“We cannot secure a future if our children are not inspired” – PM Phillips on new environmental storybook launch

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, has strongly championed the cause of securing Guyana’s future, emphasizing that it depends entirely on whether the nation’s children are inspired.
He at the time made this announcement during a speech at the launch of ‘Ollie the Otter’s River Adventures’, a new children’s storybook aimed at promoting environmental awareness and biodiversity conservation among Guyanese youths.
‘Ollie the Otter’s River Adventures’ was developed by Environmental Management Consultants Inc. (EMC).
According to the Prime Minister, there is a critical importance in engaging citizens in conservation efforts.
“This storybook is a vital part of that mission. It brings biodiversity into the classroom, the home, the hearts and minds of our young people; because no strategy can succeed if our citizens are not informed. We cannot secure a future if our children are not inspired.”
He also emphasized the transformative power of storytelling in environmental education, describing it as “one of the most powerful tools in education.”
“Incorporating storytelling into sustainability education makes environmental protection personal and reinforces a sense of urgency and importance in even the youngest of minds,” he added.
Also in attendance at the launch were Founder and Director of the EMC Foundation, Mr Shyam Nokta; Toshao of the St Cuthbert’s Mission/Pakuri Village, Alvoro Simon; government officials, and members of the diplomatic community.
Also in May 2025, the EMC Foundation launched a bilingual audio series and audiobook version of “Arya Takes a Swim,” narrated in both English and Arawak.
The initiative aims to promote environmental education and cultural preservation among Guyana’s youth, particularly in Indigenous communities.
The project was supported by the UK’s Sustainable Blue Economy Programme and is being distributed to schools and communities across the country, with plans for inclusion in the Ministry of Education’s curriculum.