Protect your environment; you will be protecting your employment

Apr 14, 2017 News

– President Granger tells Muritaro residents

By Enid Joaquin

“Believe me boys and girls, your employment will come from right here, so I’m calling

The President with children of Muritaro and Malali after he had presented them with their kites.

on you (residents) to protect your environment, because in so doing you will be protecting your employment!” President David Granger exhorted Muritaro residents yesterday, during a brief address before presenting scores of children with kites in the community’s school compound.
The children were drawn from the upper Demerara villages of Muritaro and Malali.
Before presenting the kites to the excited children, some of whom had taken time out from their National Grade Six Assessment, the President also spoke of the genesis of kites which he said were invented and first flown by the Chinese, who brought the culture here.
The children were also presented with pens and exercise books featuring some of the largest animals in the world, that are unique to Guyana.
Alluding to the animals, the President told residents to protect ‘the places’ where they live, as some of them cannot be found anywhere else in the Caribbean.
He noted, “You know Amerindians have a saying if you cut down the trees the skies will fall down? “So we have adopted a programme of protecting the environment.

President David Granger flanked from left by Toshao of Malali Wilbert Hall, Vice Toshao and Toshao of Muritaro, Eldo Fleming and Lauretta Fiedtkou, and Region Ten Councillor Sandra Adams.

On the first Saturday of October every year we have what we call National Tree Day, and we plant trees all over the country.”
The President acknowledged that “people have to cut logs to build houses and make a living, but that this has to be done in a sustainable manner, because we have to ensure that we protect the environment, because if we cut down the jungle the animals would die”.
“So today I bring you a message not only on Easter or education, but of the environment, which you have to protect for future generations. And the environment could give you a good living, because in many of our towns, villages and communities young people come out of school and they can’t get a job.”
He reminded residents of the many items that could be produced in their community through cottage industries, using agricultural produce. Some of the items touted included passion fruit juice, orange juice and other beverages.
Underscoring what was alluded to by the Minister of Agriculture, who said that if every household in Bartica planted one Breadfruit tree, the community could produce a million pounds of breadfruit per year, the President told the residents that should they take up such a challenge, and he would be proud to a lead “a Muritaro breadfruit delegation to St Vincent” a Caribbean country whose residents have a penchant for the commodity.

CHEAP ENERGY
The President told residents that cheap energy could be generated by using natural elements such as the wind and the sun, using solar panels to generate electricity.
Such sustainable energy, he pointed out, could run machines and assist students to study.
He also acknowledged that there are challenges facing the community and made a commitment to have those addressed.
During his brief address President Granger also spoke about the “B’s” programme which he introduced on the occasion of his first birthday celebrated as President of Guyana, and which has seen several school children across the country benefitting from buses, boats and bicycles – easing the financial burden on their parents, who sometimes had to spend thousands of dollars per week to get them to school.
Regional chairman Renis Morian applauded the President on his visit to the community and his gesture in providing kites to the children. Similar sentiments were echoed by Councillor Sandra Adams, who chaired the proceedings.
Both children and their parents expressed gratitude and appreciation to the president for his kind gesture, and many took the opportunity to take photographs with the Head of State.
Toshao Lauretta Fiedtkou, who welcomed the President to the community, in her brief remarks thanked him for the initiative.
It was the President’s first visit to Muritaro, a riverain community which lies twenty five miles upriver from Linden.

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