ABSTRACT
Guyana as a case study has much to offer to illuminate some of the central challenges facing the World in the area of environment and development. Guyana provides a very interesting case study for a whole number of reasons, not only in relation to critical natural resource management issues, although these will remain our central focus. Guyana is physically located in the north-east comer of the South American continent yet in the cultural perception of the majority of its peoples it is a part of the Caribbean island community. Guyana faces a formidable development challenge possessing the second lowest GNP per capita in the Western hemisphere after Haiti, $310 in 1989. Utilising the natural resource base of the country wisely is the foundation for development. How best to use it wisely is the essential challenge, as this will permit the development to be sustainable and long term.
