A debate in Parliament is necessary
Kaieteur News
August 9, 2004
A report in last week's Kaieteur News stated that through the efforts of Iwokrama, a leasing arrangement is to be entered into between the Government of Guyana and a zoo in the United States of America. Under this arrangement, animals already in captivity will be leased to the zoo for scientific and research purposes.
We were further told that under the agreement, a number of handmade Guyanese craft projects would gain access to a larger market overseas.
All of this sound very good, except that if you ask the average Guyanese what benefits Guyana has derived from Iwokrama, very few would be able to provide an answer. In fact, very few Guyanese may be able to say exactly what Iwokrama is all about.
The agreement with the zoo raises some concerns that, it is pleasing to note, are being addressed. Of concern, though, is the question as to whether Iwokrama is involved in holding species in captivity? And just how many species are now being held in captivity? By whom and where are these species being held? Is this part of the original plan for Iwokrama?
The recent development demands that Guyanese be provided with far more detailed information as to what exactly is going on with the Iwokrama Rainforest Project. We do not want to hear that one million hectares have been set aside for research and development into the sustainable management of eco-systems. This is much too vague. We want to know what has been done so far and how are Guyanese involved in the ownership of the project.
This column has expressed reservations before over the decision of Desmond Hoyte to donate one million acres of our rainforest to be preserved for posterity. This column is once again calling for us to know exactly what the international experts operating under Iwokrama's umbrella have been doing in this country over the past decade.
The land under which the Iwokrama concession falls, is Guyanese territory and we need now to ask how much are we benefiting from the research that is going on. Who knows what can be happening under our noses? Who knows what miracle cures lie in our jungles, what medicinal products can be extracted from our abundant and diverse plant species?
This is why it was a mistake for Hoyte to have done what he did, and it was even a bigger mistake for the Guyana Government not to have demanded greater ownership of the entire Iwokrama project.
The agreement with the Jacksonville Zoo needs further clarification. Where exactly will the birds and animals to be leased to that zoo come from? We are told that the animals are already in captivity. Where? And how are we to be sure that the habitat of some of the species to be exported is indeed threatened?
While the local zoo has improved in recent times, it remains an embarrassment. The entire zoo housed in the Botanical Gardens needs to be taken out of service and a larger more modern facility built.
The limitless flora and fauna that abound in Guyana should be part of our heritage. We should be able to show to the world the rich abundance of plant and animal species. Our first priority should be to our zoo, not to some zoo in Jacksonville and for a miserly sum of US$35,000.
But far more important is for us to debate what benefits have flowed to this country ten years after Hoyte's donation of one million acres to the international community. How exactly has our country benefited?
The work of Iwokrama can derive considerable benefits for Guyanese, but an important precondition must be greater Guyanese ownership of the entire enterprise. More importantly, Guyanese need to be brought abreast of the developments so that we can make a more meaningful contribution to the future direction of the project.
The Iwokrama web site notes a number of areas where research has been undertaken or is continuing. One particular area caught my attention and that relates to archeological surveys done in the concession area. The website reports that one such survey had located two sites which indicate "that prehistoric Amerindians inhabited the interior forest areas, and engaged in activities that have been hitherto traditionally associated with the major waterways.
"Of further significance is the identification of an area, characterised by rock outcrops and boulder shelters, which could have served as a location for short term habitation and burial ceremonies."
This is just an example of where information needs to be more widely disseminated about the activities of Iwokrama, because here is the discovery of important sacred grounds of Amerindians. We are also told by the same website about crab-wood oil which is used for dandruff, rashes, and as an insect repellent. Who will benefit from the research into the medicinal qualities of this oil?
These are just some of the developments that Guyanese need to know more about. It is now, therefore, opportune for a debate in our Parliament about the future of Iwokrama.