– Gov’t had no input in design, says HPS

GUYANA has pulled out of the 2012 United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project, due to the agreement document being flawed.Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, during his post-Cabinet media briefing last week, said the project proposal presented to Guyana did not reflect bilateral input of the Government of Guyana and USAID, and on that basis considerable reservations were expressed by the Administration.
He explained that the design was considered by Cabinet and both project and design were rejected.
“The project is habitually and conventionally an engagement between Guyana and its development partner, USAID; but this one in 2012 departed from that convention. Firstly we were presented with an agreement to sign, over which we had zero contribution. Secondly, when we officially got the design, there was considerable objection; as far as the Administration was concerned, this design would have never ever been provided for in any bilateral relationship; as a consequence it was rejected.”
The HPS added also that the design allowed for the involvement of the USAID in the national life and politics of Guyana. The US$13.1M bilateral agreement was to advance development in health, economic growth, and democracy and governance.

(GINA)