Guyana keeps attracting unflattering reports….Diplomatic community says Guyana not doing enough to fight corruption

A two-day forum geared to examine challenges facing Guyana’s investment climate is over with the US yesterday brushing off accusations that unfair perception reports coming out of that North American country, has forced investors to rethink coming here.
According to US Ambassador, D. Brent Hardt, responding to queries of whether President Donald Ramotar was fair in criticizing the reports, said that it is a fact that trafficking in persons (TIP) happens all over the world.
This includes the US which fortunately has institutions to deal with issues that crop up. With TIP being experienced throughout the world, even the US with its share is criticized, too.

US Ambassador, D. Brent Hardt, and Canadian High Commissioner, David Devine during the press conference yesterday.

What is important is that the US has institutions in place to deal with it.
The focus, he insisted, should be on the victims of crimes and the systems to protect them.
The Ambassador pointed to Thailand, long known for facing a major problem with TIP, and said that it has not affected investments there.
Overtime, TIP and other reports, including the ease of doing business, have not been very flattering of Guyana. In most cases, the suggestions were that Guyana has failed or seemed not interested in addressing issues of drug trafficking and erasing the red tape to make it easier for foreign companies to invest here. Government has not been happy with the reports.
President Ramotar on Thursday, during the opening session of the seminar, responded to the criticisms with attacks of his own.
According to the Ambassador, the response to victims of crimes including TIP, should be the focus.
The issue was one of several that came up during the two-day session at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.
This seminar was a multi-stakeholder collaboration with several partners including the High Commission of Canada, the Government of Guyana, the European Union, the US Embassy, the British High Commission, the United Nations Development Programme and the Inter-American Development Bank, REPSOL, Pacific Rubiales, the Private Sector Commission, the Beharry Group of Companies and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
With a virtually untouched forest, gold, bauxite and vast expanse of lands, Guyana’s extractive industries have become a main attraction for investors. With gold prices up in recent years, Canadian companies have been knocking on Guyana’s doors.
But the complaints of long waits and corruption to acquire permits have been lingering.
During a press conference with the US Ambassador, Canadian High Commissioner, David Devine, said that challenges facing Guyana in terms of bandwidth capacity and the need for regulatory reforms were among the issues raised during the seminar. So too were corruption, red tape, and anti-money laundering measures.
Guyana has long been accused of not doing enough to seize properties believed to been acquired by illegal means and prosecute money launderers. This country has to pass critical legislations, to fight money laundering, this year or face international sanctions.
There were no government officials at yesterday’s forums.
There were at least 10 or so issues that were discussed during the two days and these will be made public during the critical follow-up phase, Devine said.
He was quick to point out that the issue of corruption is a global one. “The difference is how countries chose to deal with it effectively.”
There will be need for proper institutions, regulatory changes and enforcement, he said.
According to Ambassador Hardt, the US is interested in investing in Guyana, with the emerging oil and gas sector a big attraction.
According to Devine, the idea behind the seminar was to look at ways to improve investments in the country, including promotion, protection, capital markets and how they work and issues including that of security.
During the seminar, there were presentations from the Private Sector Commission, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other stakeholders.
The High Commissioner hinted that there might have been perceptions that the forum should have focused more on branding Guyana as a hot destination.
However, issues like TIP, bribery and corruption are very relevant to the whole question of investment, he insisted. As such, the seminar has helped to put many of the issues on the table.
Arguing for the US Embassy’s involvement in organizing the seminar, Ambassador Hardt made it clear that it is the duty of his mission to bring investments to Guyana.
He acknowledged cases where businesses from his country decided to pull away. These are business decisions by the company that are influenced by a number of factors, including safety and security.
Almost 400 invitations were issued for the seminar with presentations made by local and international experts, from organisations including the Export Development Canada, Caribbean Financial Action Task Force, CARICOM IMPACS, Department for International Development, United Nations Development Programme, Inter-American Development Bank, the European Union, Private Sector Commission, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The diplomatic community, among some of Guyana’s biggest donors, has been unusually vocal lately. Recently they called for the early local government elections which has been overdue since the 90’s. The failure to hold local government elections has been blamed for a breakdown in the local communities.