ANPU/AFC’s Green State Development Strategy was all sloganeering

Dear Editor,
Just yesterday (Thursday), President Dr Irfaan Ali launched the consultations for the LCDS 2030 Plan, which his Government intends to pursue. The plan will see Guyana benefiting in several critical areas, which need no explanation. However, I wish to point out that Guyana has been focused on its carbon emission for years now. In fact, the PPP/C Government had a vision to create a new global ecosystem economy around 2009. This led to the Government seeking out international partners with similar visions. It is as a result of such that Guyana and Norway partnered to create a model for economic incentives for making forests worth more alive than dead.
Editor, it is important for people to know that, for the period 2009 to 2015, Guyana received approximately US$212 million in payments to be invested in the LCDS. I am not sure how many of your readers can remember that, during this period under the PPP/C Government, benefits reached every single corner of the country. As far as I can recall, jobs were created, villages received titles, businesses were supported, and other initiatives took shape.
However, a lot of the measures outlined in the LCDS were stymied by the APNU+AFC Coalition when they took office in 2015. Take, for instance, the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP). I heard the President talk about this during the launch of the LCDS 2030 consultations, saying that the AFHP was the flagship of the LCDS, and would have seen Guyanese and businesses enjoying affordable, non-polluting electricity by now.
I do agree that if that project had moved along as intended, Guyana would be in a much better place.
Unfortunately, what we saw happen when the APNU/AFC coalition took office in 2015 was that they introduced the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS). However, if one were to examine that strategy in detail, it would be very clear that it was basically all sloganeering. I say this because there was no realistic path towards achieving low carbon emission outlined in the strategy for Guyana. As far as I am concerned, it was all rhetoric accompanied by the painting of buildings in the colour green. For all those who may disagree with me, I ask this question: If the GSDS was truly a solid plan for Guyana, why didn’t Guyana earn a cent from it? The LCDS vision of the PPP/C Government has always been the one that would lead Guyana down the right path.
I applaud the Government for their efforts with this new LCDS 2030 initiative, as I believe that it will benefit Guyana tremendously.

Yours truly,
Erin Northe