More US investments
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after arrival at CJIA (Adrian Narine photo)
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after arrival at CJIA (Adrian Narine photo)

— Guyana, US to sign agreements on physical infrastructure, energy sector and digital economy today
— US looks forward to working with new, democratically-elected gov’t

By Rabindra Rooplall
U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo arrived in Guyana Thursday evening and was greeted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd and Ambassador, Sarah Ann Lynch.
He was escorted to State House by his entourage where he received a military salute and proceeded to meet with President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and team during a working dinner.

Following the dinner, Secretary Pompeo was quoted by the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown as saying: “What a pleasure to be in Guyana, the ‘land of many waters’. We enjoy a strong relationship with Guyana, and look forward to working with the new, democratically-elected government to expand prosperity and security for our people. Honored to sit down with President Irfaan Ali tonight. I welcome the opportunity to candidly discuss governance, citizen security, and leveraging Guyana’s wealth of natural resources to provide for its future.”

Pompeo is expected to meet CARICOM Secretary-General, Irwin LaRocque before he leaves today.
The Secretary of State is also expected to sign a number of agreements with the Guyanese Head-of-State, including a maritime patrol pact to fight off narcotics trade.
From Guyana, his next stops are Brazil, Colombia and then to Plano, Texas, USA.

During his visit, Secretary Pompeo will reinforce the promise of a values-based U.S. partnership rooted in inclusive governance, private-sector investment to increase prosperity for the people of Guyana and greater rule of law as Guyana grows its economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Guyana and the United States established diplomatic ties more than 50 years ago and the cultural ties between the two countries are exemplified by the thousands of Guyanese in the diaspora who call the U.S. their home.

The U.S. support for Guyana’s recent presidential elections, including electoral observation missions, were crucial to ensuring that the election was free, fair, credible, and transparent and reflected the will of the Guyanese people.

The U.S. is the primary source of Guyana’s imports, worth more than $2 billion.
Today the signing of a Growth in the Americas Memorandum of Understanding seeks to draw more U.S. private sector investment to build Guyana’s physical infrastructure, energy sector, and digital economy, and to do so transparently.
The U.S. also supported the development of Guyana’s energy sector through technical partnership on best practices for energy sector policy, regulation and revenue management.

Through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, the U.S. works with Guyana on law enforcement professionalisation, enhancing the rule of law, and countering transnational crime.

Its most recent assistance focused on enhanced training for crime scene investigators, forensic video analysis, trial advocacy, and the development of a curriculum for continuing education programmes for magistrates, in addition to training prosecutors and magistrates on implementing maritime security law.
This has led to an increase in criminal prosecutions and convictions as well as an increase in the speed of adjudications.

The Department of State has helped to train Guyana’s Port Control Unit to deter the trafficking of cocaine and other illicit goods through Guyana.
The U.S. Coast Guard also provides training and mentoring to the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) in order to improve port security.
And the U.S. military provides training for Guyana Defence Forces personnel every year, which includes a current student at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
Following the secretary’s visit, a bilateral Shiprider Agreement will come into force, enabling joint maritime and airspace patrols to interdict narcotics.
This joins recent donations of $200,000 in equipment and interceptor boat parts to strengthen Guyana‘s ability to patrol its territorial waters.

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