WWF President Pavan Sukhdev pays courtesy call on President of Guyana

Georgetown, Guyana – (January 10, 2018) President David Granger, was today, paid a courtesy call by Mr. Pavan Sukhdev, a leading global environmental economist who is also President of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and a Member of the Board of Conservation International (CI). Minister of Public Affairs, Ms. Dawn Hastings-Williams, Executive Director and Vice-President CI Guyana, Dr. David Singh, Senior Technical Director CI Guyana, Mr. Curtis Bernard, Country Manager WWF Guyana, Ms. Aisha Williams, Country Representative of WWF Suriname, Mr. Laurens Gomes, Regional Coordinator of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Ms. Adriana Zacarias, Head of the Department of Ms. Ndibi Schwiers and Mr. Eustance Alexander from the Department of Environment, were also present at the meeting which was held at State House.
 
Dr. Singh from CI Guyana explained that that UNEP is currently assisting Guyana in detailing its Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) and that Mr. Sukhdev’s visit is part of that effort. During the discussions, the President and the visiting delegation discussed a number of issues including the creation of ‘green’ jobs, sustainable farming, transitioning into a ‘green’ economy and the country’s oil and gas prospects.
President Granger explained that Guyana is building on a record that was established since 1989 when the then Government committed Iwokrama to the international community for the purpose of research into sustainable management and development of tropical rainforests. He also noted that as the country proceeds along a ‘green’ development trajectory, it looks at like-minded states and international agencies for continued support and collaboration.