THE David Granger Administration has approached the British Government to restore the $1B Security Sector Reform Programme (SSRP) which was rejected by the Previous Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, while in office, during Bharrat Jagdeo’s tenure.Sitting Head of State, David Granger, yesterday made the announcement as he addressed the Private Sector Commission’s (PSC) Annual General Meeting held over from last year, in the Savannah Suite of the Pegasus Hotel.

Granger was joined by several business leaders for the PSC’s annual event, and was at the time speaking to his 20/20 vision for Guyana, one with a more stable, business and investment friendly environment.
British High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn, who was also on hand for the AGM subsequently told media operatives it is too early to pronounce on any of the details on the resuscitation of the SSRP, since it was still early in the process.
Granger told the local business leaders frankly, “this country has to be safe.”
He pointed to the diaspora and a reluctance to return to Guyana. He cited as example, “when people overseas hear about pirates killing fishermen, when they hear about miners being robbed.”
The President said when persons in the diaspora read of a person being shot at, while returning from a wedding, funeral or such like event, “they don’t want to come to Guyana.”
According to President Granger, “Many people in the diaspora don’t want to come to Guyana because they feel they going to get killed and we need to deal with the public security problem.”
As such, as announced by President Granger, “I have approached the British Government to restore the Security Sector Reform Action Plan which the previous Administration threw out the window.”
His announcement was greeted with a resounding applause from the business representatives.
“We are part of the continental land mass and we are not going to get rid of transnational crime overnight,” according to President Granger.
He pointed to Guyana’s more than 2,500 kilometers of border, which he said is susceptible and vulnerable to gun running and narco-trafficking.
The President spoke too of better public servants, and what he called ‘un-bribable’ law enforcement officials across the spectrum, including those in the Guyana Police Force, Customs, Guyana Forestry Commission and other such like organisations.
High Commissioner Quinn spoke briefly with media operatives following the announcement by President Granger and said he is certain the funds would be made available to the Guyana Government towards realising the implementation of the SSRP.
He recalled that during the mid-2000’s, his then predecessor had begun the process at the then request of the Guyana Government.
The High Commissioner at the time initiated the process broadly on the SSRP, which led to the fruition of an action plan in 2007, but cancelled in 2009, “because the then Government thought it didn’t meet the requirements that they wanted on it and we couldn’t agree on a way forward.
According to High Commissioner Quinn, what President Granger, “has asked us to do, is look at resuscitating the agreement from 2007, as cancelled in 2009.”
Updating media operatives on progress thus far, High Commissioner Quinn said they will have to firstly reassess that 2007 agreement as to its relevance, since it is in fact eight years old.
He opined that the agreement will more than likely need updating. High Commissioner Quinn said the British Administration will now have to begin to address how it will meet the request made by President Granger.
High Commissioner Quinn did disclose that some aspects of the original SSRP were in fact implemented through the sustained bilateral relationship.
He held back from naming any deadlines since, back in the United Kingdom, they will now have to look for the personnel and resources related to the original SSRP agreement which was discarded along with a new assessment that would have to be conducted.

By Gary Eleazar