World Bank team assessing Guyana’s environment plan

A five-member World Bank team went to Guyana to conduct a study on the country\'s readiness to participate in the Bank\'s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), according to a report on www.cananews.net.



A Government Information News Agency (GINA) statement said that the team, headed by Dr. Laurent Debroux, Senior Natural Resource Economist, met with Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud, and several other stakeholders at the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).



GINA said that the study is a follow-up on the June FCPF Participants Committee meeting where Guyana, Panama and Indonesia, were the first countries, out of 37 to have their Readiness Proposal Plan approved.



\"The general objective of the mission is to advice and exchange views with the GFC and other government institutions on compliance with the bank\'s safeguards and operational policies,\" the statement said.



It added that the mission\'s objective is also to dialogue with representatives of civil society, Amerindian communities, and other stakeholders regarding Guyana\'s participation in the FCPF/REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) preparation phase.



GINA said that the mission would also visit the Amerindian communities and hold discussions on a wide range of issues including land tenure, communities\' rights, and legal issues.



It said that should Guyana successfully conclude the Bank\'s safeguards and other due diligence exercises, it would be able to access a US$3.5 million grant for implementing the RPP, which focuses on how to maintain the country\'s ecosystems through sustainable forest management while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.