Dear Editor,
The Environmental Pro-tection Agency (EPA) would like to thank you for the opportunity to respond to the letter which was published in the Stabroek News by residents from Grove (‘Insanitary conditions outside lumberyard in Grove,’ August 6). The letter is seeking the EPA’s intervention on the matter which needs to be addressed in the context of the Environmental Protection Act No. 11 of 1996 under which the EPA is mandated to operate.
The functions of the EPA include, taking such steps as are necessary for the effective management of the natural environment so as to ensure conservation, protection and sustainable use of its natural resources and promoting the participation of members of the public in the process of integrating environmental concerns in planning and development on a sustainable basis.
As it relates to the issue of parking of horse-carts on the roadways and their reserves, this is an issue for the Guyana Police Force and the other relevant authorities, eg, Ministry of Public Works and Communications. Further, the unhealthy surroundings caused by such parking is the responsibility of Environ-mental Health Officers and the Neighhourhood Demo-cratic Council (NDC).
In this regard the EPA received complaints from the letter writer and the matter will be referred to the relevant authorities for their intervention.
Yours faithfully,
Indarjit Ramdass
Executive Director
Environmental
Protection
Agency