David Singh resigns as Iwokrama Director General

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56531255

David Singh resigns as Iwokrama Director General
Stabroek News, Friday, October 19th 2007

David Singh

The Director General of the Iwokrama International Centre for
Rainforest Conservation and Development (IICRCD), Dr David Singh has
resigned his position as head of the organization with effect from the
end of this month.

It is expected, however, that Singh would continue to give support to
the IICRCD.

Singh, who has ten years experience working in environmental management
and pollution monitoring in Guyana, joined Iwokrama in 2003 as an
advisor and took over the director generalship the following year after
the former Director General, Dr Graham Watkins resigned.

Singh has a PhD in Chemistry from Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
and a BSc in Applied Chemistry from the University of Guyana. He has
also taught chemistry in the USA and Guyana.

The IICRCD manages one million acres of forests in Iwokrama bordering
Regions Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Essequibo/ Upper
Takutu) to demonstrate how tropical forests can be conserved and
sustainably used to provide ecological, social and economic benefits to
local, national and international communities.

Iwokrama has been at the forefront of research and development into
best practices for sustainable forest management over the past decade
in Guyana and in the international community but its development has
also been stymied by a lack of adequate funding.

At the just-concluded Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting (CFMM) in
Georgetown, Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh told the media that
arising out of discussions held on Iwokrama the ministers acknowledged
the work being done there and called for support to strengthen the
centre's financial position to carry out its programme for the
fulfilment of its objectives and to ensure that it continues to be a
model for sustainable forest management involving local communities.

Chairman of the Iwokrama Board of Directors and Commonwealth Deputy
Secretary General, Ransford Smith told Stabroek News that based on the
discussions on Iwokrama in relation to climate change at the CFMM more
interest would be generated in the project and along with it much
needed financing. (Miranda La Rose)