President Donald Ramotar has indicated that he does not believe that Guyana needs a Leadership and Democracy Project at this time and that may be the real reason why the Government has opposed the U.S funded project from the time it was introduced.
The Government announced last week that it had revoked the work permit and extension of stay status of the USAID contractor for the project, Glenn Bradbury.
According to the Government Information Agency, “Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs took the step to revoke the work permit of Ray Bradbury, a Canadian contractor tasked with overseeing the implementation of the USAID sponsored project in Guyana. This move came after government learnt that the project was being implemented despite its strenuous objections and meetings with US officials on the issue.”
President Ramotar was quoted by GINA as saying that “we never agreed to it, we were never consulted, we were not part of any forum on this programme …we do not need it in our country, at this point in time, that is why we took the unusual position that we have taken”.
The President also lashed out at the Opposition parties for supporting the project. “The posture taken by the political opposition with regards to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) Project is surprising, and they appear willing to compromise Guyana’s sovereignty and integrity”, Mr. Ramotar said.
The Opposition parties have offered their support to the project and have lashed out at the Donald Ramotar administration for making efforts to block its pace.
According to the Government Information Agency, the Government continues to have excellent relations with the United States of America’s government, President Ramotar said, with very good cooperation in the security and other sectors. It is only on the issue of the LEAD project, which the president insisted that his administration had no part of, and as a result refuses to accept an imposition in that regard.
Government said it was committed to re-engaging the discussion process, but not when the activities under the LEAD project were still being implemented. The US Embassy in Georgetown said the move by the Guyana Government to revoke the work permit of the head of the project is regrettable.
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