On June 1, 2026, one of Guyana’s leading private sector firms formalized a landmark partnership dedicated to tropical rainforest protection, marking the largest local private sector donation in the 30-plus year history of the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development.
Beharry Holdings Inc. (BHI), a decades-old homegrown business group with operations spanning Guyana and international markets, signed a three-year, GY$150 million agreement that will allocate GY$50 million annually to advance Iwokrama’s core conservation and sustainable development missions. The partnership was first unveiled to the public during May 2026 celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the Iwokrama Act, and moved to formal signing on the first day of June.
In remarks following the signing ceremony, Iwokrama CEO Dane Gobin emphasized the unprecedented scale of the contribution, noting that it will first strengthen the centre’s critical biodiversity monitoring programs. In subsequent years, BHI and Iwokrama’s leadership will collaborate to identify additional priority areas for investment, including public conservation education, scientific research initiatives, community engagement with Indigenous and local populations, and expanded outreach to raise global awareness of rainforest protection.
Gobin highlighted that the partnership aligns directly with the priorities set by Guyanese President Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali, who has tasked Iwokrama with playing a central leadership role in his Global Biodiversity Alliance initiative. He called on other private sector entities across Guyana to follow BHI’s example in supporting the centre’s globally recognized conservation work.
The announcement comes just weeks after Iwokrama earned international acclaim when it was named one of the world’s top 50 eco-tourism destinations, cementing its reputation as a leading model for balancing conservation, sustainable economic development, and scientific research.
For BHI Chairman Suresh Beharry, the investment is a natural extension of the group’s 90-year history rooted in Guyana’s growth. “For nearly nine decades, the Beharry Group has grown alongside Guyana, and we recognize that our country’s future prosperity must be balanced with the protection of the natural assets that make Guyana unique,” Beharry said. “Iwokrama is a globally respected model of conservation, sustainable development, and scientific research, and we are proud to support its important work through this multi-year partnership.”
Iwokrama’s leadership also reiterated ongoing gratitude to the Government of Guyana for its sustained institutional support, and extended special recognition to the centre’s on-the-ground staff and local community partner, the North Rupununi District Development Board, for their ongoing commitment to protecting the Iwokrama forest ecosystem.