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World Oceans Day: As a maritime nation, Guyana’s future is inseparable from the health of our oceans
Dear Editor,
The ocean regulates our climate, supports fisheries and livelihoods, facilitates trade, underpins our energy sector, and plays a critical role in our national security and economic development.
Today, as we observe World Oceans Day, we must also confront an important reality. Guyana is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. We are now an oil-producing state, managing vast marine resources and an expansive maritime space, while facing increasing threats from sea level rise, coastal flooding, marine pollution, and climate change.
Yet despite the growing importance of the ocean to our national future, there remains a need for a more integrated and clearly articulated national vision for the management of our marine space.
Over the years, important work has been undertaken through Guyana’s Maritime Economy Plan, Integrated Coastal Zone Management initiatives, sea defence programmes, and other sectoral efforts. However, these initiatives must not remain isolated exercises or policy documents sitting on shelves. They must be translated into a coherent and actionable framework that guides national decision-making.
I therefore call on the Government to initiate a review of progress made under the Maritime Economy Plan and to advance the development of a comprehensive National Ocean and Coastal Resilience Strategy for Guyana.
Such a strategy should bring together coastal protection, disaster preparedness, marine environmental management, fisheries, maritime security, offshore energy development, climate adaptation, scientific research, and sustainable economic growth within a single long-term national framework.
The stakes could not be higher.
More than ninety percent of our population lives along the coast. Our economy depends heavily on the sea. Our future prosperity will increasingly depend on how wisely we manage our marine resources and how effectively we prepare for the risks that accompany them.
World Oceans Day should therefore be more than a celebration. It should be a reminder that stewardship requires planning, leadership, and action. The future of Guyana is not only on land. It is also at sea.
Sincerely,
Forward Guyana Movement
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