NEWLY accredited Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Puran Mal Meena has pledged to assist Guyana with the construction of roads and other infrastructure, in its developmental thrust. Speaking to the media on Monday, he described Guyana as a ‘hot spot’, where businesses in India come and set up commercial establishments.
He said during his tenure as High Commissioner, he would be looking to further strengthen the good bilateral relations that the two countries share.
A month after he presented his credentials, the envoy said it would take some time before some of the plans can be brought to fruition, but promised to accelerate the award of scholarships under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.
Meena noted that India has cooperated in Guyana’s agricultural diversification programme (spice and coconut) and is hoping to continue doing more.
The two countries have a history of good relations, especially at the bilateral level and have collaborated on many global issues of mutual concern at the level of the United Nations and the Commonwealth, among which is the call for the reform of the United Nations Security Council.
India has, so far, helped Guyana in many areas and the construction of the National Stadium, at Providence, East Bank Demerara, is one example. The facility was built by the Indian firm Shapoorji Pallonji through a US$6M grant and a US$19M soft loan from the Indian Government is also a product of the two countries’ bilateral cooperation.
The ties between the two nations were established decades ago, on the basis of respect for international law and the social, economic and political development of their peoples.
Last November, the Indian Government approved a soft loan to fund the erection of a state-of-the-art specialty hospital for which preparatory works are being undertaken at the identified Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara site.
In February of 2011, former President Bharrat Jagdeo and then Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, visited India to finalise the agreement to construct the 250-bed hospital which, when completed, will be providing services including cardio-related and cosmetic surgeries and organ transplants.
It will preclude the need for Guyanese to travel overseas for those operations that are very expensive.