GUYANA will join delegations from the countries of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at several forums where energy-related and public governance and administration matters would be discussed.Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at Thursday’s post-Cabinet press briefing held at the Ministry of the Presidency, made this disclosure as he explained that Cabinet has approved the attendance of the Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI), Annette Ferguson, at the Sixth Meeting of the South America Energy Council of UNASUR, to be held in Quito, Ecuador. Accompanying Minister Ferguson at that meeting would be MPI Electricity Advisor Morsha Johnson.
Minister Harmon said the meeting would review the progress recorded in regard to commitments made in relation to the development of an energy agenda for UNASUR. He said that among the issues to be discussed would be energy planning, establishment of South America’s energy treaty, and the creation of an Energy Resource Institute of UNASUR.
Cabinet has also approved Guyana’s participation in a training conference on public governance and administration, to be held in Singapore from January 23-27, 2017, Minister Harmon said. The Minister explained that the training course, organised by the Government of Singapore under its Developing State Technical Co-operation Programme, is aimed at providing insights on that country’s human resource strategies.
Minister Harmon said those participating in that training course would be exposed to Singapore’s approach to governance and public administrative and financial reform initiatives; be informed on the importance of corruption control for effective public administration, and learn of key trends affecting human resource management.
Permanent Secretary in the Department of Public Service of the Ministry of the Presidency, Reginald Brotherson, will attend this conference.
Minister Harmon also said that Cabinet has given its approval for Guyana to participate in the World Bank training in its new procurement framework schedule, to be held in Grenada from November 8-10, 2016. This training programme would be specifically for project procurement staffers who would be required to manage projects under the Bank’s new procurement framework.
Minister Harmon explained that Guyana and the World Bank are currently engaged in designing Guyana’s Education Sector Improvement Project, to commence in 2017. One component of this project is the construction of a new health sciences facility at the University of Guyana. As such, the university’s Procurement Specialist in the Science and Technology Support Project, Devin Monroe, will attend this training.
IMMIGRATION CHIEFS
Cabinet has also accepted the invitation from the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Implementing Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACTS) for Guyana to participate in a meeting of the Region’s Chiefs of Immigration, to be held in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on November 7, 2016. Assistant Police Commissioner Dale Alves will attend this meeting, Minister Harmon disclosed.
Guyana would also participate in the Seventh Cohort of the Caribbean Leadership Development Programme, which would be held in Jamaica from November 28th to December 2nd, 2016. Minister Harmon explained that this programme is designed to strategically strengthen the next generation of Caribbean leaders, and contribute to regional integration.
The persons endorsed by Government for participation in this project include Human Resource Managers from the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Public Service, Kemo Benjamin and Natasha Chase; and Manager of Scholarship, Soyinka Grogan. The Director of Industrial Development at the Ministry of Business, Shawn Alexander; and Principal Personnel Officer of the Ministry of Business, Shelton Daniels, would also participate in this training.
