana is being represented at the two events by Dr. Paulette Bynoe, the country’s lead negotiator on climate change.

Additionally, Guyana participated in the Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program (GEFASL Phase II) design workshop from September 24 to 29, 2018 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The forum was designed to provide countries with the opportunity for technical assistance and exposure to experts in multiple disciplines such as Protected Areas, Sustainable Land Use and the Restoration of Native Vegetation cover in Amazonia.

It also served as a platform for the exchange of lessons learned, best practices and increased possibilities to design and implement regional activities with regard to sustainable landscape programmes.

Guyana was represented by Ms. Diana Fernandes, Multilateral Environmental Agreement Coordinator, Department of Environment; Ms. Odacy Davis, Deputy Commissioner, Protected Areas Commission (PAC); Mr. Jeremy Singh, Project Officer, Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC); and Mr. Elon Mc Curdy, Liaison Officer, Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC).