GEORGETOWN: Guyana will receive another tranche of funding amounting to US$50,000 under the United States Government-sponsored Caribbean Security Basin Initiative (CBSI), bringing total contributions to US$900,000 for advancing the effectiveness of Guyana’s law enforcement in the fight against transnational crimes, money laundering and corruption. Vice-President and Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge yesterday signed the amended Letter of Agreement with U.S. Charge d’Affaires, Bryan Hunt at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive.
“The Letter of Amendment (3.1) will ensure the continuation of support to Guyana under the CBSI, and it will provide an additional US$50,000 that will bring the total funds provided to Guyana, to date, to US$900,000,” the Foreign Minister noted, adding that the monies are part of U.S. efforts to advance security and stability in the Caribbean.
Three programmes, currently implemented through the Public Security Ministry, will be funded from the most recent tranche. The first is the Law Enforcement Professionalism and Support Project, through which, according to Minister Greenidge, “training is provided in the immigration procedures detection of fraudulent documents, identification and handling of suspicious persons, and other areas targeting illegal smuggling of aliens, narcotics, and other illegal goods across the borders of Guyana.”
The second project is directed towards counter-narcotics control capabilities, which, Greenidge said, will enhance Guyana’s ability to utilise inter-agency coordination, intelligence gathering on transnational crimes, to improve performance in seizures, and eradication operations. Funding under this programme will be centralised to the provision of equipment and support for criminal intelligence units.
The third project relates to the rule of law and anti-corruption. This specifically targets judicial reform, improved prison operations, and forensic investigations. In relation to the improved prison operations, Minister Greenidge expects the enhancements of skills, knowledge and ability of correction officials to manage a correctional system which contributes to public safety and positively affects the fight against transnational crimes.
On justice reform, the programme, according to Greenidge, “provides training in areas such as judicial administration, case management, case-filing systems and anti-corruption, as well as transparency, and accountability of judicial sector institutions.” Finally, Minister Greenidge noted the forensic element would aid the Government of Guyana in advancing criminal investigations, and prosecution.
For his part, U.S. Charge d’Affaires, Bryan Hunt lauded the efforts of the David Granger Administration in developing a robust security sector. “President David Granger’s Administration has been clear in its political commitment to taking the steps necessary to ensure that Guyanese law enforcement agencies are able to prevent this country from being used as a safe-haven by international criminal elements.”
The senior U.S. Embassy official, in his address, noted the relationship between the lack of economic opportunities for youth, and the likelihood of youth pursuing criminal activities. “Repeated research has demonstrated that creating economic opportunity for young people is among the most important tools at our disposal to undermine effective recruitment by criminal organisations.”
To this end, he pointed to the collaborations between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Guyana’s Social Protection Ministry to expand programmes, which speak to providing work and life skills training for at-risk youth.
