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Natural Resources signs new agreements with WWF, National Toshaos Council
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) yesterday signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the National Toshaos Council (NTC) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Minister Trotman and representatives of the National Toshaos Council ink their agreement.
The Ministry said afterwards that it believes that the documents further strengthen the relationship between itself and the parties and will continue to strengthen the management and development of Guyana’s natural resources sector.
Present at the signing event were Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, National Toshaos Council Chairman Toshao Nicholas Fredricks, Director of Environment Ms. Ndibi Schwiers, WWF Guianas Representative Mr. Laurens Gomes and MNR Policy Planning & Coordination Unit Head Mr. Veetal Rajkumar.
The Minister, giving the feature address, made known of the Ministry’s commitment to its motto to ‘Explore, Develop, Sustain’ and said that it is recognized that these values cannot be realized without strong partnerships. He said that it is upon this foundation, that the MOUs with the WWF and the NTC will rest, since these agencies are recognized as partners who care about the sustainable management and development of the sector.
The Minister also noted the productive engagements that the Ministry has had with both the WWF and the NTC in the past.
The WWF has been a consistent partner and has provided financial, administrative, institutional and technical assistance and support to key natural resource agencies. Additionally, it has helped to advance key strategic priorities including the Government’s Green State Development Strategy (GSDS), the National Forest Policy and Statement and the Mineral Sector Policy and Framework among others.
Also, due to the valuable role that Indigenous Peoples play in the preservation and management of Guyana’s natural resources, the Ministry, and by extension the Government of Guyana, remains keenly sensitive on their concerns, and are committed to engaging the NTC and the communities they represent.
The signing of these MOUs to streamline and formalize the Ministry’s relationship between the NTC and the WWF is intended to signal the seriousness of the Ministry’s commitment to engagement and development.
Natural Resources Minister Trotman (right) signing with a WWF official yesterday. Also in photo is Director of Environment, Ms. Ndibi Schwiers
This MOU allows the Ministry to collaborate with the National Toshaos Council to assist the organization to fulfill its mandate as set out in Part IV, Section 41 of the Amerindian Act 2006 as it relates to the areas of good governance and the preparing of strategies and plans for the protection, conservation and sustainable management of Indigenous community lands and natural resources, while the NTC will now enable the MNR to achieve success in its programmes.
The MoU will also allow the MNR to establish and maintain an effective communication channel with the Indigenous communities, through, but not limited to the NTC, and promote the MNR’s programme of work, as it relates to Guyana’s indigenous stakeholders and other interested parties, and to work together on any other issues as may be mutually agreed upon between the parties.
With regards to the one with the WWF, the ministry said that it will now continue the working relationship and extend it to incorporate specific relations between WWF, Ministry of Presidency – Department of Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency, Guyana Forestry Commission, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission, Protected Areas Commission, Office of Climate Change, Department of Fisheries, Non-Governmental Organizations and Community Based Organizations, for the implementation of the WWF Guianas programme of activities in Guyana.
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