In recent days, there was a lot of talk about climate change as floodwaters from unprecedented high tides inundated several communities in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. People are now recognizing the precarious situation Guyana faces as it relates to climate change, and sea level rise. It is a critical matter. Be
In 2007, the PNCR took a motion to parliament calling on the PPP government to take action with respect to climate change. The motion called for the establishment of a Climate Change Commission. The PNCR argued that sea level rise, coupled with increase in destructive storms, would threaten the existence of small island states, and low lying coastal communities. The PNCR highlighted the fact that 90% of Guyana’s population, and a vast majority of the economic activities are on the coastal plain, which is below sea level.
At the time, there were concerns within the PNCR about the potential impact climate change could have on the lives of Guyanese. It was felt that medium and long term strategic planning was necessary to ensure Guyana and Guyanese transition appropriately in response to climate change. Issues that could have been considered include, possible population shifts – maybe even shifting the capital, construction of high capacity evacuation route to quickly move the population away from the coast in the event of threats from the sea, and new engineering codes for domestic building, commercial building, and public infrastructure.
It was against this background the PNCR went to parliament and asked the PPP Government to establish a Climate Change Commission. The PPP rejected the request. Instead, the PPP advanced the most perplexing and absurd argument that, “the large countries are to be blamed and they must provide financing for small countries to prepare for climate change.” The Climate Change Commission was never established. Instead the PPP established an ad hoc committee within the Ministry of Agriculture. No money was allocated to the committee, and little was done to advance the work that was needed. Several years were lost as the PPP doodled between 2007 and 2015. Now we are playing catch-up.
Last weekend the chicken came home to roost. The impact and threats of climate change were there for all to see. The Parika Stelling was covered with water. Water was flowing over the sea walls like a weir. The sea wall at Kitty suffered structural damage.
In the coming years we will have to take climate change more seriously. More resources will have to be allocated in developing our medium and long term responses. We owe it to the future generations. However, one thing is certain, the PPP, by it’s nonchalant attitude towards this issue, has disqualified itself from being given responsibility for developing our response.