Dear Editor,
As I’ve looked through the news regarding the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy, I have noticed that the Essequibo region’s biodiversity has been largely overlooked in the discourse. Although much attention is understandably (used loosely) focused on this controversy’s geopolitical and economic aspects, little attention is given to the region’s invaluable biodiversity, both locally and globally. A cursory look at the headlines about this controversy will tell you what the focus is on. Oil.
As the debate over the mineral resources and oil reserves rages on, it is important that we, the citizens and leadership, not forget that the Essequibo region is a living, breathing environment home to rich and bountiful plants, animals, and people. It is not simply a pawn in a geopolitical game. The lack of consideration of this area’s biodiversity is one of the most significant gaps in the broader dialogue, especially considering the potentially far-reaching effects of neglecting the area’s ecological well-being.
The Essequibo region is home to protected areas, such as the Kaieteur National Park, the Iwokrama Forest, and the Kanuku Mountains Protected Area, which serve as sanctuaries for diverse plant and animal life. Eighty-nine species of bats are recorded among the Kanukus alone, which is the highest diversity of bats in the world. Ignoring the impact of a border controversy on these areas risks irreversible damage to habitats, the loss of invaluable biodiversity, and so much more.
In Guyana, our track record of unsustainable resource extraction and habitat destruction and their associated impacts on biodiversity in this region is already a cause for concern. In the context of the border controversy, this concern is further amplified.
Things appear to be calm right now, but our failure to include biodiversity in these dialogues not only jeopardizes the unique ecosystems within the Essequibo region but also undermines global efforts toward biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation if an annexation occurs.
Sincerely,
Nakasi Fortune
One Winooski Park,
Colchester, Vermont, USA 05439