THE Caribbean Development Bank(CDB) has an extremely important role to play in supporting economic and social development in Guyana and the wider Caribbean. So stated Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, who was recently elected as the new Chairman of the Board of Governors of the bank at it’s last annual meeting held in St. Lucia in May of this year. Minister Singh made the statement as he announced that the President of the CDB, Dr. William Warren Smith, had graciously accepted his invitation to visit this country. He arrived  in Guyana yesterday and will be here until tomorrow.
Minister Singh stated that he was extremely pleased that President Smith would be visiting Guyana, this being the CDB President’s second visit to this country. The minister pointed out that Guyana was the first country that Dr. Smith had visited after he assumed the Presidency of the Bank in May 2011. The visit gives the President of the Bank a good opportunity to see the development progress being made in Guyana and to witness the excellent work being done by the bank in support of economic and social development.

The CDB’s current portfolio of projects in Guyana includes a US$34 million project to rehabilitate the West Coast Demerara Road, a US$16 million project to upgrade hundreds of community roads, a US$7 million project to construct 2 new TVET centres, and the provision of grant resources to fund the flagship Basic Needs Trust Fund poverty programme.  “These interventions, taken individually or as a collective, have and will benefit all segments of our population, underscoring the confidence and prominence we as a Government place on CDB as a key development partner,” Dr Singh said in a statement yesterday.
The visit to Guyana by the CDB President coincides with the launching of the Basic Needs Trust Fund’s Seventh Cycle, a programme that has provided resources to vulnerable communities in order to improve access to basic public services.
During his visit, in addition to his discussions with Minister Singh, the CDB President will pay courtesy calls on President Donald Ramotar and CARICOM Secretary General Irwin LaRocque.
Dr Smith, along with President Ramotar, is slated to address this morning’s opening of the Guyana Investment Conference which is being held under the theme ‘Maximising opportunities for investment in Guyana’.