Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
May 06, 2014 News
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has noted that government’s action against the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) Project, suggests that there are concerns by the administration that the implementation of such a project may challenge or undermine their current system of control.
Last week, during a post-Cabinet press briefing, Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon announced that Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs revoked the work permit of Glenn Bradbury, a Canadian contractor tasked with overseeing the implementation of the USAID sponsored project in Guyana.
According to Luncheon, the move was based on the conclusion that Guyana’s immigration laws were offended by Bradbury, after Government learnt that the project was being implemented despite its strenuous objections at meetings with US officials on the issue.
Luncheon explained that the four components of the project were analyzed by Cabinet and one contained major activities that captured a relationship between USAID and individual political parties in Guyana. However, the country does not have a public policy by Government for the support for political parties.
On Saturday, President Donald Ramotar was quoted in a statement issued by the Government Information Agency, (GINA), as saying “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.”
Ramotar expressed surprise at the actions of Guyana’s political opposition, as he noted the posture taken by the political opposition is as if they are willing to compromise Guyana’s sovereignty and integrity.
However, Ramotar maintained that Government continues to have excellent relations with the United States of America’s government, in regards to 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.” In an invited comment, Dr Roopnaraine stated that this statement by the President strongly indicates that Government has little or no interest in strengthening civil society.
“We need this project more than ever because the project would have assisted with educating the younger generation about the electoral process, since we have not held the Local Government Elections for more than two decades, but I believe that the project may challenge or undermine the current system of control being practiced by the administration.
“Government wants to continue making decisions…they may have sensed the danger of allowing such a project to be implemented.”
Following the announcement by Dr. Luncheon, last week, Leader of the Main Opposition Coalition, APNU Brigadier David Granger warned that there is the likelihood of retaliation.
Granger believes that Government “will have to pay a price for that action. In this diplomacy it is going to be a juk for juk situation.
“We felt that the limited engagements we had have been beneficial as well. I understand that the US Embassy and President Ramotar were engaged in talks, but I did not get the impression that the talks had broken down and that such an action was necessary.”
The LEAD project is aimed at enhancing the technical capacity and functionality of the legislature through the regular use of consultative practices and mechanisms for legislative drafting, analysis, review, and passage.
The project, which particularly focuses on women and youth, is expected to further reinforce democratic governance in Guyana by broadening political participation through more representative and competitive multi-party engagements.
The US Embassy remains tight-lipped on the status of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID),
Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) Project, following the revocation of Bradbury’s work permit but maintains that it welcomes the willingness of the Government of Guyana to re-engage in discussions on democracy and governance, and specifically in relation to the USAID LEAD project.
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