Following the recent retirement of James Singh from the office of Commissioner of Forests, Deputy Commissioner Gavin Agard has been identified to fill the post until a substantive replacement is selected.
In a press release issued on Friday, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced that the Board of Directors of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has advised the Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman that Agard, will act in the position of Commissioner of Forests pending the identification and appointment of a new Commissioner.
It said Agard, who has served at the GFC since 2005 and was promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Forests in 2017, brings both practical experience and technical expertise to the leadership of the GFC as the agency advances its mandate.
In welcoming Agard, the ministry said he enjoys the full support of the Government of Guyana, the Minister of Natural Resources and the Board of Directors of the GFC in the execution of his duties. Of critical importance as a matter of priority for the new Commissioner, it said, is the financial stability of the Commission, which has been threatened in recent times.
As was previously announced, Singh retired as of the 31st of December, 2019 and the ministry said Trotman lauded him for his valuable contribution to the forestry sector and his commitment to the sustainable management of one of Guyana’s most valuable resources.
Minister Trotman also noted the monumental contribution that his family had made to Guyana’s development.
Singh, according to the release, began his career at the GFC in 1998, when he joined the Commission and began serving as Deputy Commissioner of Forests (Forest Monitoring Division). In 1999, he was appointed Commissioner of Forest of GFC, and he served under successive administrations. “His wealth of knowledge and experience about the sector has helped to advance the work of the Commission and the management of Guyana’s forests, leading to its international recognition as one of the most sustainable forests in the world,” it said.
The release said the ministry looks forward to continuing to support the GFC and to advancing the goals of sector to ensure that Guyana continues to be known for excellence in management of its forests.
