Dear Editor
Guyana must indeed be proud of Iwokrama that is leading the way in environmental sustainability and helping to keep the earth breathing safely. However, outside of the Iwokrama reserve very little is being done with respect to conservation and regeneration. So I have this dream that sees the Ministry of Agriculture leading the way in a campaign to plant trees across Guyana, including our native fruit trees, many of which are becoming scarcer and scarcer, some of which may probably already be close to total disappearance. Perhaps the ministry would set up a fruit tree nursery to provide seedlings across Guyana, supplemented by a campaign urging Guyanese to use available land space to plant local fruit trees. As well maybe the Botanic Garden can set up a similar nursery for flowering trees and plants, which could also be another means of generating income for the Garden.
And while we’re talking about regeneration, perhaps the ministry may also want to consider nurseries to regenerate local freshwater fish and crustaceans, many of which are also disappearing. Besides the fact that this will again make readily available freshwater fish, crabs, shrimp it must be noted that these creatures also play important roles in the eco-system, especially fish which store a large proportion of ecosystem nutrients in their tissues, transport nutrients farther than other aquatic animals and excrete nutrients in dissolved forms that are readily available to primary producers. And this process of conservation and regeneration can be fostered by laws that restrict catch to above certain sizes, while mandating that smaller sizes and catch with eggs be returned to the water. This kind of fishing behavior will not easily catch on but a start has to be made and mechanisms in place to enforce the laws. In fact similar laws ought to apply to catch from the oceans as well.
Finally, the replenished landscape and waterways can be an incentive to foster an ongoing anti-pollution campaign that sees Guyanese across the land ensure that trash are properly managed/disposed per guidelines set out by government with necessary supports in place. In this respect First Lady Arya Ali has already shown the way but her efforts need to be replicated nationally perhaps through a regeneration of both the spirit of self-help and of residents taking ownership for the landscape and waterways. Many of my generation would recall that, to a certain extent, this was the culture in our growing up days and if brought back and intensified can also enhance Guyana’s tourism product. And who knows…perhaps this coming together at the level of communities may contribute to the lessening of ethnic tensions and hostilities? It could also lead to community/private sector/government collaboration in setting up community parks and aesthetic areas for relaxation and recreation. Such parks/areas can also be named after local heroes and achievers as part of a process to preserve local history and folklore.
More importantly this entire process, bereft of politicking can be continuous regardless of which party is in power since it becomes a people centric endeavor with national, long-term benefits.
Sincerely
Annan Boodram
