Recently, Hon. Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr. Robert Persaud, invited all stakeholders nationally, to contribute to and be updated on the Ministry’s plans and policy implementation for Guyana’s newest ministry.

Agencies listed to fall under the purview of this Ministry are as follows; Guyana Forestry Commission, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Guyana Gold Board, Guyana Lands and Surveys Commisssion, Wildlife Management  Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, National Parks Commission and  the Guyana Protected Areas System .

It is important to emphasise that the allocation, distribution and control of these critical resources must be administrated by best practices and with the best interest of the Guyanese people at heart.

It is no secret that the operations in the forestry sector have been a source of contention with regards to effective forest policing and management, best practices for harvesting, illegal logging, pollution, access to available land, demarcation of boundaries etc. To highlight the importance of transparency it is an important tenet in the Guyana/Norway MoU.

The Guyanese public generally remains lost and at sea regarding the whereabouts of our primary bargaining chip for a better life, our natural resources. It is insulting to a country when its citizens must be the last to know what has transpired regarding something to which they have a God-given right – even worse when it is disclosed or made public by the foreign press.

Our resources must not be used to roll out as a gift for favours, neither to enrich politicians. Neither must the allocation of privileges be used to secure votes and whip up party support.

It would be helpful to the development of this nation for there to be transparency, and periodic reviews and assessments for better outcomes for the Guyanese people.

What is in the making for Guyanese…especially our young people, thousands of whom are without jobs? Do we see them as the primary beneficiaries and heir to resources that belong to this dear country?

The problems we are experiencing at the University of Guyana tell the whole story of our value for youth and for this I need not elaborate. What has happened to the idea of value-added production? What about the wages and conditions under which our people work to make a living in these sectors?

Not so long ago a young man met his end in what appeared to be an accident while operating a machine, and it was simply atrocious to find out what his salary was. Yet this company is a central player in forestry operations here. It is high time we pay close attention to how our human resource is being taken care of by those having the bigger piece of the pie.

The AFC is a strong supporter of development and the idea of transforming our economy and developing the lives of all, our people. However this cause is not helped by secret deals, nepotism and corruption. We simultaneously offer our support alongside rigid scrutiny of the management of the affairs of this nation.

This was clearly demonstrated in the last sitting of parliament when the Opposition parties refused to be bullied regarding the approval of funds spent.