SECOND SPEAKER SPEECH (TO BE EDITED)

Respect judges, honourable opponents, and thrill viewers. Permit me to base my case on the
procedures that the proposition established beforehand. In my capacity as the second speaker,
I have no qualms about concurring that Guyana needs to enact more stringent regulations to
safeguard its biodiversity.Guyana is party to a number of international conventions and
agreements, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD), that are designed to conserve biodiversity. Guyana's ability to
meet its duties under these accords can be demonstrated by the implementation of stronger
legislation, which will improve its standing as an environmentally conscious nation on the
international scene.

Prestigious judges, what is a fish without a river? What is a bird without a tree to nest
in? What is a protected areas act without any implementation mechanism to ensure our
biodiversity is protected? IT IS NOTHING.

According to Guyana's fifth national report to the convention on biological diversity,

the country's first national biodiversity action plan came into play in 1999-2004. After failing
to meet its goals, a second action plan was implemented for 2007-2011, but by then, they had
taken one step forward and two steps back. One of the main causes of this was the significant
changes that had been made to legislation and policy, but there was still no official statement
outlining Guyana's position on biodiversity at the time. The Protect Area Act was then passed
by the government in 2011. Following the implementation of a third national biodiversity
action plan for 2012-2020, however, this plan was later put back to 2030. We are failing to
meet most of the targets and unless we act now, we will simply miss them and failing them is
not just a pity, it’s a threat to our sustainability, our food security and our economic well-
being, so let’s be under no illusions that we haven’t been missing the biodiversity targets.

As per the article caption on Kaieteur News, "Ending littering in Guyana: A hopeless
delusion or a promising reality?" The new regulations regarding littering stipulate that anyone
who, without a valid reason, leaves litter in or in any public place—aside from a container
intended for that purpose—commits an offence. A summary conviction for this offence
carries a fine of $50,000.00 for individuals and $100,000.00 for businesses. As you can see
from a legislative standpoint, Guyana has set out strict penalties for those guilty of littering.
So, why is there a ubiquitous problem with litter? Clearly, the above regulations are not being
enforced. Persons feel that there are no legal consequences to their actions. The largest hazard
to ecosystems and biodiversity, according to Yeşim Oruç RCO Resident Coordinator, is
human garbage, including liquid, solid, and airborne trash.

The biodiversity of Guyana is significant commercially as well as ecologically. The

nation's natural resources sustain vital sectors like medicines, agriculture, and ecotourism. As
stated by Guyana's fifth national report to the convention on biological diversity. Guyana's
transition from a least developed and heavily indebted nation in 1990 to a low- medium
income country, while also making a substantial contribution to the national economy, was
mostly due to agriculture. A little over 40% of all exports are produced by agriculture. US
$243 million (14%) of total exports in 2013 came from rice, US $132.2 million (9.5%) from
sugar, US $63.9 million (4.6%) from shrimp and fish, US $39 million (2.8% of total exports)
from lumber, and US $4.7 million (0.3% of total exports) from other crops (fruits &
vegetables).
I’m very concerned for the future of the earth and its amazing creatures, we’ve got to be
careful and make sure we don’t foul our own nest. The question is, are we happy to suppose
that our future generation may never get to enjoy the earth due to our lackadaisical protection
for biodiversity?