An open letter to Mr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director, UNEP

Apr 27, 2010 Letters

Dear Mr. Steiner
First of all allow me to congratulate you and the UNEP for the successful B4E meeting recently held in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
The B4E did exactly what one would expect, that is, to get the renewed commitment of businesses leaders from around the world to work with state leaders, NGOs, and multilateral institutions, on advancing green growth.
At that meeting you also recognised six prominent leaders who have excelled in the promotion of environmentally sustainable growth, and more broadly, in combating the deleterious effects of climate change.
His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, President of the Republic of Guyana, was one of those leaders who received the prestigious Champions of the Earth Award (2010).
I am confident that the President was not only selected for his well known commitment to Green Growth, but also for his bold, innovative, and workable plan for global carbon abatement based on Avoided Deforestation.
Mr. Steiner you may recall that in his opening remarks of the B4E, the Secretary-General of the UN, Mr. Ban ki-moon recognised President Jagdeo for his outstanding contribution at the Copenhagen conference on Climate Change.
Despite President Jagdeo’s enormous contribution at combating global climate change and his pioneering efforts in steering Guyana towards a Green Economy, there are many in this country that knowingly misrepresent the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). I am writing to inform you that some of these individuals simply want to deflate the importance of our LCDS for political purposes.
On April 26, 2010, an open letter to you was published in a local newspaper (Kaieteur News). The letter raised several issues regarding accountability and transparency in the management of LCDS funds to this country.
It was signed by one Mr. Emile Mervin, a full time critic of the LCDS and of the PPP government.
Mr. Mervin is woefully misinformed about even the most elementary aspects of the LCDS and about the agreement struck between the Governments of Guyana and Norway. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and accompanying Joint Concept Note – JCN – have specific and clearly spelled out guidelines regarding the ways LCDS based funds would be disbursed.
Three specific instruments in the MoU/JCN should be emphasised.
Firstly, the documents clearly make provision for a Guyana REDD Investment Fund (GRIF) through which, funds from Norway will be channeled. This mechanism will ensure for transparent oversight.
Secondly, a reputable international financial organisation will manage the LCDS payments.
Thirdly, the MoU/JCN documents have specific instruments to ensure Guyana’s compliance with our forest commitments. Thus, Guyana is developing a Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) mechanism, something that is critical to the effective management of the LCDS, and specifically, to the MoU/JCN.
Mr. Steiner, I would be remiss if I did not inform you that some media outlets in Guyana are dedicated to damaging the prestige of the LCDS, the current PPP administration, and President Jagdeo himself. To give you an example, Mr. Mervin dismisses Guyana’s LCDS as something that is ‘artfully contrived’.
What that letter writer did not mention to you is that he is living in New York and, therefore, could not participate in the national consultation process here. Incidentally, meetings were held the length and breadth of Guyana on the LCDS. Participants from more than 222 villages attended. They came from every region of this country.
I write to assure you that the vast majority of Guyanese are solidly behind President Jagdeo and his administration on the LCDS. Of that, I have no doubt.
Sir, I very much appreciate this opportunity to communicate with you. This earth is ours to save.
Sincerely
Dr. Randy Persaud

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