Consultations held in Lethem to track Guyana’s progress in implementation of SDGs

The Guyana Government is continuing its Voluntary National Review (VNR) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and recently held a consultation with residents of Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

The VNR is the process of tracking a country’s progress in effecting its Sustainable Development Agenda and identifying challenges that hinder the implementation. The VNR allows for the input of all stakeholders, including persons in riverine and hinterland communities.
This is Guyana’s second VNR and engagements commenced earlier this month in Georgetown. The VNR process is being conducted by the Ministry of Finance in conjunction with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Saturday’s Hinterland Stakeholder Consultation was held in St Ignatius Village, Lethem, where 24 village leaders and approximately 150 residents were able to meet and review Guyana’s progress in effecting its Sustainable Development Agenda. It saw presentations made by various sectors.
The engagement also allowed for discussion on the current position in terms of objectives and perspectives looking ahead while also presenting an opportunity for interaction with the wide cross-section of stakeholder groups in attendance as they examined mainly five of the SDGs: Goal 6 – Potable Water, Water Sanitation and Harvesting Water; Goal 7 – Renewable Energy and Access to Energy; Goal 9 – Infrastructure Industry and Innovation; Goal 11 – Cities and Municipalities, Housing, Disaster Risk Management, and Preparedness, and Goal 17-Means and Implementation of the SDGs.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development outlines a transformative vision for economic, social, and environmental development.
The Government has continuously reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the implementation of the agenda, aimed at achieving the SDGs, despite the challenging global economic context.
Under the leadership of President Dr Irfaan Ali, the current Administration has been, as mandated, preparing its review with a focus placed on five of the SDGs in preparation for the upcoming SDG Summit to be held in September 2023. At that Summit many more countries from around the world currently conducting reviews of their implementation as well, will also be reporting on their progress in keeping with the United Nations resolution.
Addressing those gathered for Saturday’s discussion, Senior Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government led by President Ali, is people-centred and people-driven as he noted that the engagement is not to be seen as an isolated activity but one in which Government prides itself in terms of its consultative approach to governance. Minister Singh also highlighted the key interventions made by the Government in various sectors in pursuit of the achievement of the SDG goals.
Meanwhile, Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai, who also addressed the gathering, said Guyana is the only country in the world where whenever there are new issues on the table the Government brings the people together to sit down, inform and discuss as well as garner their contributions and have them participate in the process.
Additionally, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill told participants that the presence of the Government Ministers was not due to the absence of other engagements at this time but is a clear symbol of the priorities of the Government and how it engages the Indigenous people.
He underscored the Government’s continued quest in ensuring the hinterland region is not deprived of services and development similar to what is available on the coastland.
“We are here because you are a priority …In keeping with that development goal is that even though you live far, the investments and interventions that are being made were actually made far from near. For example, Minister Sukhai flew from Region Eight to Region Nine this morning, but give us a few years and she would be able to drive from Region Eight to Region Nine, because the road from Karasabai, all the way into Monkey Mountain is being pursued with vigour.”
“The road network that is being established, what used to take three days and a whole day …what used to be distanced …now, literally people can go and return the same day …Now that is the report that we can give at the international level… A Government that cares about its Indigenous people, and is following the mandate of the Sustainable Development Goal, is a Government that is opening up access to Indigenous communities,” the Minister stated.
Edghill reiterated that the Government has ensured that the road network has made the availability of much-needed services practically available at the shortest possible time: these include vital learning materials and healthcare.
“Not only are we having the road network, but the Government through its interventions and support system has also provided vehicles such as tractors and ATVs, equipping the officials for the delivery of goods and services to be done in a more efficient way,” he posited.
During the engagement, persons in attendance were able to seek answers while the forum also sought to provide an opportunity for active discussion on longstanding challenges and the country’s vulnerability in terms of fighting climate change as well as external shocks.
The Ministers were also joined by other senior Government officials including agency heads from various sectors including housing.
Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves, in his presentation, spoke of the achievements made to date as it relates to SDG 11. These, he said, include the drafting of a National Housing Strategy, which was developed and finalised in 2022, and the drafting of the Guyana Strategy for Informal Settlements Upgrading and Prevention, which was also finalised in 2022.
He added that Guyana has also recorded substantial accomplishments towards urban planning, through the development of the country’s housing programmes which are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.