Guyana to benefit from WWF forest management programme
Guyana Chronicle
October 12, 2002
THE forestry sector of Guyana is to benefit substantially from an international forest management programme sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the European Union and the Netherlands government, which was recently launched in Suriname.
The programme targets the countries which form the Guianas.
Minister of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, Mr. Satyadeow Sawh, who represented Guyana at the launching last weekend, said this country will benefit from policy support programmes and technical assistance in meeting international certification standards.
The scheme is of five years duration and the Shell Beach conservation project in the northwest is among others to receive substantial support, he said.
While in Suriname the minister said he also held fruitful discussions with his Surinamese counterpart, Geetaram Panday on a number of issues of mutual benefit to Guyana and Suriname.
Sawh said the discussions with Panday centred on issues surrounding licences for Guyanese fishermen who fish in the border Corentyne River.
He explained that a number of irritants which affect the fishermen were ventilated, among them the issuing of licences by the Surinamese authorities to fishermen to allow them to fish in the river, increasing the fishing zones and removing the present restriction on the fishermen to sell their catch from the Corentyne River only to the Surinamese markets.
The discussions were held in a business-like atmosphere, yielding positive results, Sawh said, adding that as a result Panday will be visiting Guyana within the next two weeks to concretise agreements arrived at.
Sawh also attended a successful cultural event hosted by the Guyana Embassy in Suriname to mark the 10th anniversary of the People's Progressive Party/Civic in Government.
According to the minister the more than 200 Guyanese who attended the event, were upbeat on the efforts being made by the Government of Guyana to improve living standards and expressed full support to the Government in its resolve to overcome the hurdles of national development.