–in dealing with Guyana

FINANCE Minister, Mr Winston Jordan, is looking to innovation to address the myriad problems affecting infrastructure development here.
He said as much recently, when he met with IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) top brass, among them the Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Ms Julie Katzman.

Minister Jordan was particularly keen on pointing out that new and more innovative solutions must be found to ensure the success of the portfolio.
He listed as being among the challenges crippling Guyana’s ability to build its capital stock, poor implementation skills, weak planning structures,a paucity of human resources,and the pressing need for international contractors to execute infrastructural works due to a shortage of qualified local contractors.

He said all this during a cocktail reception in Katzman’s honour, seeing that it was her first visit here since the APNU + AFC Government took office.Her two-day sojourn is also regarded as timely, given the international attention Guyana has been receiving of late.

Ms. Katzman was accompanied by Vice-President of Countries,Alexandre Meira da Rosa and other IDB officials, all of whom, while here, met with senior members of Cabinet and private sector representatives, to discuss the IDB’s support for Guyana’s social and economic development.
In her response to Minister Jordan’s observations, Ms. Katzman while she conceded that the process is fraught with challenges, spoke of the lingering perception abroad about Guyana.

That perception has to do with corruption and its impact on the country’s Ease of doing Business Index, which at the last check has seen Guyana move up 16 places to 124.
That aside, she has committed to exploring solutions that are more unique to Guyana, and called on the government to continue to improve and implement its transparency and accountability initiatives.
Ms. Katzman has overseen the bank’s efforts to help Latin American and the Caribbean countries reduce poverty and inequality by financing sustainable development in the Region.
The visit, which came to an end on Friday, also saw the IDB delegation undertake site visits to Guyana’s first overhead bypasses, the Audit Office, Annai, and the University of Guyana.
As one of Guyana’s oldest development partners, the IDB continues to have significant impact on the development agenda of the country.
Presently, it is engaged in financing a number of catalytic projects in key economic sectors such as the Highway Improvement – East Bank Four Lane Road (Providence to Diamond); the Road Network Expansion Programme (Sheriff Street and Mandela Avenue); the Power Utility Upgrade Programme; and the Water Supply and Sanitation Infrastructure Improvement Programme, among other major interventions.
The government has extended its appreciation to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for the years of support in Guyana’s development journey.