President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is challenging the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development to deepen its scientific footprint, open its data to the world, and expand eco-tourism, directives delivered as Guyana marked three decades since the passage of the Iwokrama Act.
Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat conveyed the president’s message at a ceremony held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel Georgetown on Monday, where government officials, board members, community leaders and members of the diplomatic corps gathered to commemorate the milestone.
On behalf of the president, Minister Bharrat issued three specific challenges to the Iwokrama board and management.
First, the president called for the establishment of a National Biodiversity Research Programme anchored at Iwokrama, designed to consolidate long-term ecological research, species mapping, and climate resilience studies under a single national platform, positioning Iwokrama as the country’s premier hub for biodiversity science.
Second, President Ali urged the creation of an Iwokrama Biodiversity Data Platform that would make high-quality environmental data openly accessible to researchers, policymakers, and students.
“Knowledge must not only be generated, it must be shared,” the minister stressed.
The third challenge was the development of a low-impact eco-tourism expansion strategy, one that creates meaningful employment while preserving the ecological integrity that has defined Iwokrama for thirty years.
Minister Bharrat noted that President Ali, now in his second term, is impatient for results and expects these initiatives to move forward with government support.
The anniversary marks thirty years since Guyana set aside 371,000 hectares, nearly one million acres, of rainforest for conservation, a decision made in 1989 when the country’s economy was under significant strain. The Iwokrama Act was subsequently passed in parliament in 1996.
Iwokrama is currently Forest Stewardship Council certified and holds one of the lowest deforestation rates among protected areas globally.
“Iwokrama is a practical example of how we can keep the world alive. Iwokrama is a practical example of conservation, of what is needed, especially by forested countries,” Minister Bharrat said.
Also attending the anniversary were the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh; Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn and other important stakeholders.