Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 01, 2014 News
The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (G.M.S.A) recently hosted an ‘Environmental Awareness Workshop’ with the involvement of the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A), to extend awareness about the nation’s environmental regulations, to the business community and public at large.
On Wednesday, at the Regency Suites Conference Hall, GMSA’s ‘Awareness Workshop’ was intended to remind the business community about environmental regulations by reiterating education on the management of their respective environments, the procedures for acquiring permits and penalties for non-compliance.
The recent half-day workshop was the first in a series of Environmental Awareness outreaches, being spearheaded by the GMSA’s Chairman of the Services Sub-Sector, Malisa Nokta, in collaboration with Environmental Management Consultants.
The participants who attended the half-day seminar were drawn from the productive, commercial and financial sectors.
GMSA President, Clinton Williams, explained that the nation’s commitment to sustainable forest management under international fiat must be skilfully managed by the government, due to the increased economic need and environmental challenges presented by the industrial sectors operating in vulnerable regions. He made special reference to the mining sector.
“Even though Guyana is still heavily forested, this country could easily increase our carbon footprint out of economic need,” Williams said. He continued by saying that ‘the Gold and Diamond sector have become the largest foreign exchange earner in recent years and now the government is compelled to skilfully manage the growth of this industry without adverse impact on the national objective of sustainable forest management.’
Williams remarked that “gold and diamond mining and the extraction of other mineral resources co-exist within the same forested areas which we have to protect under international fiat,”
Williams highlighted the role of the GMSA to ensure the manufacturing sector responds favourably to the regulations set out by local and international regulators for ‘acceptable environmental management practices in the production and distribution of goods and services.’
He said that these conditions have been demanded by international lending agencies. He informed the participants that any entrepreneur seeking capital investment is required to append the ‘Environmental Impact Assessment and Management Plans’ to their requests.
Williams pointed out that this precondition is enforced throughout the cycle of funded projects particularly in mining and forest-related industries.
Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Indarjit Ramdass, said, “Being ‘green’ pays through cost reduction and increased market share.”
The EPA is well aware that local businesses over the years have been neglecting the environment’s sustainability by operating with strategies driven by cost effectiveness and profit.
Ramdass said, “With the onset of environmental issues being encountered by business concerns worldwide, there is now a need for them all to implement strategies to address these problems.”
He explained that all companies must therefore, become compliant with national regulations, and move their business operations in the direction of ‘greener’ production.
The participants had the opportunity to interact with the EPA Director of Environment’s Permitting Division, Geeta Singh, and with the Senior Environmental Officer, Tashana Redmond.
These environmental specialists explained that compliance with environmental standards includes avoidance of all types of pollution and hazards, along with the obligation to obtain authorization permits for specified activities.
The participants added that the costs for authorizations and permissions have long term benefits for the businesses, their employees and host communities.
Some sectors, they said, cause more concern than others, such as sawmills, auto-body workshops and mining sites, which create noise emissions and pollution by the release of toxic waste into waterways, adversely affecting the health and life of people living in proximity.
They said that the EPA is also responding to counterfeit products in the market, by creating new compliance regulations and new quality standard procedures for equipment and consumables. The agency is working in collaboration with stakeholders such as the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).
The production sectors that require compulsory environmental authorization include agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, agro-processing, sawmills and other wood processing, water supply, minor and major construction of buildings, roads and other infrastructure, commercial trade, hospitality, healthcare and funeral operations.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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