MORE than 72, 000 non-Immigrant and 7,000 Immigrant visas were processed by the United States Embassy last year, United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway disclosed on Thursday evening during the U.S.’s 241st Independence Day celebration at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown.
Holloway noted that the issuance of visas here is important and noted that with the improvements in the economic situation over the last few years, the embassy’s refusal rate has been reduced significantly from a high of well over 50 per cent five years ago. “Luckily,

only a very small percentage of Guyanese abuse their visas by staying illegally,” the U.S. Ambassador stated. Additionally, he said the Consular Section and Regional Security Office (RSS) of the U.S. Embassy worked with local law enforcement to ensure the first successful prosecution for visa fraud in Guyana, which led to the imprisonment of an Internet Café vendor.

The U.S. Ambassador said too, the RSS also assisted local banks on the verification of suspected counterfeit notes, as well as, assisted the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in running traces on suspected weapons involved in local crimes. In an outline of his Embassy’s work over the past year, Ambassador Holloway noted that over 500 Guyanese are employed by the Embassy and that embassy spent about US$30M or $6.5B in bilateral and regional foreign assistance here.
“Remittances from the USA to Guyana are about US$225M a year or more than GY$48B,” he stated. Meanwhile, the US government has assisted Guyana considerably in the emerging oil and gas sector and according to the U.S Ambassador, the State Department’s Energy Governance and Capacity Initiative will continue to provide assistance to the Ministry of Natural Resources in supporting the development of a strong regulatory framework and oil-spill prevention strategies, in preparation for oil production come mid-2020.

“We have also provided assistance via the Carter Center to help Guyana prepare for its candidacy for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative or EITI. I am optimistic that Guyana’s candidacy will be approved this year and this will help ensure sound management of resources, as well as transparency.”
Additionally, support was also granted to increase fiscal transparency and capacity in tax administration by bringing in advisors from Treasury’s Office of Technical Assistance, to work with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to improve capacity, support retention of talent, provide tools to curb potential corruption; and help develop the Oil and Gas Office within the Large Taxpayer’s Department.
“We also helped start a donor coordination working group on petroleum to ensure that we are not supplicating efforts and are seeking out synergies that will allow us all to provide maximum assistance to the government and people of Guyana,” Ambassador Holloway stated.

Two explosives detection scanners for use at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) were also handed over to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure through the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

The Ambassador pointed to assistance in the areas of USAID Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) project; the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Programme; work to help Guyana lower the incidence of HIV/AIDS and to ensure those infected can continue to contribute to society; transnational military assistance in the form of regional understanding and interoperability; fellowships and the establishment of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) here, among other programmes.
Since the establishment of the DEA, Ambassador Holloway said there has been increased information sharing between the U.S. and Guyanese entities, and that has thereby allowed for open investigations and “to deny bad people the ability to travel to the U.S.
“We have done a lot and will be doing so much more as long as President David Granger and the people of Guyana want us to continue,” he said highlighting partnerships with past and present administrations.
“At best at times, we have simply been a catalyst or strong supporter, but the real work of advancing Guyana as a country has always been done by Guyanese and there is still more to do. I am here to tell you today that if you want us, then the United States will be by your side going forward,” said Ambassador Holloway.

Meanwhile, President David Granger in brief remarks congratulated the U.S. Government and citizens for achieving its 241st Independence and emphasised the importance of collaboration. He told those gathered at the event that Guyana and the U.S have enjoyed high bilateral cooperation in several areas including but not limited to culture, defence, economic development, education, governance, health, justice improvement and security cooperation and migration.

“Guyana attaches great importance to the bond and friendship which existed between our two countries since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations,” the President said. The Head-of-State said too that Guyana looks forward to deepening and strengthening its relations with the U.S and referenced the Caribbean 2020 multi-year strategy to Increase the Security, Prosperity, and Well-Being of the People of the United States and the Caribbean.

“The strategy would be instrumental in strengthening the economies and sustaining security within Caribbean states,” said President Granger. Guyana and the U.S., President Granger said, face the common threat of transnational crime which can be countered only through international cooperation.
International terrorism, Trafficking in Persons (TIP), illegal weapons and narcotics all represent national security threats to states and “…international security cooperation is critical to combatting these threats. Cooperation is imperative to human safety, vital to preserving the Caribbean as a zone of peace, necessary to maintaining the integrity of the Criminal Justice System. Guyana and the USA have been reliable strategic partners over the years.” Guyana, the President added looks to the U.S, a global leader in the area of renewable energy technologies to assist in the reduction of high energy costs.