More than $91M spent on overseas trips for Ramotar

 “Assigning direct value is too simplistic a way of assessing overall benefits”- PM Hinds

By Gary Eleazar, June 20, 2014, By KNews, Filed Under News, Source

President Donald Ramotar and several delegations have, to date, taken a total of 26 overseas trips since taking office in 2011, costing taxpayers in excess of $91M.

The information was supplied to the National Assembly yesterday by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, in response to a request by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Desmond Trotman.

Trotman had asked for the Prime Minister to supply the number of official trips made by the President and delegations, as well as a breakdown of the destinations, and how much was spent on transportation and accommodation, to which the Prime Minister supplied a detailed response.

It was discovered that the President and delegations took at least four trips to Suriname and another four to Trinidad and Tobago, one of which was completely funded by that Government.

Other trips included two visits to neighbouring Venezuela, one to Colombia, India, Cuba, Peru, the USA, Chile, Sri Lanka and Canada among others.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo accompanied Ramotar as part of his delegation on at least two occasions. Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett accompanied the President on a number of occasions. Also accompanying the President on his overseas trips were members of the State media.

Trotman had also requested that the Prime Minister inform the National Assembly what were the immediate and medium term benefits to Guyana associated with each of the trips undertaken by the President and delegations since taking office in 2011 to February, 2014; what benefits Guyana stands to gain in 2014 from each of the overseas trips undertaken by the President and his Delegations in 2012 and what benefits Guyana stands to gain in 2016 from each of the overseas visits made by the President and his Delegations in 2012 and 2013.

According to the Prime Minister, “visits to foreign countries and attendance at international meetings by any Head of State or Government are an integral aspect of the duties of that high office.”

He said that concerning the quantification of the gains of the President’s trips overseas, there is a danger that seeking to assign direct values in specified time frames to agreements reached, may be a too simplistic way of assessing the overall benefits to the nation.

According to Hinds “the opportunity to advance broad national interests and specific foreign policy objectives and the goodwill resulting from Presidential visits are among the big benefits to the nation and future generations of Guyanese.”

He said too that since taking office, President Ramotar has made several high level visits to friendly nations such as the United States of America, Cuba and India.

“Our President has also attended the United Nations General Assembly and participated in the meetings of the Heads of State and Governments of CARICOM; the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR); the Community of Latin American and Caribbean Nations (CELAC); MERCOSUR; South American-Arab Countries (ASPA); the Association of Caribbean States (ACS); the Commonwealth; and the European Union-Latin American and Caribbean (EU-LAC) integration mechanism, among others.”

According to Hinds, each overseas trip provided an opportunity for Guyana to advance its national interests in not only seeking cooperation programmes in key areas such as the development of agriculture, trade, tourism, energy, social development, inter-connectivity, small and medium enterprises and human resource development, but equally important, demonstrated by its participation, Guyana’s continued commitment to the several mechanisms and initiatives of which it is a part.

“These encounters also provide an opportunity for His Excellency the President to build important relationships with Heads of State and Government and other high officials in the context of cementing Guyana’s ties with several countries.”

He noted too that other benefits include the continued consolidation of the regional integration movement of CARICOM.

Hinds pointed to increased support for national programmes in the area of disaster risk management; agriculture; small and medium enterprises; tourism and social development through, South-South cooperation programmes, especially within CELAC and the EU-LAC.

The Prime Minister noted too that the overseas trips also improve inter-connectivity with the nations of South America through the UNASUR physical integration project.

“It will be recalled that the Takutu international river bridge and the upgrade of the Linden-Lethem road are components of the broader framework of this project.”

He said also that development of Guyana’s hydro resources is being pursued within the framework of the broad regional integration framework.