Balancing the imperative of economic development against the responsibilities of environmental mindfulness will, in the period ahead, be one of the biggest challenges that Guyana will have to confront. We are, as it happens, a natural resource-rich country and the economic gains to be had from the exploitation from gold, oil and other minerals will have to be balanced against the challenges associated with accessing those resources in an environmentally responsible manner.
In his public pronouncements on the environment up until now President Granger has been working behind the barrier of a “green economy,” resisting the temptation to unnecessarily ‘talk up’ our new-found oil deposits. This notwithstanding the fact that the President must surely be aware of the prospects that oil potentially holds for the future of the country and the challenges an oil economy can pose for a sustained commitment to environmentally responsible behaviour.