– Guyana to be represented at several international forums

FINANCE Minister, Winston Jordan and Governor of the Bank of Guyana (BoG), Dr Gobind Ganga, will soon be attending the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group to be held next month in Washington D.C.

Cabinet Secretary and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, told reporters on Friday that cabinet has approved the duo’s attendance at the meeting and noted that representatives of the private sector and central bankers will also be part of the meeting, which starts on April 19 and ends on April 23.

Harmon said, while in Washington Dr. Gobind Ganga will be part of bilateral discussions and attend constituency meetings with the IMF and World Bank.

Meanwhile, Cabinet has also approved the attendance of other forums to be held overseas. Guyana will be participating in the telecommunications unions Information and Communications Technology (ICT) week and symposium to be held in Antigua and Barbuda from March 20-25, 2017.

According to Minister Harmon, the symposium will bring together CARICOM leaders and technical officers to develop mechanisms for establishing ICT projects and sharing ideas and expertise to promote regional ICT development. It will also address the establishment of the region’s single ICT space. Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes and her ICT advisor, Lance Hinds will attend.

Guyana will also attend the National Law Enforcement academy extortion course, which is scheduled to be held on March 31 in El Salvador. The Minister of State said the course will assist participants to enhance their skills in investigative techniques and prosecutorial methods for dismantling criminal enterprises involved in extortion.

Inspector Nigel Stephens, Sergeant Rodwell Sarabo, Kester Merrier, Colin Ross, Hamlet Martine Da Silva and Quails Baggot of the Guyana Police Force; and Assistant Commissioner, Earle Daniels and Junior Legal Officer, Jason Moore of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will attend.

Additionally, Guyana will participate in the technical working group of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative to be held in Trinidad from April 4-6, 2017. Minister Harmon said that meeting will focus on ‘at risk youth and the vulnerable population’.

Discussions will be held on reaching the highest risk youth, evidence-based decision- making and implementation of a work programme. Kavita Bowani, research officer in the Ministry of Public Security will attend the meeting.

Further, Guyana will also attend the Caribbean technical sponsored workshop on institutionalising management within tax administration to be held in St Lucia from March 21-24. The workshop will enable participants to identify key performance indicators to be used in measuring core functions in tax administration, identify resources to track performance indicators and develop baseline data to measure progress in achieving outcomes. Senior financial analysis, Gracelin George of the Finance Ministry and Wendy Vyphuis will attend.