download - UNDP in Guyana

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GUYANA

Common Country

2011

A Document of the Government of Guyana and the UN Country Team

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Common Country Analysis

A Document of the Government of Guyana and the UN Country Team

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Source: Guyana Forestry Commission (2010)

Guyana: Common Country Assessment 2012-2016

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Table of Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................................................... 1

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 4

Section 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 6

2.1. National Level Assessment 9

2.1.1. Selection of Areas for UN Assistance Analysis ....................................................................... 11

2.1.2 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 12

2.2 Thematic Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 12

Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 12

2.2.1 Environment and Sustainable Development .............................................................................. 13

National Response ......................................................................................................................... 17

Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 19

2.2.2 Inclusive Growth ....................................................................................................................... 19

Summary of the situation............................................................................................................... 19


Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 22

2.2.3 Inclusive Governance ............................................................................................................... 24



Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 27

2.2.4 Human and Social Development ............................................................................................... 27



Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 36

2.2.5 Conclusion of Thematic Investigations ...................................................................................... 37

Section 3: National Strategies for Development and Development Priorities identified ......................... 38

3.1 Entry Points identified by GoG and UNCT ............................................................................ 3939

3.2. Proposed Developmental Objectives/Outcomes ..................................................................... 40


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Annex I: UNCT Members .................................................................................................................. 41

Annex II: Progress towards Achieving the MDGs ........................................................................ 43

Annex III: Thematic Papers ..................................................................................................... 47

1. Environment and Sustainable Development ............................................................................... 47

2. Inclusive Growth ........................................................................................................................... 60

3. Inclusive Governance ................................................................................................................. 71

4. Human and Social Development ................................................................................................ 81

Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 103


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Acronyms and Abbreviations AD Avoided Deforestation policy

AIDS Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome

ART Antiretroviral Therapy

ARCC Association of Regional Chambers of Commerce

BOS Bureau of Statistics

CARICOM Caribbean Community

CAT Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment of Persons

CCA Common Country Assessment

CDB Caribbean Development Bank

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CDC Civil Defence Commission

CDPMN Caribbean Drought and Precipitation Monitoring Network

CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women

CERD Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

CIDA Canadian International Development Agency

CJIA Cheddi Jagan International Airport

CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child

DFID Department for International Development (UK)

DRM Disaster Risk Management

DRR Disaster Risk Reduction

ECLAC Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

EDWC East Demerara Water Conservancy

EFA/FTI Education for All/Fast Track Initiative

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

ERC Ethnic Relations Commission

EU European Union

FAO Food and Agricultural Organization

FBOs Faith-Based Organizations

FITUG Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana

GBV Gender-Based Violence

GDP Gross Domestic Product

GECOM Guyana Elections Commission

GFC Guyana Forestry Commission

GGMC Guyana Geology and Mines Commission

GIS Geographic Information System

GLSC Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission

GMSA Guyana Manufacturers’ and Services.Association

GRA Guyana Revenue Authority

GNP Gross National Product

GoG Government of Guyana

GOINVEST Guyana Office for Investment

GPHC Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

GPF Guyana Police Force

GRIF Guyana REDD Investment Fund

GSLC Guyana Survey on Living Conditions

GTUC Guyana Trade Union Congress

GWI Guyana Water Incorporated


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HBS Household Budget Survey

HDI Human Development Index

HFLE Health and Family Life Education

HIPC Highly Indebted Poor Country

HIV Human Immune Deficiency Virus

HRC Human Rights Commission

ICAM Integrated Coastal Area Management

ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

ICT Information Communication Technology

IDB Inter-American Development Bank

ILO International Labour Organization

IMF International Monetary Fund

IMR Infant Mortality Rate

IPC Indigenous Peoples’ Commission

IPED Institute of Private Enterprise Development

IT Information Technology

JANS Joint Assessment of National Strategies

LCDS Low Carbon Development Strategy

LEAP Linden Economic Advancement Programme

LEN Linden Empowerment Network

MA Millennium (Ecosystem) Assessment

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

MD Millennium Declaration

MDG Millennium Development Goal

MEA Multilateral Environmental Agreements

MFI Multilateral Financial Institution

MMR Maternal Mortality Ratio

MoAA Ministry of Amerindian Affairs

MoA Ministry of Agriculture

MoE Ministry of Education

MoF Ministry of Finance

MoH Ministry of Health

MoHW Ministry of Housing and Water

MoLHSSS Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security

NCS National Competitiveness Strategy

NCC National Competitive Council

NCCU National Climate Change Unit

NDC Neighbourhood Democratic Council

NDIA National Drainage and Irrigation Authority

NDS National Development Strategy

NGO Non-governmental Organization

NHSS National Health Sector Strategy

NSA Non-state Actor

NTC National Toushaos Council

NWIS National Water Information System

ODA Official Development Assistance

OHCHR Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

OP Office of the President

OPM Office of the Prime Minister

PAHO/WHO Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization

PIN Public Information Notice

PMTCT Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (of HIV/AIDS)


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PPGHS Package of Publicly Guaranteed Health Services

PRGF Poverty Reduction Growth Facility

PRS Poverty Reduction Strategy

PSC Private Sector Commission

PSIP Public Sector Investment Programme

RDC Regional Development Council

REDD+ Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus

ROCC Rights of the Child Commission

SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

SME Small and Medium Sized Enterprise

STI Sexually Transmitted Infections

TB Tuberculosis

U5MR Under-5 Mortality Rate

UN United Nations

UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

UNCAC UN Convention Against Corruption

UNCCD United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

UNCT United Nations Country Team

UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDAF United Nations Development Assistance Framework

UNDGO United Nations Development Group Office

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNESCO United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization

UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

UNFPA United Nations Population Fund

UNGASS United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS

UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund

UNV United Nations Volunteers

UNW United Nations Women

UK United Kingdom

USA United States of America

USAID United States Agency for International Development

VAT Value Added Tax

VSO Voluntary Service Overseas

WGEC Women and Gender Equality Commission

WOW Women of Worth (micro-credit facility)


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Executive Summary

This Common Country Assessment (CCA) sets the context for the second United Nations Development

Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for Guyana, for the period 2012 –2016. It articulates the programmatic

and strategic situation on critical aspects of Guyana’s development agenda, to facilitate cooperation

between the Government of Guyana (GoG) and the United Nations. For this programming period, the

development agenda is driven by national policies, strategies, and plans, such as the Low Carbon

Development Strategy (LCDS), the Poverty Reduction Strategy II (PRS II), the National Competitiveness

Strategy, the National Health Sector Strategy 2008-2012, the Agricultural Development Plan, the Guyana

Food and Nutrition Security Strategy, and the Education Sector Plan, and the Stamp It Out program

(against sexual and domestic violence), in the framework of the internationally-agreed Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs) .

The process of preparing the CCA was agreed with the Ministry of Finance, the GoG interlocutor for the

CCA/UNDAF process, and after a sensitization workshop held in July 2010 to build awareness and

national consensus on the process, information gathering started in September 2010. The Government

identified 4 thematic areas that would form the basis of the new UNDAF: Environment and Sustainable

Development, Inclusive Growth, Inclusive Governance, and Human and Social Development. This led to

the formulation of four thematic papers, focused on the areas identified.

An iterative process of review and revision of the thematic papers, results matrices, and draft CCA,

bolstered by strategic engagement with, and input from, a wide range of stakeholders, led to the

development of a draft UNDAF and subsequent review and finalization of the documents.

The issues related to Environment and Sustainable Development include the impact of climate change

on sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, natural resource management, and biodiversity.

They are analyzed in the context of the GoG’s innovative Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS),

which aims to deploy the country’s forests to mitigate global climate change in return for payments

from the rest of the world for its carbon services, through the conservation of the forest.

The analysis of Inclusive Growth identifies the drivers of growth: a stable macroeconomic environment,

an expanding services sector; new and emerging sectors such as information-based investments, the

energy (oil and hydro) sector, construction, diversified agriculture, tourism; and improved

competitiveness. Other drivers identified include job creation/labour markets with particular attention

to youth employment, growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the potential impact of

regional and continental integration. It also provides a gap analysis and identifies areas for targeted

approaches which would enhance the livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable, and provide alternative

incentives for their sustainability, in the context of inclusive growth and food security.

Inclusive governance focuses on political, socio-economic and administrative governance, including the

role of Parliament and the 5 Rights Commissions, rule of law, justice, and political participation. The

paper provides a status report on the implementation of constitutional and parliamentary reforms and

identifies the areas for continued implementation and institutional capacity strengthening of the

Guyana Parliament, Rights Commissions, and GECOM to facilitate greater civic participation in

accordance with their constitutional and legislative mandates.

In the section on Human and Social Development the challenges relate to reducing inequities in the

delivery of, and access to, goods and services. The inequities are examined from the perspective of


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gender, geography, populations at higher risk, and pockets of poverty, and efforts in various sectors to

reduce poverty and improve quality of life, such as through expanding the provision of housing and

water, are noted. The focus on health is shifting to the prevention and treatment of chronic non-

communicable diseases, although infant and maternal health and mortality, and prevention of

communicable diseases, remain key issues. Continued progress towards achievement of the MDGs

related to education remains high on the agenda, as do the retention of skilled personnel, capacity

development, inter- and multi-sectoral coordination, enhanced implementation and monitoring of some

aspects of the legislative and policy framework, community participation, and strategies to deal with

projected reductions in externally mobilized resources.

The GoG and the UNCT discussed these issues and selected the areas in which the potential for

alignment with the GoG and collaboration with civil society, the private sector, and other major

stakeholders was significant, as the drivers for the UNDAF.

The priority national development goals identified for cooperation between the GoG and the UN in

Guyana, which will inform the UNDAF, are as follows:

1. Transforming the economy while combating climate change and enhancing the quality

of life of Guyanese by utilizing the natural resources, while neither degrading nor

contaminating them. (Source: LCDS, NDS)

2. Expanding economic opportunities for all. (Source: PRS)

3. Building an inclusive system of governance based on the rule of law in which citizens

and their organizations participate in the decision-making processes that affect their

well-being. (Source: PRS)

4. Enhancing human and social services especially for key populations at higher risk.

(Source: LCDS, NDS, PRS)

The outcomes identified for inclusion in the UNDAF, addressing the respective priority national

development goals are:

1. National policies, strategies, and plans for disaster risk reduction (DRR), management of natural

resources, and access to clean energy and services developed, implemented, monitored, and

evaluated.

2. Improved economic and social policies and programmes to enable the creation of a climate-

resilient economy in the context of the Low Carbon Development Strategy.

3. Strengthened public participation, trust, and confidence in national governance institutions,

including the five Rights Commissions, the Parliament, and GECOM.

4. National development plans, policies, programmes and legislation (where required) formulated,

implemented, monitored, and evaluated to achieve the MDGs, with special attention to key

populations at higher risk and the progressive realisation of human rights.

The development of the CCA represents the output of close collaboration between the GoG and the

UNCT; review of numerous information sources; and a very iterative process. Guyana has signaled its

interest in supporting the Delivering as One model for enhancing UN coherence and effectiveness. The

new UNDAF provides an opportunity for Guyana to advance further in that direction.


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Section 1: Introduction

Scope of CCA

The CCA initially takes a broad view of the entire country, describing the geographical and historical

contexts as well as the social, economic and political situations. Using the value-added of the UN

agencies as a filter, the areas and challenges to which the capabilities of the UN are better aligned,

around the axis of the four themes identified for focus, were determined. These themes identified are

Environment and Sustainable Development, Inclusive Growth, Inclusive Governance, and Human and

Social Development. The CCA examines these themes in depth, and from the perspective of the UN

cross-cutting issues of mitigating conflict and natural disaster risks, capacity building, sustainability,

gender, and human rights, and identifies several entry points for the intervention of the UN in Guyana.

The document is organized into three sections:

� Section 1 provides an introduction which explains the process of preparation, and the scope of the

CCA, and describes the roles of the partners in preparation of the analysis.

� Section 2 contains the situation analysis, and begins with a general description of the national

development situation, then selects the four themes identified above for deeper analysis. The

analysis includes the national response to these challenges and highlights possible entry points for

the UN cooperation that would be reflected in the UNDAF. This sections has several sub-sections:

o In Section 2.1, environment and sustainable development (ESD), Guyana’s economic

dependence on its natural resource endowment is presented to establish the importance of

sustainable management. It outlines the global benefits of the ecosystem services generated

by Guyana’s forests as carbon sinks and presents the GoG’s plan to leverage this service to

generate resources for development. The ESD section also identifies inequities in the

distribution of energy services and vulnerability to natural disasters as entry points for action in

support of national plans and programmes.

o Section 2.2 is directed at inclusive growth and describes the performance of the economy and

the importance of accelerated economic growth and job creation for poverty alleviation. The

challenges that confront attempts to increase growth are identified: the need to diversify the

economy to reduce pockets of vulnerability; build the capacity of SMEs; improve the supply and

quality of jobs; and to accelerate growth through growth poles identified by the GoG.

Crosscutting issues of specific skills shortages, new skills needed and low levels of participation

– particularly of youths, women and rural residents – are also examined. This sub-section

identifies the cross cutting objective of targeting disadvantaged groups as critical to effective

national responses.

o Inclusive governance is addressed in Section 2.3, which describes the political space in which

the developmental efforts are being staged. The sub-section explores the national and regional

institutions that contribute to the rule of law, public trust, and fundamental freedoms. The

analysis recognizes the challenges to development including capacity building of new rights

commissions and parliamentary bodies, strengthening and building on stakeholder

participation, continued efforts to strengthen institutional accountability, and enhanced

communication for a well-informed population. The governance section proposes entry points

to strengthen national efforts in addressing these challenges.

o Section 2.4 reviews human and social development issues. It is organized into subsections on

health; education; housing, water, and sanitation; and employment/welfare/poverty. The


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findings on the situation showed that Guyana is making good progress towards meeting the

MDGs related to health, education, housing, and water in the drive to reduce poverty. Two of

the challenges relate to i) reducing inequities in access to the services due to geographic and

distance locations, and ii) expansion of the economic base to create economic activity through

self employment and job creation. The GoG has embarked on several initiatives that can be

evaluated, scaled up, replicated, and strengthened to improve access to services for residents

of the interior and pockets of the coastal population at higher risk..

� Section 3 examines national strategies for development and the development priorities identified;

entry points identified by the GoG and the UNCT; and proposed developmental

objectives/outcomes.

Principles of UN engagement in Guyana

By developing a common strategy, UN country team members aim to enhance inter-agency

understanding and knowledge, work together more effectively, harmonize their messages, magnify their

overall voice and impact, and produce lasting, meaningful results.

As far as possible the UNCT: aims to further align programming with national plans, planning cycles, and

systems; works to see that national development policies, strategies, and plans incorporate agreed

global development goals and commitments; engages in timely and substantive technical cooperation

tailored to local needs for capacity development; and promotes national dialogues, aiming to include

the legislature and civil society. Apart from being a knowledge broker, internally the UNCT also aims to

improve its policy and analytical expertise and will harmonize and simplify its approach to cash

transfers.

The UNCT is committed to the principles of the Paris Declaration and to more effective support to

Guyana. As such it will facilitate the effort of the UNDG to report on performance against Paris

Declaration indicators; develop comprehensive guidelines linking aid effectiveness commitments, UN

reforms and national development strategies; and leverage its unique legitimacy, neutrality and

objectivity to strengthen mutual accountability among development partners.

Efforts to ensure government ownership and leadership

in preparation process

From the outset, the work of the UNCT in preparing this CCA

aimed to address nationally established development goals.

The UNCT was guided primarily by two strategies papers

prepared by the national authorities: the LCDS and the PRS II.

The GoG was integrally involved in the process of analyzing the

situation and identifying the challenges, and the UNCT

recognised and used analyses done by development partners

which were endorsed by the GoG.

UN Guiding Principles for Effective Aid 1. Ensure that aid delivers equitable results for the people who most need it. 2. Strengthen the capacity of countries to manage their own development. 3. Manage for results through strong, transparent and accountable partnerships.


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Enhancing analytic work and the development framework

In partnering with the national government and local and international stakeholders for the

enhancement of the lives of the people of Guyana, the UNCT will also give support to incorporating the

cross-cutting issues of gender equality, environmental sustainability, and capacity development by using

results- and human rights-based approaches.


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Section 2: The Analysis

2.1 National Level Assessment

The history of Guyana, formerly British Guiana, is one of occupation, exploitation, and struggle. The

country was populated by the Amerindians before the European conquest, and large numbers of slaves

and indentured servants were brought from Africa, India, China, Madeira, and Portugal to work the

plantation economy. It is this history that has created the cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity of the

country, in addition to its diverse biodiversity, which make Guyana a unique country in this hemisphere.

According to the 2002 Census, Indo-Guyanese make up 43.5% of the population, followed by Afro-

Guyanese at 30.2%, Mixed at 16.7% and Amerindians at 9.1%. Noteworthy is the fact that the fastest

growing ethnic group is the Amerindian population.

The Census showed that persons under 14 years old accounted for 33.3% of the population and those

under the age of 35 years old make up 58 % of the population. There is separation of church and state,

but the overwhelming majority of the population identifies with some religion (95.7%). Hindus represent

28.4%, followed by Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Muslims 7.2%, Anglican 6.9% and Seventh

Day Adventist 5%.

Guyana has ratified or acceded to several UN human rights treaties, including the ICCPR, the CERD, the

CEDAW, the CAT, the CRC, the CAC, and the ICESCR, and, more recently, the Convention on the Rights of

Migrant Workers and their families and the two Optional Protocols on the Rights of the Child. It is a

signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the UN Declaration on the

Rights of indigenous Peoples. It has also acceded to the Inter-American Convention of Belem do Para

and the Inter-American Convention against Corruption. These Conventions establish the GoG’s

commitment to human rights, and set the standard of the type of society the GoG wishes to construct.

The GoG has focused on establishing macroeconomic policies that strengthen the management of public

finances and can facilitate sustained economic growth. In line with the PRGF, the GoG was able to

bolster public finances by: broadening the tax base; strengthening tax administration by upgrading IT

systems; strengthening fiscal management (including introducing programme budgeting); improving

transparency in tender procedures; modernizing the civil service and introducing VAT in 2007. The

implementation of these reforms is ongoing, and the most recent IMF assessment recognized Guyana

for its achievements in the midst of the global economic and financial crisis.

In the period from 2007, the GoG received assistance through the USA’s Millennium Challenge Account

to further improve management of public finances via improved revenue collection; reduction of time

for registering and operationalizing new business; digitisation of the GRA and the Deeds Registry;

improved expenditure, planning, management and control; and improved fiduciary oversight.

The PSIP has increased substantially each year, by approximately 60 percent of the total programme

between 2005 and 2009 compared with 40 percent in the previous 5 year period; and for 2011, a 32

percent increase on the 2009 figure is planned. The GoG has consciously and consistently adopted a

pro-poor and pro-growth approach to national development.


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This pro-poor orientation is the driver of programmes intended to improve the quality of life and reduce

poverty and regional disparities, focusing on the poor and vulnerable – women, children, the elderly,

Amerindians, and the differently abled. Policy decisions are being made in relation to budgetary

allocations to programmes in support of free education and free health care in the public sector, low-

income housing and access to low-interest loans, waivers for elderly in water rates, expanded social

services and social safety programmes such as a universal old age pension scheme, universal school

uniform allowance in the public sector, school feeding programme, free youth skills training

programmes, and special project support to Amerindian communities. This allocation approximates to

over 25 % of the annual national budget.

The pro-growth orientation drives the focus on investments, expansion and diversification of the

economic base of the country and involves ongoing infrastructural developments such as roads,

fibreoptic cable connections, telecommunications, energy, sea and river defenses, drainage and

irrigation, as well as diversification of agriculture and creating an enabling environment for investors. In

addition, a number of incentives are offered, including tax concessions, an improved regulatory

framework and delivery of services, soliciting new and more local and foreign interest in natural

resources, construction, tourism, and information technology. The GoG reports that new and emerging

sectors such as construction, information technology, tourism, diversified agriculture, and mining have

already contributed to the creation of over 5,000 jobs and have started to reduce the economy’s

dependence on sugar and bauxite, the traditional foreign currency earners.

The introduction of e-government to improve access to information and services is an important

investment in the future development of the country. This will improve equitable access to services and

opportunities, enhance transparency and accountability, and hence build greater trust and confidence.

This policy orientation has contributed to the reduction in absolute poverty from 43.2 percent in 1992 to

35 percent in 2008; improvement in the quality of life of the majority of the population; reduction in the

disparities between and among the ten administrative regions and urban centres; greater equity in

access to the delivery of services; and land rights and improved conditions of life in the Amerindian

communities. This has lead to one of the lowest inequality ratios in this hemisphere1. Coupled with

these achievements was a significant level of macro-economic stability that has been recognized by the

IMF in its most recent assessments November 2010 and February 2011.2 The 2011 annual budget

document reports that the stable economic growth pattern extended over the last 5 years, despite the

global fuel and food crisis and the global economic financial and economic recession, as evidenced by

the retention of 6 months’ foreign reserves of US$780 million in early 2011.

To create an enabling environment for growth and investments by the private sector, the GoG has

continued to reform the administration of revenue collection, including taxes and customs, developed

an electronic one-stop-shop for facilitating investors, expanded the number of government agency

websites where information is publicly posted, intensified anti-crime and crime prevention programmes

including trafficking in drugs and persons, and invested in the modernization of the law enforcement

agencies and the administration of justice.

1 World Bank- Assessment of Poverty in Guyana, 2008

2 Available on the IMF website.


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Guyana’s new developmental path based on the Low Carbon Development Strategy opens new vistas

for the development of a green economy whilst trading carbon credits and sustainably investing in

enhanced and expanded poverty reduction programmes, and social participation and inclusion.

Challenges to achieving the MDGs

The GoG has pursued the path prescribed by the MFIs to achieve economic growth that is private sector-

led, through economic liberalization and privatization. The global results in the last decade of this

strategy have been less than encouraging, except for China and some East Asian countries. The global

financial crisis and food shortages of the last 5 years have dimmed the hope of many countries of

attaining the MDGs. However, Guyana is still well placed to meet many of its targets (see Annex 2). The

GoG has adopted a more aggressive development role focusing on strengthening the integration of

economic and social policies and programmes that would significantly reduce inequality

(geographical/regional, economic, and social), and promote inclusivity in output to expand employment

opportunities.

Guyana, like all other developing countries, faces many challenges and risks based on the impact of

developments in the global economy. The country will have to continue to invest in building confidence

and trust measures at the national, regional, local and community levels, and evolving the embryonic

inclusive governance model. These continuous efforts towards a culture of peace and constructive

communication will be essential to building trust and removing perceptions of alienation.

Environmental challenges, presented by intensification of hydrometeorological conditions and other

hazards, will call on the country more and more to expend valuable resources on disaster risk reduction,

prevention and mitigation.

2.1.1. Selection of Areas for UN Assistance Analysis

In its review of entry points for UNCT development cooperation, a number of possibilities which were

identified as development priorities of the GoG were explored, with a view to finding those areas in

which the UNCT:

• Could promote and support the implementation of international standards, related to the MD ,

the MDGs, and international human rights instruments;

• Could convene, mobilize, and facilitate interaction with a range of national and international

partners;

• Can provide support to capacity development at all levels within a framework of national

ownership;

• Could conduct objective monitoring and evaluation of the national development framework;

and

• Can offer impartial policy advice, based on international experience, technical expertise, and

good practices.

In consideration of the UNCT strengths and opportunities available, the team formulated the following

statements of viable strategic intent that encompassed the GoG’s development goals in the agreed

UNDAF thematic areas:


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1. Transforming the economy while combating climate change and enhancing the quality

of life of Guyanese by utilizing the natural resources, while neither degrading nor

contaminating them. (Source: LCDS, NDS)

2. Expanding economic opportunities for all. (Source: PRS)

3. Enhancing an inclusive governance model based on the rule of law in which citizens

and their organisations participate in the decision-making processes that affect their

well-being. (Source: PRS)

4. Enhancing human and social services, especially for key populations at higher risk.

(Source: LCDS, NDS, PRS)

These statements represented areas in which the UN had done considerable normative and other work

that could make an impact on human development, and in

which there was space to partner with the GoG and other

development partners.

2.1.2 Conclusion

Jointly with the GoG, the strategic goals identified by the UNCT

were subjected to an objective analysis to narrow down the

specific type of development cooperation – both upstream in

the areas of policy, legislation and regulations, and

downstream in providing organisational and training protocols,

catalytic inputs of materials and medicines – that would

complement the work being done by both the government and

other development partners.

The body of analytical work that had already been done, led by

the government and other development partners, was

reviewed and found to be sufficiently thorough that it did not

require the UNCT to undertake a full CCA process. In addition,

a comprehensive analysis of the country situation - in relation

to the specified statements of strategic intent - was

undertaken through the development of respective thematic

papers. The UNCT opted to undertake a desk review of the

relevant issues, leaning heavily on the thematic papers, in

order to provide the context, scope and range for the UNDAF

and for actual programming. Such data and analytical gaps as

existed would be included in the focus of the technical

cooperation provided by the UN.

2.2 Thematic Analysis

Introduction

Major Floods on record for Georgetown

2005- 200,000 people were affected, 35,000 of them severely affected and homeless. UNICEF estimated that at least 50 per cent of those affected are children. The total loss incurred by those affected was huge and it took some residents extensive periods to recover, while others are still trying to recover. Cost of damage estimated at G$92.2 bn. 1934- A major flooding disaster that affected Georgetown and the entire East Coast. 1921- A heavy rainstorm, lasting over twenty-four hours, flooded some city streets and swept away bridges. Every decade since the 1920s has had flooding and sea breaches on a smaller scale. 1855- The "Kingston great flood" occurred. It is reported that the sea rose so high during spring tide that in the course of a few hours the upper part of the embankment was swept away, and seawater inundated the military land and the adjoining suburb of Kingston (Rodway). The structural response to this disaster led to a seawall being built up from Kingston to Kitty.


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FOREST RESERVES

According to the FAO, six major forest

formations are found in Guyana:

• broadleaved rainforest,

• seasonal evergreen and semi-

evergreen forest,

• dry evergreen forest,

• mountain forest,

• alluvial marsh forest, and

• swamp forest

Seasonal forests include the mangrove

forest, which is found along the

coastline. It provides protection to the

shoreline against erosion and is

important to marine life. Mangroves

have been seriously depleted by over-

exploitation, pollution, and natural

causes, and now cover about 1 percent

of the forest area.

Approximately 46 percent of the state-

owned forest has been allocated to

timber harvesting concessions, which

are divided into three categories based

on area and duration: state forest

permissions (annual permits), wood

cutting leases (3-15 years) and timber

sales agreements (10-25 years).

A number of operators are engaged in

small scale logging operation using

chainsaw, mobile sawmills to convert

logs into timber, cutting trees to make

firewood and burning trees to produce

charcoal.

Source: FAO (2009), Guyana Country Brief,

Georgetown, Guyana:

The UNCT and the GoG selected four areas for closer

examination: Environment and Sustainable

Development, Inclusive Growth, Inclusive Governance,

and Human and Social Development. The thematic issues

were reviewed to identify trends; successes; gaps;

disparities; challenges; common root causes; and

opportunities for UNCT advocacy, programme

cooperation, added value, and multiple impact.

2.2.1 Environment and Sustainable Development

Summary of the situation

Guyana’s land mass is host to considerable bio-diversity

and the GoG has made sustainable environmental

management one of its priorities. The constitution of

Guyana, in fact, directs the state to protect and safeguard

the environment and thus provides the basis for justifying

a sustainable approach to development. Guyana has

demonstrated its commitment to environmental

management by becoming a party to some fourteen (14)

Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).

This section focuses on three issues that the GoG has

identified as being of particular importance: climate

change; disaster risk reduction (DRR); and natural

resource management.

Much of Guyana’s forests are in an untouched and

unspoilt state. Even before climate change gained

prominence on the international development agenda,

the GoG recognized the importance of preserving and

conserving the rich forest cover and offered nearly one

million acres of forest to the rest of the world as a project

to research how tropical forests can be preserved while

simultaneously supporting local communities by involving

them in the sustainable conservation of the rainforest.

This project is currently known as the Iwokrama

International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and

Development Wilderness Preserve3.

Climate change is already having significant impact on

Guyana; for example records suggest an increase by 1.0°C

in the mean annual temperature in Georgetown within the last century (1909-1998). Prior to 1960,

annual rainfall amounts were generally above or about the long term average, but from 1960 there has

3 More information on this model project can be found at http://www.iwokrama.org


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been a tendency for below average rainfall; tide gauge data in Guyana for the period 1951 to 1979

indicated a mean relative sea level rise of 10.2 mm per year. This is more than five times the global

average over a similar period. These impacts are expected to increase over time and are projected to

include extreme weather events such as droughts and intense rainstorms that are already having an

impact. Projected sea level rise will devastate coastal areas where most of the social and economic

activities occur. Climate change is a threat to development and has greatest impact on the agricultural

sector and on the poor and vulnerable.

Recognizing the serious consequences for socio-economic development, the GoG has developed a Low

Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which sets out a new development path for the country. It is

based on deploying the country’s forests to mitigate global climate change and in return receive

payments from the world for its carbon service through the preservation of the forest4.

Within the coastal zone, occurrences such as sea level rise, destruction of mangroves, and coastal

subsidence add to the pressures on the coastal sea defense system. Additionally, some of the vegetative

cover on the coastal zone and the sandy plains further inland has been lost to activities such as mining,

agriculture, human settlements, and timber harvesting for fuel wood and to make charcoal.

Guyana is vulnerable to a range of natural and human-induced hazards which are exacerbated by global

climate change. Among the most significant natural hazards are droughts, fires and tropical storms.

Disaster risk arises when hazards interact with physical, social, economic and environmental

vulnerabilities. Events of hydrometeorological origin constitute the vast majority of disasters in Guyana

and usually impact inordinately on women, the elderly, children and rural residents. As such, disasters

present a major challenge to the economic stability of the country, sustainable poverty reduction and

alleviation, as well as growth and preservation of property, infrastructure and agriculture. These events

cause disease and suffering, and reduce food security.

Women are at greater risk because of their socio-economic vulnerabilities such as lower social and

economic status, lower participation rates in the labour force, higher rates of unemployment, and lower

wages, in addition to responsibility for domestic work and care of children, the sick, the elderly, and the

disabled. These vulnerabilities were ventilated at the community levels during the 2005 flood and are

now an important consideration in disaster prevention and mitigation.

Guyana’s wealth of natural resources includes, inter alia, forests, fresh water resources, gold, diamond,

bauxite, sand, fishery resources, and fertile/arable soil. The agencies responsible for regulating the

utilization of natural resources report to several subject ministers, making coordination a challenge.

The particular issues related to natural resources are discussed below, along with the particular

challenges of pollution and energy.

a) The country has seen the impact of over-fishing on both marine and fresh water species, and

measures had to be developed to introduce sustainable management. Aquaculture development is a

4 On November 9, 2009, Guyana and Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding Cooperation on Issues related

to the fight against Climate Change, the Protection of Biodiversity and the Enhancement of Sustainable Development. Guyana

expects to benefit from up to US$250 million over 5 years in exchange for attaining agreed and verifiable targets on limiting

greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The first tranche of US$30 million was disbursed to the

World Bank, the trustee for the fund on October 2010.


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means of diversifying agriculture, expanding rural livelihoods,

and improving food security, in addition to preserving the

natural fish stock.

b) Mining and quarrying are important rural area economic

activities, particularly in hinterland locations where isolation

and inadequate infrastructure impede the development of

agriculture. Inappropriate mining practices can contribute to

damage to the fragile tropical ecosystems as silt washes into

water bodies increasing turbidity and siltation. Deforestation

from gold mining can cause changes in soil quality that retard

forest regeneration and causes disturbances in terrain and

hydrology, creating breeding grounds for malaria vectors;

there is increased monitoring of the impact of this industry.

c) Biodiversity, a feature of the Guyana landscape, may be

put at risk by forest conversion and encroachment,

inappropriate management of water resources, changes in

water flows (especially in the interior regions where

indiscriminate mining practices have changed and/or

inhibited water flows), surface water pollution and salination,

over-fishing, and indiscriminate hunting and trapping. The

country is the fifth largest exporter of wild birds in the world5

and the disappearance of forests can reduce the natural

habitats for birds and other fauna. In addition, modern

farming methods and deforestation also endanger genetic

diversity of several species of flora; the preservation of

biodiversity and minimizing the risk factors are therefore of

paramount importance.

d) Pollution caused by poor solid waste management is

another stressor to the environment. Especially problematic

are the plastic bottles and Styrofoam containers which often

end up as floating debris in drainage canals and waste heaps.

Public education and improved disposal systems have been

introduced, but the principles of “reducing, reusing, and

recycling” need to be reinforced. On the coast, waterways

are also contaminated by inappropriate waste water disposal,

which can be exacerbated by urbanisation, squatter

settlements, and unregulated industrial practices.

5 LCDS, p28. Wildlife trade is controlled internationally by the Convention on the Trade of Endangered Species

(CITES), which ensures that the species being traded are not endangered and that the amount of wildlife being

exported is not depleting animal populations in the wild.

Priority Areas Identified under the

LCDS:

The LCDS estimates that the total adaptation costs for Guyana will exceed US$1 billion at the national level. While all of the adaptation needs will have to be met eventually, the government has identified a portfolio of urgent, near-term investments in the highest priority areas where the population and economic activity are concentrated. These include: � Hydropower (US$675 million) � Fiber Optic Cable/Technology

Park (US$10 million to $30 million)

� Drainage, irrigation, road construction, and off-grid power to improve access and provide infrastructure for agro-investment in currently unused, non-forested land (US$200 million to $400 million)

� Upgrading infrastructure and assets to protect against flooding through urgent, near-term measures (US$225 million);

� Establishing the climate change adaptation needs of Guyana’s hinterland regions, including forest communities (US$10 million);

� Addressing systemic and behavioral concerns (US$33 million);

� Developing financial and risk/insurance measures to boost resiliency post flooding (US$10 million);

� Switching to flood-resistant crops (US$10 million).


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e) Energy consumption per capita in Guyana is among the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean

(ECLAC, 2005). Although the energy intensity6 of GDP has been on the decline, after peaking at over 12

percent in 1990, this index has been on the increase from 2003. Energy is essential to development,

but it needs to be sustainable, clean, and affordable. The main source of energy in the built up areas is

electricity from fossil fuels and a small amount is cogenerated from bagasse. A reduction in

consumption of energy from these sources would contribute to reduced reliance on imported fuels,

hence mitigating energy supply security risk and decreasing the cost of energy supply. If Guyana is able

to reduce its energy intensity, it could reduce energy consumption which would translate into a

reduction of petroleum consumption. The immediate environmental and broader social benefits as well

– reducing CO2 emissions and contributing to job creation both directly and indirectly though the

benefits of increased cost competitiveness resulting from lower energy intensity. There is tremendous

potential for energy from renewable sources particularly solar and hydro, which is being developed by

the GoG. However providing access to remote settlements is a challenge.

6 Consumption of energy (in thousands of barrels of oil equivalent) for each million dollars of GDP (in constant

2000 dollars)


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National Response

Four new entities were created to address climate change issues and implement the LCDS:

� Office of Climate Change (OCC) in the Office of the President (OP), to support work on climate and

coordinate the engagement of multilateral processes, including the UNFCCC;

� Low Carbon Strategy Project Management Office, to manage project development under the LCDS;

� Guyana REDD Investment Fund (GRIF), to manage forest payments, reduce cost of capital on other

essential investments, and act as repository of low carbon investments; and

� REDD Secretariat at the GFC, which will be the implementing agency for “REDD readiness” activities,

including the development and implementation of a monitoring, reporting and verification system.

In addition, a number of existing institutions which focus on natural resources management, such as the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Guyana

Forestry Commission (GFC), Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Lands and

Surveys Commission (GLSC), are being strengthened to ensure that social and environmental safeguards

are applied to the appropriate internationally recognized standards.

In relation to disaster risk reduction, national response by the GoG has been structural and non

structural. Currently, a National Emergency Action Plan is being developed and institutional capacity is

being built to respond to natural disasters and climate change. In addition, the government is supporting

the development and implementation of policies that manage and reduce the likelihood of physical,

economic, and social shocks from natural disasters. A brief overview of public sector responses is as

follows:

� Expansion and upgrade of the sea defence walls and dams, supported by the EU.

� Upgrade of the Conservancy infrastructure, including strengthening dam construction and

rehabilitating existing drainage canals, and constructing the Hope canal, supported by the World

Bank and Japan.

� Rehabilitation of outfall channels and other lowland drainage structures to improve the flood

control capacity of the EDWC.

� Provision of early warning mechanisms: a weather monitoring mechanism using a Doppler radar

provides continuous surveillance of approaching weather conditions, and public information notices

of high tides continue to be provided.

� Development of a Regional Early Warning System: The UN has been collaborating with CIDA under

the Caribbean Water Initiative (CARIWIN) project in the area of Water Information Systems. The

Caribbean Drought and Precipitation Monitoring Network (CDPMN), which aims to be the genesis of

a comprehensive regional early warning system, has been established by CARIWIN in collaboration

with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology. The Government of Guyana has

requested assistance from a UN agency to develop community-based water information systems.

� Development of a National Water Information System (NWIS) for Guyana, supported by the

Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) under a Japanese International

Cooperation Agency (JICA)-funded project. The NWIS serves as a repository for hydrologic, climate,

land, infrastructure and water-related data and will contribute to the strengthening of integrated

water resource management.


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� The Civil Defence Commission, CDC, with support from the UN and the IDB in a US$2 million, four-

year project, is working to strengthen the country’s capacity to reduce the risks of natural disasters

and to provide a strategic guidance framework to prepare for, respond to, and recover from floods,

the National Flood Preparedness and Response Plan (NFPRP). The CDC has also acquired

Geographical Information System (GIS) software which will be used in natural resource

management, vulnerability assessment, flood hazard mapping, agricultural insurance, and

combating climate change. The Health, Water, Agriculture, Education and Child Protection sectors

each have emergency preparedness and response plans developed through their respective

ministries. The Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Housing & Water have comprehensive plans,

which include actions at the decentralized Regional levels.

� Guyana Red Cross and OXFAM have, in collaboration with the CDC, developed and implemented

community preparedness and response planning interventions for communities in the most

vulnerable areas. The Ministry of Education has initiated DRR planning at the school level.

� In the area of defense and drainage infrastructure, the Government has progressively increased

spending on sea and river defense and drainage and irrigation, from G$6.4 billion in 2008 to G$7.6

billion in 2009. In 2010, government spent approximately G$9.2 billion in these areas.

� Plans developed to promote the sustainable management of natural resources include: (i) National

Strategy for the Conservation of Biological Diversity, (ii) National Biodiversity Action Plan, (iii)

Fisheries Management Plan; (iv) National

Mangrove Management Plan, (v) Draft National

Forestry Action Plan, (vi) Draft National Solid

Waste Policy, and (vii)Strategic Plan for the

Sanitation Sector.

� Establishment of a public-private partnership for

the Amaila Falls Hydropower facility, aimed at

boosting generating power.

Other Civil Defence Commission

Initiatives • strengthen the early warning system for

floods and droughts, • enhance emergency communications, • improve search and rescue, • establish minimum acceptable

standards for emergency shelters, • strengthen capacity to manage relief

supplies, • develop mass casualty plans and a

national disaster risk management policy,

• train community leaders, and • mitigate flood risk in pilot communities,

and develop guidelines for training technical staff of ministries to incorporate disaster risk reduction in agricultural planning and environmental management.


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Conclusion

For Guyana to undertake climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, the continued support of

the donor community is necessary to mobilize funding support within and outside of the LCDS. Guyana

hopes to garner enough forest payments to be able to undertake these projects, and the key challenges

and issues include (i) securing sustainable international funding to execute the projects; (ii) undertaking

research on climate change and its impact on human health, for example the emergence of new tropical

diseases; and (iii) strengthening human resilience to climate change at the community level.

In the area of DRR, there are some institutional and capacity challenges that need to be addressed in

order to build resilience at the community and national levels. Sustainable management of natural

resources requires introduction of normative standards and enhanced awareness among the populace

and the regulators. Management of genetic resources, especially in-situ, to ensure preservation of local

knowledge; generation of new knowledge; sustainable use for industry (e.g. pharmaceutical, food,

agriculture); and access to, and sharing of commercial benefits from Guyana’s genetic resources should

be given greater priority on the national agenda. This must be accompanied by legislative and

cataloguing systems for the prevention of bio-genetic theft and pirating of indigenous bio-genetic

resources.

There is need for enhanced public education and awareness of climate change, disaster risk reduction,

and sustainable management of the environment.

The areas of challenge that the UN agencies can address given their respective mandates and resources

include DRR, natural resources management, and expanding access to clean energy for development.

The UN agencies’ technical cooperation will address strengthening capacity, and providing skills training

and best practice exemplars in policy reform and regulatory practice.

2.2.2 Inclusive Growth


Economic growth is essential to the reduction and alleviation of poverty. Expectations of economic

performance are premised on the rapid growth experienced during the period 1991-1997, when average

annual real GDP expanded by over 7 percent. In 2010, Guyana’s economy performed credibly, in spite

of the global economic crisis. The disastrous floods of December 2005 and February 2006 caused real

GDP to contract by 1.9 percent, however there was a strong recovery in 2006, when growth of 5.1

percent was experienced, which continued in the ensuing period to 20107.

Projections of real GDP growth in the short- to medium-term have been estimated by the World Bank at

an average of 4.8 percent per annum during 2011-2013; the IMF estimates 4.0 percent for 2009-2013.

7 IMF PIN 2009, published in 2010, commended Guyana for its macroeconomic management that helped to buffer

the effects of the crises.


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The GoG recognises the importance of economic growth performance

to achieving targets in poverty reduction and alleviation. Compared to

many Caribbean countries and in spite of the global financial crisis,

recent economic performance has been encouraging. A significant

portion of the economy is linked to natural resources, and as such it is

vulnerable to natural disasters. As shown in the table below,

agriculture, mining, and manufacturing accounted for about 40

percent of GDP in the last 4 years.

Table Showing GDP at 2006 Prices by Industrial Origin (G$ million)

INDUSTRY

2007

2008

2009

2010

Agriculture, Fishing and Forestry Contribution to GDP

63,131 (22.4%)

61,280 (21.3%)

62,060 (20.9%)

62,368 (20.3%)

Mining and Quarrying Contribution to GDP

32,196 (11.4%)

32,166 (11.2%)

31,233 (10.5%)

29,078 (9.5%)

Manufacturing (Sugar, Rice and Other) Contribution to GDP

20,784 (7.0%)

19,863 (6.9%)

20,714 (7.0%)

20,770 (6.8%)

Other (Electricity, Water, Construction, Trade, ICT, Finance, Public Administration, Education, Health Social Services, Real Estate and Other Services)

Contribution to GDP

165,224 (58.4%)

173,587 (60.5%)

182,410 (61.5%)

194,982 (63.5%)

Total 281,335 286,896 296,417 307,198

Sectoral performance from the table above reflects a minor decline in Agriculture, since the contraction

in the sugar industry was offset by the improvements in other crops, which exceeded sugar’s

contribution to GDP from 2008. The “Other Crops” category grew by 5% from 58% of GDP to 63%. The

activities in this category which showed consistent growth included wholesale and retail trade, public

administration, construction and transport.

Private sector development and improving the business climate have played an important role in the

positive growth experienced since 2006. According to the IMF (2010), private investment averaged

above 5 percent of GDP during 2006 to 2010. At the end of 2009, loans and advances to the private

sector were G$60.5 billion (23.7 percent of GDP), 27.6 percent above that recorded in 2002. Ongoing

reforms led to improvements in the business climate: the 2009 Doing Business Report showed positive

changes in contract enforcement, employing workers, and dealing with construction permits.

However, these positive developments are threatened by concerns relating to crime and citizen security,

and capacity constraints in tertiary level skills, infrastructure, and institutions exist. Despite major focus

on capacity development and strengthening human capital by the GoG, retention remains a challenge.

GROW MORE Food production and exports of non-traditional crops have been boosted by the government’s “Grow More Food” campaign. Moreover, this increased production of non-traditional agriculture has contributed to an expansion of intra- and extra-regional trade and an improvement in


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The factors briefly outlined above suggest that expanding Guyana’s national economy in coming years

will depend on the country’s ability to raise its productivity, improve its competitiveness in international

markets, and diversify its productive base. Key to all these challenges is that of acquiring and retaining

skills.

National Response

The GoG continues to pursue economic growth and the reduction of poverty. The programmes

implemented include reforms in the financial sector, such as rebasing the GDP and introducing Value

Added Tax in 2007; maintaining investments in the social sector, particularly in social assistance for the

elderly and children; introducing a “Grow More” campaign in the agricultural sector (see box);

formulating the LCDS; improving competitiveness; and investing in drivers of growth.

As noted above, in an attempt to improve the quality of the GDP to more accurately reflect the reality of

the economy, two policy initiatives were introduced: 1) a Value Added Tax in 2007, and 2) the rebasing

of the economy using 2006 prices, which took place in 2009.

Recognizing the economic realities, the GoG has made competitiveness and the need to raise private

investment and growth the central issues of the policy agenda. The National Competitiveness Strategy

particularly addresses skills shortages with a “brain gain” programme. The national authorities have

used fiscal policy (for instance: lowering of the excise tax twice from its standard rate of 50% to that of

30% in 2009) and monetary policy (for example: managing exchange rates) to build the resilience

Guyana showed in the crises. This was also instrumental in reducing the impact on the domestic

economy and protecting the private sector.

Improving South-South relations has been important for business. In particular, intra-regional trade has

been expanding, which aids Guyana’s development, especially through export of agricultural produce,

provided volumes can be maintained. Key markets exist within the Caribbean and South America, and

Guyana is a member of the respective main regional bodies, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and

the Union of South American Nations, UNASUR. Guyana is an active member and proponent of the

Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), and fosters trade links through improved relations with

bordering states, for example with Brazil, which offers the potential to be a catalyst for private sector

development opportunities. The downside of trade liberalization has been the growing trend in food

imports.

The GoG is working to construct a road link from Linden to Lethem and to bridge the Corentyne River.

When completed, this road link between Guyana and Brazil would establish a communications network,

opening new vistas and markets; creating an economic space for increased trade, investment and capital

flows, and functional cooperation.

To address the employment challenges, the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security has

resuscitated the Employment Bureau and has initiated employment promotion services, such as

registration of jobseekers, employment counseling, and job matching and placement in the private and

public sectors. In addition to (re)training the workforce to be adequately qualified for jobs offered in the

labour market, efforts have been made to facilitate the finding and filling of vacancies by job-seekers.

The Central Recruitment Manpower Agency (CRMA) works to match job-seekers to vacancies, ensuring a

more efficient allocation of workers across the system.


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Several measures have been taken to address crime and citizen security, including the Citizens Security

Programme, the Community Action Component has resulted in improvements in community policing

and implementation of other community security strategies which have engaged out of school youth

through innovative interventions including skills training and other social programmes; modernization of

the Police Force; establishment of a National Commission on Law and Order; and establishment of

bilateral, multilateral, and regional agreements to counteract international criminal activity, including

drug trafficking and terrorism.

There are troubling reductions in the availability of development aid globally. This means that Guyana

will need to mobilize domestic capital and ensure effective and sustainable use of the aid that it

receives. Growth prospects for the period 2012 – 2016 hinge on the global recovery, the turnaround in

the sugar sector, accelerated growth in the non-sugar sector and new growth areas. Significant upside

growth potential also derives from successful implementation of the LCDS and the materialization of the

imminent large private sector investment projects. Fiscal consolidation is expected to be maintained in

the medium-term with the overall balance after grants averaging 3.8 percent per annum during 2011-

2013, down from the projected 5.9 percent in 2010. This improvement is premised on further reforms

to the tax system and tax administration, improvements in budget and expenditure management,

rationalization and increased prioritization of the PSIP and continued sustainable debt management

strategy.

Above all else, it is recognised that the economy must diversify and broaden its base, and sectors and

industries must operate at higher levels of efficiency and productivity.

Conclusion

Accelerating the expansion of the economy in the coming years will depend on the speed and extent to

which the GoG is able to improve productivity, raise competitiveness, diversify the productive base,

train and retain a skilled labour force and reduce poverty. The GoG has several plans to accelerate and

share economic growth, described in various documents such as the NDS, the PRS II and, more recently,

the LCDS. The NDS is designed to achieve a number of key overall development objectives, including

attaining the highest rates of economic growth possible, diversifying the economy, eliminating poverty,

attaining an equitable geographic distribution of economic activity, and achieving geographical unity.

The vision of the LCDS is to transform Guyana’s economy by exploiting the country’s natural resources

through the prudent use of the natural environment. It sets out the priorities for the period 2010-2015,

which are geared toward stimulating investment, economic growth, and job creation, as well as

improving security and social services, protecting vulnerable sections of society, and dealing with

increased climate change-induced flooding.8 Through this strategic approach, it is estimated that

Guyana can generate economic growth at or in excess of projected Latin American growth rates over the

coming decade.9

8 http://www.lcds.gov.gy, accessed May 2011.

9 Guyana’s National GHG Inventory (1998 UNFCCC Reporting); McKinsey & Company, “Global GHG Abatement Cost

Curve v2” (2009)


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Given the situation outlined above and the discussions with the GoG, the UNCT members will focus on

supporting investment in drivers of growth, competitiveness, job creation/labour markets, youth

employment, and regional integration.


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2.2.3 Inclusive Governance


Guyana is diverse country in terms of ethnic composition,

religious and cultural practices, political affiliations, and

resource endowment.

The country has a working multi-party parliamentary

democracy with free and democratic electoral processes. The

Executive branch consists of the President, Prime Minister and

the Cabinet. The Legislative Parliament is a unicameral

National Assembly of 65 members elected by popular vote10.

In addition, it includes a maximum of four non-voting ministers

and two non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries

appointed by the President; members serve five-year terms.

The Judiciary branch consists of the Supreme Court of

Judicature: the High Court and the Court of Appeal, with right

of final appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice.

The two main political parties, the People’s Progressive Party -

Civic (PPP-C) and the People’s National Congress – Reform

(PNC-R) have constituencies that are located primarily in the

Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese communities, respectively,

and there is a perception of the overriding influence of

ethnicity of voters’ choices. However, both parties agree on

the need for social and political stability, respect for cultural

diversity, harmony, and good governance. The general election in 2006 was noteworthy for being free of

disruptions and certified fair by international and internal observers, and the GoG, through the GECOM

and other mechanisms, is taking steps to ensure that the 2011 elections are also free and fair.

The discussion of the governance situation is focused on participation, accountability and transparency,

women’s representation, local government, and rule of law.

Participation

In accordance with the Constitution, elections to the National Assembly and the 10 Regional Democratic

Councils (RDCs) should occur every 5 years. The Reformed Constitution provides for a level of power

sharing between the party in government and the parliamentary opposition with the following

mechanisms: the President must have “meaningful consultations” with the Leader of the Opposition on

the appointment of key constitutional post holders. The Office of the Leader of the Opposition was

enshrined in the Constitution and changed from Minority Leader.

10

The National Assembly is a hybrid system of proportional representation and geographic constituencies. Forty

(40) members are elected from the National “Top Up” lists and twenty-five (25) from 10 Geographic

Constituencies, which correspond to the 10 Administrative Regions. The geographic seats are allocated in

accordance with the Constitution.

WHAT IS GOVERNANCE? “Governance can be seen as the exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a country’s affairs at all levels. It comprises the mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations and mediate their differences. Good governance is….participatory, transparent and accountable. It is also effective and equitable. And it promotes the rule of law. Good governance ensures that political, social and economic priorities are based on broad consensus in society and that the voices of the poorest and the most vulnerable are heard in decision-making over the allocation of development resources.”

UNDP. 2007. Governance policy paper


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Accountability and Transparency

The GoG pursues a deepening of democracy through regular multi-stakeholder consultations between

government and civil society, nationally, and at sector and regional levels, and seeks to foster social

harmony and engender widespread understanding and ownership of the country’s challenges, strategies

and solutions.

In keeping with the agreement to improve

accountability and transparency and to build public

trust, the role of the Parliamentary Public Accounts

Committee (PAC) has expanded. The Auditor General

reports to the Speaker of the House and the PAC,

which is chaired by the Opposition. New manuals and

guidelines for awarding contracts by ministries and

other government bodies have been developed and

relevant rules, procedures, and powers have been put

in place.

The GoG recognizes that public procurement is a vital part of the overall fiscal system, and transparency

in this area is essential for good public financial management and for public trust and confidence in the

integrity of the government. As such, efforts continue to develop a stronger fiduciary oversight and

accountability system.

Women’s Representation

Women have held positions such as the Presidency and several ministerial posts, as well as positions in

the senior and middle level management of the public sector. The constitutional reform period

introduced a new eligibility requirement for political parties to contest national and regional elections

which mandates one-third of the party list of candidates must be female. In the 9th Parliament (2006-

2011) there are 22 female MPs out of 65, or about 30 percent. This proportion is also reflected in

Cabinet, where 6 out of 18 members are women, i.e. 33 percent.

According to the Global Report on the Status of Women in Parliament 2010, Guyana is ranked 25 of 186

countries with 30 percent female MPs. In this regard Guyana ranks above developed countries such as

Canada (51), United Kingdom (52), United States of America (73), as well as Trinidad and Tobago (28),

Jamaica, and Grenada (87).

Women’s participation in civil society is evident but leadership tends to be male-dominated as is the

case in the labour movement. Nominees from civil society for the Women and Gender Equality

Commission and the Rights of the Child Commission were over 90 percent female. There are 4 women

among the 12-member Indigenous Peoples Commission. Despite the gains made by women there is still

need for work to be done in encouraging their participation at the level of local government.

Local Government

In order to further strengthen popular participation and inclusion, the constitutional reform process

provided for reform of the local government system. As a result, agreement was reached between the

Government and Opposition parties on a hybrid proportional representation/“first past the post”

system for the 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and the 6 Municipalities. However, local

government elections have been deferred for the past 14 years (see box) and are expected to be held

under the new system in 2012.

Women hold key constitutional posts in the

administration and judicial sectors such as the

Director of Public Prosecutions, Chief

Magistrate, Principal Magistrate, 1/3 of the

judges and ½ of the magistrates, the Registrars

of the Supreme Court, the Land Court and the

Deeds Registry, as well as the Director of Budget

The Deputy Speaker from the Opposition and

the Chief Whip for the government are also

female


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Rule of Law

Equal rights is a constitutional principle according to which all citizens, irrespective of race, nationality,

ethnic origin, religion, sex, political views, wealth or social origin are equally entitled to enjoy all the

rights envisaged in the Constitution and the Law, and participate equally in civil, political, economic,

social, and cultural life without discrimination. In this regard the policies of the government uphold

these constitutional tenets and focus efforts on implementation and improving access to delivery of

services and better public information. The GoG has established its commitment to these principles

globally as a signatory to the ICESR, the CERD and the ICCPR.

Guyana upholds human rights standards in consonance with international treaties and as enshrined in

its constitution. Torture and inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment is prohibited in Guyana.

The rights of children, women, and girls are protected; the government has enacted a battery of modern

laws in the last 2 years to criminalize violence, exploitation and abuse against women and children. The

rights of Amerindians are protected both constitutionally and in law. Again the GoG has established a

global position on these issues as a signatory to the CRC, CEDAW and CAT.

National Response

During the period up to 2006, Parliament acquired several executive features:

• Reduction in presidential powers

Parliament guides the President on a number of appointments and decisions that were formerly

entirely at the discretion of that Office. The power to dissolve Parliament (almost) at will has

been removed. The appointment of service commissions – Public, Police, Judicial and Teaching,

which was formerly done by the President in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition,

now follows a procedure in which the Parliamentary Appointments Committee recommends

nominees to the National Assembly for approval, which are then forwarded to the President for

swearing in. Parliament also plays a key role in appointing constitutional post holders including

the Commissioner of Police, Judges and the members of Constitutional Commissions: (The

rights based 5 (Ethnic Relations, Women and Gender Equality, Rights of the Child, Indigenous

Peoples, and Human Rights Commissions) plus the Integrity and Public Procurement

Commissions. Constitutionally, the President is allowed four technocratic ministers; other

Cabinet members come from the list of electoral candidates.

• Greater oversight of Government

Parliament is no longer an extension of the Executive. The role of the Opposition is, in

consultation with the Government, to contribute meaningfully to national policies and

programmes. Parliament has four sector Committees: Natural Resources, Foreign Relations,

Economic Services, and Social Services. The Opposition sits on these Committees and holds the

rotating chair for two of the four. The important Public Accounts Committee is chaired by the

Opposition and performs its mandated role by using the Auditor General’s Report, which is

presented directly to the National Assembly.

• New parliamentary management system

The above changes were accompanied by adjustments in the management of the National

Assembly, e.g. through the Parliamentary Management Committee (PMC), comprising

representatives of all Parties in the National Assembly. The PMC determines the agenda of

Parliament. A new parliamentary standing committee to oversight the Disciplined Forces was

established in the 9th Parliament and is functioning, and there are special facilities for Opposition

business to be addressed by the National Assembly.


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To amplify the voice of civil society, a National Stakeholders Forum was created in 2008, which brings

together the 16 umbrella religious organizations from the three major religions (the Inter-Religious

Organization); the two umbrella labour movements; the four umbrella business sector organizations;

women’s organizations; and the National Toushaos Council. This represents a coming together of bodies

that can speak for over 50% of the Guyanese population.

In addition, the GoG has facilitated the development of a number of community development groups

which has allowed for greater involvement of people in their communities’ affairs and contributed to

the betterment of their communities. There are over 300 functioning in the country and oversight is

provided by GoG through an office staffed with a coordinator and support staff.

Fiduciary oversight, transparency, and accountability are being built via several legislative instruments

since 2003, such as the Procurement Act, the Audit Act, the Fiscal Enactments Act, the Financial

Institutions Act, and the Financial Management and Accountability Act. These are supported by new

manuals and policy guidelines and access to information on various websites such as that of the

National Procurement Tender Administration, where the minutes of the Board’s meetings, awards of

contracts, and standard bidding documents are easily available. A new website, www.eprocure.gov.gy,

has enhanced transparency and equity in access to hiring and procurement practices and opportunities.

Conclusion

There are several issues that require follow-up to continue building inclusive governance in Guyana as

provided by the constitution, statutes, and administration; these challenges were evaluated in relation

to the strengths of the UN. As a result the interventions that have been identified for support are those

related to building social cohesion, peace, public trust and confidence:

• Participation and inclusivity,

• Accountability and transparency,

• Capacity building of the new rights commissions and

the Parliament, and

• Electoral processes.

These areas are all accommodated within the mandate

of the UN, which has global expertise at its disposal on

these matters and hence has a very high comparative

advantage.

2.2.4 Human and Social Development


The average annual social sector expenditures for 2005

to 2009 amounted to 34 percent of total GoG

expenditures and 11 percent of GDP, which is roughly

equivalent to the average in Latin America and the Caribbean. Continuing a prioritization that has been

evident since 1997, the largest proportion of the social budget of 2010 was allocated to education

(38%), followed by health (25%), housing and water (14%), social protection (10%), community services

Social Sector Expenditure

Education as % of National

budget Health as % of National budget

2010 15.3 6.9

2009 15.7 6.6

2008 15.5 6.6

2007 17.1 5.1

2006 13.0 4.9

2005 13.7 7.5

Source: Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2011 9th Parliament of 2011

Guyana Under the Constitution of Guyana

First Session 2006 - 2011


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(6%), and poverty alleviation programs (7%). Expenditure on housing has been steady on average at 1.5

percent of GDP since 1997, peaking in 2003 at 3.2 percent (PRS II 2008).

Despite disparities in the poverty rate, mainly attributable to geographic location, and the fact that

there has been no regression in poverty rates between 1999 (35% living below the poverty line, 19%

living in extreme poverty)11 and 2006, there is less inequality in consumption, as indicated by Gini

coefficients of, respectively, 0.413 and 0.35 in those years.12 This can be attributed to the fact that

poverty reduction has also been addressed through the provision of services that satisfy basic needs,

particularly for population groups at higher risk. Examples include free health and education services, a

universal school uniform programme, automatic waiver of the tariff for water supply up to a specified

maximum for older persons who satisfy certain criteria, eligibility of all persons over 65 years to receive

a state pension, public assistance to those in especially difficult circumstances, and the Single Parent

Assistance programme.

The social spending programme has also been instrumental in maintaining the government’s poverty

alleviation thrust. While early expansive economic growth during 1991-1997 enabled absolute and

extreme poverty to decline from 43.2 percent and 28.7 percent respectively in 1992/93 to 36.3 percent

and 19.1 percent in 1999; evidence from the HBS 2006 shows that absolute poverty remained at 36.1

percent.

Expenditure in the health sector increased between 2005 and 2011, from 7.5 percent of the budget to

9.7 percent in 2011. Per capita expenditure on health increased from US$61 in 2005 to US$79 in 2008;

12 percent of health expenditure was from private, out-of-pocket expenses. The GoG provided primary

health care, hospital services, and administration.

The GoG reports that education is financed primarily by Central Government, and is, on average, 15% of

GDP, and is projected at 15.8 percent in 2011.

The GoG has committed to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as a complementary framework

for national development. The table in Annex 2 represents Guyana’s progress towards the MDGs and

provides some idea of the policy environment intended to facilitate achievement of the MDGs.

11 Guyana Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 2001-2005.

http://www.imf.org/External/NP/prsp/2002/guy/01/052302.pdfm accessed 7 April 2010.

12 Guyana Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 2008-2012.


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.

Health

The GoG has renewed its commitment to achieving

all the health MDGs. The Minister of Health has

identified combating childhood illnesses and

maternal deaths - related to MDGs 4 and 5 - as the

country’s most important public health goals for the

next five years13. In some areas, such as HIV,

substantial progress has been made, as evidenced by

decreases in HIV prevalence among pregnant

women (2.3% in 2004 to 1.1% in 2009) and

decreases in mother-to-child transmission of HIV

from 16% in 2005 to 3.8% in 200914.

In 2008, the five leading causes of death, in rank

order, were ischaemic heart diseases,

cerebrovascular diseases, neoplasms (cancer),

diabetes, and HIV. Intentional self-harm (suicide)

ranked 7th, land transport accidents 11th, and assault

(homicide) 12th (MOH Statistics Unit).

The picture in regard to morbidity patterns,

however, differs considerably. The leading causes of

morbidity for all age groups include: malaria; acute

respiratory infections; hypertension; accidents and

injuries; acute diarrhoeal disease; diabetes mellitus;

worm infestation; rheumatic arthritis; and mental

and nervous disorders. This morbidity profile can be

improved substantially through enhanced preventive

health care, better education on health issues, more

widespread access to potable water and sanitation

services, and increased access to basic health care of

good quality.

Education

The 2002 National Census report indicated the

highest level of education achieved by the citizens of

Guyana was 62 percent secondary, 26 percent

primary, 8.5 percent tertiary and 3 percent nursery

13

Guyana Chronicle Online August 16, 2010. “Ministry ups fight against childhood illnesses, maternal deaths”

14 Guyana Presidential Commission on HIV and AIDS, UNGASS Country Progress Report, January 2008 – December

2009

Health Service Provision Health services are provided at five different levels in the public sector: Level I: Local Health Posts (166 in total) that provide preventive and simple curative care for common diseases and attempt to promote proper health practices. Community health workers staff them. Level II: Health Centres (109 in total) that provide preventive and rehabilitative care and promotion activities. These are ideally staffed with a medical extension worker or public health nurse, along with a nursing assistant, a dental nurse and a midwife. Level III: Nineteen District Hospitals (with 473 beds) that provide basic in-patient and outpatient care (although more the latter than the former) and selected diagnostic services. They are also meant to be equipped to provide simple radiological and laboratory services, and to be capable of gynaecology, providing preventive and curative dental care. They are designed to serve geographical areas with populations of 10,000 or more. Level IV: Four Regional Hospitals (with 620 beds) that provide emergency services, routine surgery and obstetrical and gynaecological care, dental services, diagnostic services and specialist services in general medicine and paediatrics. They are designed to include the necessary support for this level of medical service in terms of laboratory and X-ray facilities, pharmacies and dietetic expertise. These hospitals are located in Regions 2, 3, 6 and 10. Level V: The National Referral Hospital (937 beds) in Georgetown that provides a wider range of diagnostic and specialist services, on both an in-patient and out-patient basis; the Psychiatric Hospital in Canje; and the Geriatric Hospital in Georgetown. There is also one children’s rehabilitation centre. In addition to these facilities, there are 10 private hospitals, plus diagnostic facilities, clinics and dispensaries in those sectors. Source: Ministry of Health


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education. This indicates that the population is relatively well educated, since 70.5 percent have

secondary or higher level education. In the 1992 poverty survey the relationship of low educational

attainment with poverty was established.

The census also indicated that the differential by sex at both national and regional levels was very small.

However, while more males than females were observed to have completed primary level more females

than males completed secondary and tertiary education. Regional variations exist as expected, with the

highest proportion having no education occurring in the hinterland regions (1, 7, 8 and 9) compared to

regions along the coastal belt and with urban centres.

The 94 percent enrolment rate is evidence of progress made in providing access to primary education

and ensuring equity in primary enrolment nationwide. Gender parity has been achieved, and the GoG

expects that primary education will be universal by 2015, thus the country will achieve universal primary

education (MDG 2). Primary attendance (approximately 77%) is less encouraging; however, the

completion rate of 95% for boys and girls is satisfactory. Repetition rates have declined to below 2% for

boys and girls and the drop-out rate, which was 4 % for a number of years declined to 3 % in 2007-2008.

These are indications that methodologies such as active learning and school/community partnerships

evident in the child-friendly schools programme and strategies in the Education for All–Fast Track

Initiative are garnering positive results.

At the secondary school level, data shows that enrolment has moved from 45 percent in 1992 to 75

percent in 2009, with improved rates of completion in same years. However Guyana still faces

challenges in relation to the quality of education. The MoE has encouraged the formation of PTAs in

every school and the establishment of school boards. Campaigns to help parents play a greater role in

their children’s education have also been introduced.

Several investments in the University of Guyana are planned, focusing on the environment, science and

technology. Key among these investments are the creation of an International Centre of Excellence for

Biodiversity Research, and the further development of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences,

which will facilitate greening of the economy with the provision of new scientific and technical skills and

capacity and will contribute to elevating the profile of the university and country in this field.

Housing, Water, and Sanitation

The national housing programme has played a key role in the social and economic development of

Guyana, with the distribution of public land at low cost to low-

income households. This has had multiplier effects beyond

providing shelter, security of tenure and safer environments.

Reinforced by access to loans at low interest, there has been

development in the local manufacturing and construction

industry; creation of jobs and the spin off impact of improving

citizens’ well-being, dignity, and self-esteem, and reducing

poverty.15 In addition, the squatter regularisation programme

commenced in 2001 to provide legal title of land to the

occupants; this has led to 5,529 families holding title to their

property for the first time. The GoG partners with non-

governmental organizations (NGOs), such as Food for The Poor

15 Universal Periodic Review Report (Guyana), May 2010, pp. 7 and 8.

Amerindian Development:

The Amerindian Act 2006 provides for detailed rights in relation to the Amerindians, especially land rights. It provides generally for the recognition and protection of the collective rights of Amerindian Villages and Communities, the granting of land to Amerindian Villages and Communities and the promotion of good governance within Amerindian Villages and Communities. This is the primary legislation on the property rights of indigenous peoples over lands, territories and natural resources further complemented with other statutes.


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and Habitat for Humanity, to build low income houses for the

extremely poor.

WHO and UNICEF report an increase in access to improved

drinking water from 89% in 2000 to 94% of the population in

2008. Through the Ministry of Housing and Water and the

Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), the Government developed its

strategic short term plan, 2007-2010 - “The Turnaround Plan” -

to guide GWI to improve governance, efficiency, sustainability

and financial viability16. The GWI is currently developing a new

medium-term strategic plan.

UNICEF reported in its 2006 MICS that sanitary means of excreta

disposal is almost universal (98%), where 53% use traditional pit

latrines and 40% employ septic tanks.

Empowerment/Welfare/Poverty

The latest poverty figures available revealed that 36.1% of the

population lived in moderate poverty and 18.6% in extreme

poverty (2006 data). This is a reduction from, respectively, 43.2%

and 28.7% in 1992.17 The UNDP’s Human Development Report

2010 classifies Guyana as a “medium human development”

country. Currently, Guyana ranks 104 of 165 countries in the

HDI, which is 3 places higher than in 2005 (see box), in

recognition of the progress in human and social development

over the last decade.

As is the trend worldwide, poverty levels are higher in the rural

interior of the country, and the highest rate of poverty, as measured by economic indicators, is among

the Amerindian people who predominate in interior locations. The location and terrain in the hinterland

make communications and access to services challenging, the GoG has initiated special development

programs in these areas to integrate the communities through access to education, health care, water

and communication, including an Amerindian Development Fund to support economic development; a

Hinterland Scholarship Program; provision of solar energy; and economic projects aimed at reducing the

level of poverty in those areas and among Amerindian peoples in particular.

In addition to Amerindians, the GOG18 identified several vulnerable groups for special attention in its

2010 Universal Periodic Review report to the UN Human Rights Council, including women, the elderly,

children, and persons with disabilities

16

GWI Annual Report 2007 – http://www.gwiguyana.com/

17 Guyana Poverty Reduction Strategy 2008-2012. Also, the World Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy 2009-2012 gives the

moderate and extreme poverty rates of 36.1% and 18.6% for 2006, citing the Household Income and Expenditure Survey of

2006 and the World Bank’s Poverty Assessment Report 2008. 18

UN General Assembly, Human Rights Council. 8th

Session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review. National

Report submitted in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) of the Annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1: Guyana.

Document A/HRC/WG.6/8/GUY/, 14 May 2010

Guyana’s Human Development Index

Year Index Rank

2000 0.709 96

2001 0.704 93

2002 0.708 103

2003 0.740 92

2004 0.719 104

2005 0.720 107

2006 0.725 103

2007/8 0.750 97

2009 0.729 114

2010 0.709 104

Source: Human Development Reports 2000 – 2010. UNDP


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The GoG has taken several measures to eliminate hunger and promote food security. However, while

the country produces the main staples to fulfil the population’s nutritional needs, there are disparities in

the availability and distribution of food across regions, especially in the hinterland, where accessibility

and cost are major hurdles. The Ministry of Agriculture, in

collaboration with other ministries and development

partners, is developing a Food and Nutrition Security

Strategy, which is soon to be finalized.

Various social safety nets to protect the poor and

vulnerable have been introduced, including labour market

and microcredit programmes administered by Government

and donor organisations. The number and reach of such

programmes need to be widened.

These initiatives and programmes, in tandem with the

changes in the legislative environment, are instrumental in

providing strategic direction to the country’s human and

social development. It is recognized that these progressive

steps require continuous and consistent measures to

sustain their implementation in order for the full benefits

of these interventions to be achieved.

The GoG is making every effort to improve access to

services at the community level, as evidenced by its focus

on delivery of primary health care, universal access to

education, the Hinterland Scholarship Programme, legal aid

services established in most regions, development of the

PPGHS, expansion and upgrading of health infrastructure,

and establishment of youth-friendly health centres and

community adolescent/youth-friendly spaces.

National Response

The GoG has been addressing the challenges in human and social development through efforts related

to leadership and governance; services delivery; workforce; financing; information systems, and

monitoring and evaluation; and access to supplies, equipment, and technologies. These efforts include

expanding and improving health care and education, social investment funds, innovative credit

structures, and aggressive housing and food policies, together with various social security safety

programmes.

Health

The current National Health Sector Strategy outlines the GoG’s priorities in health development and

provides a blueprint for development partner support. It notes the priority areas for action as family

health (formerly maternal and child health); chronic non-communicable diseases; communicable

The 5 components of the NHSS 1. Decentralization of health services

providers, which aims at completing the decentralization process and strengthening management at sub-national levels;

2. Strengthening the skilled workforce and human resource systems, which aims to improve retention of skilled staff and work with training institutions to build capacity;

3. Strengthening government capacity for sector leadership and regulation, which aims to strengthen the MOH’s leadership in governance, policy and contracting service providers;

4. Strengthening sector financing and performance management systems, which aims to consolidate various sources of funding, and identify new sources of funding to enhance the Package of Publicly Guaranteed Health Services (PPGHS); and

5. Strengthening strategic information, aiming to facilitate data collection and management for use in planning, management and evaluation at all levels.

The formulation of a new NHSS, 2013-2020, has been initiated and UN technical support is already in progress.


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diseases: including HIV, STIs, tuberculosis and malaria; and

emerging diseases, including SARS and avian influenza;

mental health; and health promotion and risk reduction.

The PPGHS aims to provide greater access to basic health

services, strengthen primary health care, and reduce

inequities. Nevertheless, it is still being enhanced and

rolled out, and development partner support for the

PPGHS will be critical.

Although health indicators have been improving over the

past decade, significant challenges persist in providing

access to equitable and quality services, and they will have

to be addressed in order to achieve the health-related

MDGs. The MOH collaborated with development partners

to commission an Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care

(EmONC) census, in order to assess the readiness of

maternity facilities to conduct lifesaving functions. A

Cabinet subcommittee was established to address the findings receive regular reports, and monitor the

situation of maternal mortality in Guyana, and training in EmONC for service providers has commenced.

In addition, a monitoring and evaluation framework has been established to ensure accountability and

improve the quality of decision making and care.

The construction of 3 new diagnostic centres in Regions 2, 3 and 4 and an Ophthalmological Centre in

Region 6 through the Guyana-Cuba technical cooperation agreement has enhanced access to tertiary

care services. Additionally, in a public/private partnership, the PHG/Caribbean Heart Institute offers

cardiac surgery at agreed on and subsidized rates.

Under the agreement with Cuba, many Guyanese students are receiving training in medicine and

physiotherapy, inter alia. This injection of more doctors will enhance the delivery of health care

throughout the country especially in the interior regions.

Challenges remain with retention of skilled personnel and continuous training to meet new and

technological and medical advances, life style choices and cultural and geographic realities that effect

increases in chronic, non-communicable diseases and communicable diseases; and the financial and

structural barriers to receiving services that some individuals face, especially in the hinterland areas.

These barriers relate to timely access to early screening and management of catastrophic illnesses such

as those related to cancer and organ failure. Persons with disabilities may face additional barriers when

facilities are not physically accessible.

Education

The Ministry of Education’s (MoE’s) Strategic Plan targets improvements in literacy and numeracy as key

strategic objectives at all levels of the system. It proposes to increase the number of secondary schools

offering a technical pathway; upgrade science laboratories and establish them in all secondary schools;

offer a range of arts, sports, and physical education programs in 80% of schools by 2013; and include

culture and gender-specific skills. The MoE also plans to strengthen the links between technical schools

and secondary schools. The introduction of a common curriculum for all secondary schools for the first

three forms, with a set of electives offered in the fourth and fifth forms leading to either the Caribbean

Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) or certificate in specific skills-based vocational competencies for

Amerindian Development:



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progression to further training or employment, is expected to create opportunities for greater

relevance, student participation and successful completion. In 2010 construction of two post-secondary

technical institutions was started in Regions 3 and 5.

Housing, Water and Sanitation

There have been many advances in the delivery of

services in the social sectors. In 2010, $2.8 billion was

allocated to the housing sector to further Government’s

housing development.19 The “one stop shops” is a

public/private partnership in which an allottee is able to

access advisory services, loans, as well as construction

materials and furniture. The achievement of the target of

allocating 17,000 house lots by September 2011 is well

on its way, as 10, 000 lots were distributed in 2010. According to the Central Housing and Planning

Authority (CH&PA), there are at present over 216 squatting areas countrywide. Many of these are in

varying stages of being upgraded towards the attainment of housing scheme status; 154 of these have

been brought under the regularisation programme and are being transformed into regularised housing

areas. The remaining areas are road, sea-defence or drainage reserves, such as the banks of canals, and

are categorised as zero tolerance areas, which cannot be regularised.

The GoG is working to reduce the disparities between the residents on the coast (97%) and the interior

(52%)20, which will benefit the indigenous people who are the main inhabitants of the hinterland.

Improved access to safe drinking water has contributed to reduction in illnesses and deaths due to

diarrhoeal diseases especially in infants, challenges in relation to quality of supplied water, continuity,

and reliability along the coast and in hinterland regions are being addressed. The distribution networks

are obsolete; and the situation is worsened by frequent power interruptions. In remote areas water

treatment is inadequate, however water treatment plants have been commissioned in 4 coastal villages

and works are being undertaken to upgrade the distribution system. The GoG aims to improve water

quality and distribution throughout the country, particularly in the more remote hinterland areas.

The IDB is supporting two major projects in this sector: improvement of the water supply system in

Linden (with a component that addresses selected neglected tropical diseases) and rehabilitation of the

sewerage system in Georgetown which covers; the IDB is also financing the development of a sanitary

landfill for the greater Georgetown area. The latter project document states that the Sewerage System

in Georgetown serves 50,000 citizens in Central Georgetown of the city’s population of approximately

175,000 people (28.6%).

Empowerment/Welfare/Poverty

19

Central Housing and Planning Authority Report 4 January 2011 http://www.chpa.gov.gy

20 UNICEF (2008)

The introduction of the Single Parent

Assistance Programme in 2009 and the

Women of Worth microcredit window

through a partnership of the GoG and a

locally owned commercial bank has assisted

over 2000 women to learn new marketable

skills and start up funds for micro-

businesses


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Under the Amerindian Act (2006) the proportion of the

country’s land mass owned by this population group has

increased from 6% in the 1990s to 14% currently. The GRIF

will support the continuation of the demarcation and titling

of communal land to Amerindians, provision of solar power

and transformative economic projects developed by the

communities themselves, in consultation with the

government, to expedite their integration into the national

economy.21 Furthermore, Amerindians are free to acquire

private land and /or lease land in their individual capacity, as

are all other Guyanese.

In an attempt to improve access to low interest loans ,

the GOG has established LENS, a low-cost fund for

disadvantaged individuals and groups, in one region and

a Women of Worth (WoW) Fund, to provide collateral-

free, low-interest loans to single parent women from

poor households to undertake entrepreneurial activities.

It is recognized that these initiatives will need greater

attention to design and sustainability to meet national

needs.

Under the

GoG/IDB

support to agriculture programmes, low interest rate

loans have been made available to small and medium

farmers in designated Administrative Regions.

Through the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), a social

investment fund financed by the Caribbean Development

Bank (CDB), the GoG has been providing resources to

poor, underserved communities to improve access to

basic public services, enhance employability, and reduce

vulnerability. Now in its fourth cycle, BNTF has

contributed to improving living conditions in poor

communities and reduced poverty and unemployment

through the provision of water systems, schools, health

facilities, rural roads, drains and footpaths, market

infrastructure, day-care centres and skills training.

The framework for protection of children has been strengthened through the enactment of 5 modern

and progressive children’s statues which include the Childcare and Protection Agency Act, 2009, which

established the agency with responsibility for, inter alia, making proposals and recommendations on the

enactment or improvement of laws relating to the welfare of children, providing counseling and other

services to children, and promoting good parenting education, responsibility and practices. Additionally,

21

In December 2009 Guyana acceded to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity

of Cultural Expressions.

Social Safety Net Programmes:

� Cash Transfers and Income Support Programmes for the most vulnerable (e.g. Public Assistance, Old Age Pensions)

� Human Development Programmes: (e.g. Uniform Programme, School Feeding Programme, Out-of Country Medical Care, and Micro-credit).

Women of Worth:

Micro-credit programme with

capital base of G$500 million

aimed at improving the

socioeconomic status of women

in Guyana, promoting their

active participation and

integration in national

development and contributing

towards poverty reduction,

thereby stimulating micro- and

macro-economic growth.’ In the

order of $154 ml

The introduction of the Single Parent

Assistance Programme in 2009 and the

Women of Worth microcredit window

through a partnership of the GoG and a

locally-owned commercial bank has assisted

over 2,000 women to learn new marketable

skills and start up funds for micro-

businesses


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the “protective environment” has also benefitted from the establishment in 2011 of the Men’s Affairs

Bureau22 and the work and strengthening of the Domestic Violence Policy Unit, both under the Ministry

of Labour, Human Services, and Social Security.

Conclusion

The government has identified some cross cutting challenges which need to be addressed if progress is

to be made across the entire set of MDGs23. These are: resource constraints (financial and human);

costing the MDGs; infrastructure and accessibility (access to markets and service delivery);

multiculturalism; decentralization; data collection; and policy design and implementation.

Retaining experienced skilled personnel particularly in the Health and Education sectors; providing

services, especially in the rural and remote hinterland areas; ensuring relevance in the school curricula;

and operationalising the child protection architecture, given surviving attitudes and customs, will

provide further challenges.

The participation rates of women and young people in the economy is lower than required and

therefore emphasis is being placed on retraining, new skills training to meet the needs of the emerging

sectors, as well as the improvement of skills sets, matching skills training to those demanded. In

recognition of this, Women of Worth and the Single Parent Assistance Programme was created were

created to open access to credit and training by women. Further, through the Small Business Association

and several NGOs, work is ongoing to create opportunities for increased economic activities through self

employment and the creation of new small and medium businesses, especially targeting support

services for emerging sectors.

Opportunities exist to strengthen the implementation and observance of many aspects of the legislative

and policy framework to protect rights of citizens and address the challenges, opportunities, and

strengths offered by Guyana’s diversity of people and environment. These include strengthening inter-

and multi-sectoral coordination, community participation, implementation and monitoring of the

enforcement of legislation and policies.

Given their access to normative guides and taking account of the areas in which they have comparative

advantage, the UNCT members will address challenges related to strengthening institutional capacity of

health, education and social services entities; policy formulation; programme design, management and

evaluation; and improving coordination and analysis.

22

The Men’s Affairs Bureau was established in 2011 to support the representation of issues affecting men at the

policy level

23 Draft MDG Report 2010


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2.2.5 Conclusion of Thematic Investigations

The exploration of issues that are inherent to achieving accelerated development and ameliorating

poverty in Guyana has shown the complexity of the situations and challenges to be addressed. It is

evident from the analysis that collaboration among all development partners is essential, as is

collaboration among national agencies and organisations. The goals are clear, and in some cases the

strategies to achieve them are also well-defined. In other cases there is need to put in place evidence-

based policies, plans, and programmes to move forward, and to verify progress. For this to happen,

embracing shared responsibility for the future is required to overcome any tensions and mistrust that

may exist among various groups.

The human resources and other constraints demand multi-sectoral, creative approaches to facilitate

sustainable capacity development and support fulfillment of obligations under the international treaties

and agreements to which Guyana has committed. In this way, the country can continue to build on the

progress already made on the path to full realization of its potential.

The GoG is making an attempt to get ahead of the curve in leveraging ecosystem services for

development, and integrating information technology (IT) to facilitate greater transparency,

accountability, communication, and learning. There are opportunities offered by new technologies and

new investors, and the experiences of workers who return to the country can bring great benefits.

Guyana’s active participation in regional and international fora, its innovative approaches to

development, and its economic stability offer a framework for the 2012-2016 period to be one of

advancement and strengthening of democratic norms and institutions, with heightened involvement of

people in all aspects of life and nation building..


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Section 3: National Strategies for Development and Development

Priorities identified

The strategic path to development identified by the GoG is set out in the LCDS and the PRS II. The LCDS

states that ….” To meet the needs of both forest dwellers and the population at large, Guyana will invest

a significant share of the forest protection funds it receives24 in initiatives aimed at developing jobs,

diversifying the jobs base, and improving the general standards of living of all of its citizens. Key areas of

investment will include:

• Improving job prospects and private sector entrepreneurship

The areas covered would include targeted education initiatives to fuel economic growth, potentially

including specialized vocational training (e.g., for business process outsourcing), creation of a

management school, and possibly establishing an International Centre of biodiversity excellence.

• Supporting social services

This would include such areas as basic infrastructure (road maintenance, reliable supplies of potable

water) and health and education services through discrete projects funded by forestry payments.

• Additional investment areas identified in the first and second PRS, such as:

o Broad-based, job creation economic growth;

o Environmental protection;

o Stronger institutions and better governance

o Investment in human capital, with emphasis on basic education and primary health;

o Investment in physical infrastructure, with emphasis on better and broader provision of safe

water and sanitation;

o Improved safety nets; and

o Special intervention programmes to address regional and demographic pockets of poverty

To create an enabling environment for growth and investments by the private sector, the GoG has

continued to reform the administration of taxes and customs, to develop GoInvest – the one-stop shop

for facilitating investors, intensifying the fight against corruption and trafficking in drugs and persons,

and intensifying law enforcement and modernisation of the judicial system.

Finally, the GoG continues to work at building inclusive governance, to improve the safety and security

of citizens, to augment social cohesion, and enlarge freedoms and peace among the populace.

24

On November 9, 2009 Guyana and Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding Cooperation on

Issues related to the fight against Climate Change, the Protection of Biodiversity and the Enhancement of

Sustainable Development. Guyana expects to receive some US$250 mn over 5 years in exchange for attaining

agreed and verifiable targets on limiting greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

Already a total of US$70 ml has been disbursed to the GRIF trustee, although there have been some delays in

approving the projects which are to be funded.


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3.1 Entry Points identified by GoG and UNCT

To address environment and sustainable development, the initiatives agreed to with the UNCT are:

• Disaster risk reduction

• Climate change adaptation

• Natural resource management, and

• Energy service expansion.

To enhance inclusive growth, the entry points for the UNCT include the following:

• Strengthening capacity to create economic opportunities and address citizen security,

• Enhancing skills to improve employment creation at the community level, and

• Introducing new processes, areas of production techniques, and systems to SME.

To strengthen inclusive governance, several initiatives need to be continued or expanded. These are as

follows:

• Continue to enhance and build the capacity of the Parliament Office and the expanded committee

system through training, introduction of new technologies, and improving accessibility to the public

through an interactive website and other mechanisms,

• Continue enhancing and expanding the dialogue and structures for inclusive governance in order to

create an enabling environment for greater peace and stability in the country,

• Provide timely voter education and build trust and confidence in the new local government electoral

system,

• Implement the agreed-on local government reforms, post elections,

• Empower women, youth, and other key groups to participate more meaningfully at local

government levels, and

Enhance the capacity of the 5 Human Rights Commissions and GECOM to implement their

constitutional mandates

To enlarge the opportunities for human and social development, with emphasis on the vulnerable and

marginalised, the UNCT will target the set of objectives below:

• Developing planning, management, and evaluation capacities of health and education institutions,

• Launching initiatives targeting at-risk groups, including youth, the elderly, Amerindians, and persons

with disabilities

• Promoting intersectoral coordination and collaboration,

• Addressing human rights and inequities, and

• Responding to non-communicable diseases; endemic, emerging, and pandemic communicable

diseases; and priority family and community health issues.


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3.2. Proposed Developmental Objectives/Outcomes

National Development Priorities/Goals

Transforming the economy while combating climate change and enhancing

the quality of life of Guyanese by utilizing the natural resources, while

neither degrading nor contaminating them.

Expanding economic opportunities for all (as targeted in the PRSP).

Enhancing an inclusive governance model based on the rule of law in which

citizens and their organisations participate in the decision-making

processes that affect their well-being.

Enhancing human and social services, especially for key populations at

higher risk.


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Annex I: UNCT Members

Resident Agencies of the Resident Coordinator System in Guyana

Agency or

Programme

Organization Head and Title Location

UNDP

Mr. M. Kiari Liman-Tinguiri, UN Resident

Coordinator / UNDP Resident Representative

Ms. Chisa Mikami, UNDP Deputy Resident

Representative

Guyana

UNICEF Mr. Suleiman Braimoh, Country Representative Guyana/Suriname/Trinidad

& Tobago

UNFPA Ms. Patrice La Fleur, Assistant Representative Guyana

ILO

Mr. Sean Wilson, National Project Coordinator,

ILO/USDOL HIV/AIDS Workplace Education

Programme (Observer for the ILO Regional

Office)

Guyana

World Bank Mr. Giorgio Valentini, Country Representative Guyana

UNAIDS Dr. Ruben Del Prado, Country Coordinator Guyana/Suriname

PAHO/WHO Dr. Beverley Barnett, Country Representative Guyana

FAO Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul, Country

Representative

Guyana

IOM Mr. Rui Olivera Reis- Chief of Mission, IOM

(Observer) Guyana


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Non-Resident Agencies of the Resident Coordinator System in Guyana

Agency or

Programme Organization Head and Title Location

ECLAC Mr. Hirohito Toda - Officer in Charge Trinidad and Tobago

ILO Ms. Ana Teresa Romero, Director, Subregional

office for the Caribbean Trinidad and Tobago

UNESCO Mr. Kwame Boafo, Director and Representative,

UNESCO Kingston Cluster Office for the Caribbean Jamaica

UNFPA

Mr. Hernando Aguedelo- Deputy Director and

Officer in Charge, Caribbean Office;

Representative, English & Dutch-Speaking

Caribbean United Nations Population Fund Sub-

Regional Office for the Caribbean

Jamaica

UN WOMEN Ms. Roberta Clarke, Regional Programme Director Barbados

UNIC Ms. Angelica Hunt, Director Trinidad and Tobago

ITU Mr. Philip Cross, Representative Antigua and Barbuda


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Annex II: Progress towards Achieving the MDGs

MDGs PROGRESS Meeting target by 2015, (status as at 2009)

Selected Policy Environment Interventions

Eradicating extreme poverty (goal 1)

Target 1A: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people living in extreme poverty

Potentially - Good progress - Target of halving the proportion of people who suffer from hunger has been met - Performance in reducing poverty and increasing employment has improved

- All of the policies cited below, for other MDGs - Low Income Housing - Small Business Loans - Social Safety Nets - Establishment of the Rights of the Child Commission and the Chid Care Protection Agency

Target 1B: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people

Not assessed

- Legislative measures to ensure that women are not discriminated against in the workplace and that they have equal opportunity to professional and economic benefits associated with work - Women of Worth microcredit facility -Single Parent Assistance Programme which includes training component and small project support - Youth skills training programmes - Matching of workers to jobs through Central Recruitment Manpower Agency

Target 1C: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people suffering from hunger

Likely - Basic Nutrition Programme 2 - Food and Nutrition Security -Strategy - National Nutrition Policy 2009 2015

Universal primary education (goal 2)

Target 2A: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

On track and achievable - Excellent progress

- Education Strategic Plan (2008-2013) - Access and Equity in Primary Schools - Education For All-Fast Track initiative EFA-FTI - Child Friendly Schools Initiative - Health and Family Life Education - School feeding programme and universal school uniform allowances. - Expanded technical and vocational education - Flexible modes of continuous professional development - Delivery of literacy and numeracy through new technologies - New Guyana Learning Channel -Reform of Teacher Education Programme to accelerate teacher training. Revised teacher training curriculum Associate Degree in Education Introduction of Continuous Professional Development Courses Use of open and distance learning modes to deliver content courses.


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Gender equality and empowerment of women (goal 3)

Target 3A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005.

Likely - Good progress - Target of eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education has been met, and the country is striving towards parity at tertiary level - Increased employment and decent work for women is targeted for improvement - Female political representation in Parliament has substantially increased

- All of the above - Women and Gender Equality Commission - Inter-Ministry Committee on Domestic Violence -National Advisory Committee on Trafficking in Persons - Domestic Violence Act - Domestic Violence Policy - Sexual Offences Act - Mental Health Strategy - Single Parent Assistance Programme - Women of Worth micro-credit facility

Reducing child mortality (goal 4)

Target 4A: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate

Likely - Good progress -Target of reducing U-5 mortality by two-thirds already met. - Aim is to further improve the record of reducing child mortality

- Improved health systems and services (coverage of antenatal care, PMTCT, IMCI, EPI -including the introduction of new vaccines); enhanced capacities - Decentralization leading to increased access to health services - National Heath Sector Strategy (2008-2012) - National Nutrition Policy (2009-2015) - National Strategic Plan for the Reduction of Maternal and Neonatal Mortality (2006-2010) - Emergency Management of Obstetric and Neonatal Care - Health Facilities Licensing Act - Partnerships and support – Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, EC/ACP/WHO Partnership, PAHO/WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF - The Perinatal Information System

Improving maternal health (goal 5)

Target 5A: Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio

Potentially -Despite progress towards improving maternal health, reducing maternal deaths, and increasing the availability of skilled health personnel at births, and the fact that antenatal care coverage and contraceptive prevalence are on the rise

- As for reducing child mortality - Cabinet oversight through sub-committee focus - Enhancing Maternal Mortality Surveillance

Target 5B:Achieve by 2015, universal access to reproductive health

Potentially - Mixed outlook

Combating malaria and other major diseases (goal 6)

Target 6A: Have halted, by 2015, and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS

- Steady progress - Signs of beginning to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS - Projected to meet the target of achieving universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it

- As above - HIV Strategic Plan - National HIV Prevention Principles, Standards, and Guidelines - DOTS assessment (TB) - Partnerships and support – Global Fund, PAHO/WHO, PEPFAR, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF


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Target 6B: Achieve by 2015, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it

Likely

Expanded PMTCT and enhanced access to free ART

Target 6C: Have halted, by 2015, and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases

Potentially - Prevalence rates confirm that the target of reducing the incidence of the disease has been met - Prevalence of tuberculosis shows tentative signs of a decline, with reduced incidence over the reporting period

Environmental sustainability (goal 7)

Target 7A: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources

Potentially - Multiple successes in the quest to ensure environmental sustainability - Target of integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs has been met and country is committed to significantly reducing biodiversity loss

- LCDS and GRIF - EPA and climate change institutions - National advocacy; boosted by the 'Champion of the Earth' recognition - Selective logging/harvesting - Partnerships and support: PAHO/WHO (water, sanitation), UNDP, FAO Ministry of Housing and Water Turnaround Plan

Target 7B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss

Not assessed

Target 7C: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water

Likely - Target 7C has been met - There have been notable increases in the population’s access to adequate housing

Target 7D: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of slum dwellers

Not assessed

Develop a Global Partnership (goal 8)

Targets not assessed


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Annex III: Thematic Papers

1. Environment and Sustainable Development

Introduction

Guyana has a total land area of 83,000 square miles (215,000 km2) and is divided into four natural regions. These are (i) the coastal plain which is below sea level and in which most of the population resides and the majority of agricultural activities occur; (ii) the highland region which contain large areas of forest and provides most of the country timber production; (iii) the hilly sand and clay region which is rich in mineral bauxite; and (iv) the interior savannah.

Guyana has an abundance of water. Most of the rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean in a northward direction. The groundwater system is comprised of aquifers and most potable water is obtained from the deep aquifers. The drainage and irrigation system is very complex with water from the conservancies taken to agricultural lands by networks of irrigation canals and then leaving these lands to be discharged into the ocean by another network of drainage canals.

The country experiences an equatorial climate characterized by two wet seasons (May to mid-August and mid November to Mid January) and two dry seasons (January to April and mid August to mid November). Guyana experiences two distinct climatic regimes – the tropical Marine and the Tropical Semi-arid ( in the Rupununi)The country’s topography renders it vulnerable to natural disasters since most of the country’s key investments are in low lying areas.

The country is endowed with a wealth of natural resources, part of which is protected as reserves or parks for the conservation of biodiversity, water and soil. The utilization of the country’s natural resources is a major source of revenue, employment and livelihood for a significant percentage of the population. There are two legally designated protected areas (Kaieteur National park and Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve), as well as five other non legally designated conservation areas (Shell Beach, Kanuku Mountains, Mount Roraima, Orinduik falls and Southern Guyana).

Over the years, the utilization of the country’s natural resources and the impact of climate change have raised concerns about the destruction of the environment and issue of sustainability especially in the forestry, mining and agriculture sectors.

The constitution of Guyana directs the state to protect and safeguard the environment and provide the basis for justifying a sustainable approach to development. Guyana has demonstrated its commitment to environmental management by becoming a party to some fourteen (14) Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).

The discussion below examines three issues that are of importance to the environment and sustainable development within the context of Guyana. An assessment of the current situation under each theme is highlighted as well as the national response to the respective theme. Key challenges and issues are also discussed as well as the overarching challenges to the environmental sector and cross cutting issues with respect to the three themes.

Climate Change

Situation Analysis

Guyana’s pristine forests are its most valuable natural asset. Approximately 80% of Guyana is still covered by forests, which is left in an untouched and unspoilt state. Even before climate change gained prominence on the international development agenda, the government recognized the importance of preserving and conserving the rich forest cover and has offered nearly a million acres of forest to the rest


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of the world in a project—Iwokrama Rainforest25—to research how tropical forests can be preserved while simultaneously supporting local communities by involving them in the sustainable conservation of the rainforest.

While Guyana is a net sink country for greenhouse gases, it is most vulnerable to the predicted impacts of climate change. Guyana, being a relatively large country with both tropical marine environment, in which most of the population and economic activity are located, and an interior continental tropical environment, is most vulnerable to climate change and impacts of sea level rise, especially in the coastal zone and in the water resources, agriculture, forestry, energy, human settlements and human health.

During the January to February 2005 floods, almost one half of the population, mostly on the coastal stretch between Georgetown and Mahaica were affected. Of the 300,000 people affected, one third was estimated to be children. According to Oxfam International (2006) the consequences of the flood were most serious for women and children in some of the most vulnerable areas.

Several weeks after, an estimated 92,000 person still had water in their homes. Entire villages found themselves cut off with many areas only being accessible by boat. Close to 5,000 person sought temporary shelters. Serious environmental concerns arose because of the dysfunctional garbage collection system. There was an outbreak of leptospirosis. Several deaths resulted from drowning and illness arising from the floods. The food chain was disrupted because it was hard to access flooded villages and because produce and livestock were destroyed.26 The shortage of domestic food crops caused a brief spike in food prices. The magnitude of the damage caused by the flood was estimated to be equivalent to G$92.2 billion. The heaviest losses were incurred in cash crops, followed by sugar and rice (UNDP/ECLAC 2005).27

More recently, the impact of climate change on the agriculture sector in Guyana has become more apparent. In the past decade, the traditional seasons of wet and dry seem to be giving way to an unpredictable weather pattern. Periods of El Nino-type weather (drought and bush fires) are usually followed by periods of La Nina-like weather (rainfall and flooding). Both phenomena cause great hardship to the national economy and local communities. The occurrence of El Nino weather conditions from August 2009 to May 2010 has created a major water shortage for farmers and residents in Guyana and has had a severe impact on the agricultural sector. Close to 10,000 acres of rice land have been under stress, as well as cattle and food crops. Thousands of acres of paddy fields were forced to remain unsown due to the shortage of water across the country and despite the government’s efforts; farmers are unable to return to their fields. Vegetable farms and animal ranches were also forced to shut down. High levels of salt in the water were reported by farmers.

Within the coastal zone, the issues of sea level rise, destruction of mangroves and coastal subsidence add to the pressures on coastal sea defense system. Additionally, some of the vegetative cover on the coastal zone and the sandy plains further inland has been lost to competing activities such as mining, agriculture, human settlements, harvesting for fuel wood to make charcoal.

National Response

25 This project has been re-named the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development Wilderness Preserve. More information on this model project can be found at http://www.iwokrama.org/wp

26 Katarina Toll Velasquez. Guyana’s Flooding Disaster- http:// www.flood-

fighters.com/MEDIA%20PDfs/9%20020-023.crj3.guyana_floods.pdf

27 Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment: Impacts of Climate Change on Guyana’s Agriculture Sector


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Recognizing that climate change has serious consequences for the country’s socio-economic development, the government has developed a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which sets out a new development path for the country. It is based on deploying the country’s forest to mitigate global climate change and in return receive payments from the world for its carbon service through the preservation of the forest28.

Institutional capacity is built to successfully manage climate change and execute the LCDS. In this regard, four new departments and/or institutions have been established:

� Office of Climate Change (OCC), which has been established in the Office of the President (OP) to support work on climate adaptation, mitigation and forest conservation. It serves to bring together and align efforts that are already underway and to coordinate the engagement of multilateral processes and UNFCCC;

� Low Carbon Strategy Project Management Office (PMO)) in the OP, which is charged with driving key projects of the LCDS;

� Guyana REDD Investment Fund (GRIF), which will manage forest payments, to reduce cost of capital on other essential investments, and to act as repository of low carbon investments; and

� REDD Secretariat at the GFC, which will be the implementing agency for implementing “REDD readiness” activities, including the development and implementation of a monitoring, reporting and verification system.

In addition, a number of existing institutions, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), are being strengthened to ensure that social and environmental safeguards are applied to the appropriate internationally recognized standards. The LCDS estimates that the total adaptation costs for Guyana will exceed US$1 billion at the national level. While all of the adaptation needs will have to be met eventually, the government has identified a portfolio of urgent, near-term investments in the highest priority areas where the population and economic activity are concentrated. These include:

� Hydropower (US$675 million) � Fiber Optic Cable/Technology Park (US$10 million to $30 million) � Drainage, irrigation, road construction, and off-grid power to improve access and provide

infrastructure for agro-investment in currently unused, non-forested land (US$200 million to $400 million)

� Upgrading infrastructure and assets to protect against flooding through urgent, near-term measures (US$225 million);

� Establishing the climate change adaptation needs of Guyana’s hinterland regions, including forest communities (US$10 million);

� Addressing systematic and behavioral concerns (US$33 million); � Developing financial and risk/insurance measures to boost resiliency post flooding (US$10

million); � Switching to flood-resistant crops (US$10 million).

Key Challenges and Issues

28

On November 9, 2009, Guyana and Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding Cooperation on Issues related to the fight against Climate Change, the Protection of Biodiversity and the Enhancement of Sustainable Development. Guyana expects to benefit from up to US$250 million over 5 years in exchange for attaining agreed and verifiable targets on limiting greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The first tranche of US$30 million was disbursed to the World Bank, the trustee for the fund, on October 2010.


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To successfully undertake climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, Guyana would need the continued support of the donor community to mobilize funding within and outside of the LCDS. While Guyana hopes to garner enough forest payments to be able to undertake these projects, the key challenges and issues include (i) securing the international funding to execute the projects; (ii) undertaking research on climate change and its impact on human health, for example the emergence of new tropical diseases; and (iii) strengthening human resilience to climate change at the community level.

Disaster Risk Reduction

Situation Analysis

Guyana is vulnerable to a range of natural and man-made disasters which are exacerbated by global climate change. Among the most significant natural disasters are floods, droughts, fires and storms. Natural disasters have heightened the serious challenges faced by Guyana in its drive to achieve growth and increased competitiveness in an era of lost trade preferences. They have endangered life, destroyed property and infrastructure and retarded growth in the economy, thereby adversely affecting sustainable development.

Flooding seems to be growing in frequency, and coupled with inadequate drainage and poor environmental practices, such as the reckless disposal of garbage, threatens the existence of the people, especially those residing on the low coastal plain. Flooding has also taken place in the highland region, where Amerindians reside. Women, the poor, marginalized and disadvantaged are often the main victims of these disasters. Guyana’s coastal regions, including the capital city is under severe flood threat, because this zone is basically a low lying bowl between the seawall and the long standing conservancy dikes which are structurally unsound and need rehabilitation29. A significant percentage of the population (39%) lives in the coastal regions and agriculture is also the dominant economic activity in this regions. The most serious floods in recent years were in January to February 2005 and in December 2005 to February 2006 causing extensive flooding in the coastal regions which impacted severely on the country socio-economic development of the country as was mentioned earlier.

In more recent times, Guyana has been experiencing drought as a result of the prolonged occurrence of El Nino weather conditions from August 2009 to May 2010 which has created a major water shortage for farmers and residents and has had a severe impact on the agricultural sector. Even within the agriculture sector there were competing demands for water for rice cultivation, cash crops and livestock rearing.

National Response

Recognizing the importance of being better prepared, the government is currently developing a National Emergency Action Plan as well as building capacity to respond to natural disasters and climate change. In addition, the government is supporting the development and implementation of sound policies that manage and reduce the likelihood of physical, economic and social shocks from natural disasters.

In the area of alternative flood relief strategies, the government is implementing a US$3.8 million, World Bank-funded Conservancy Adaptation Project, which will develop the technical foundation to strengthen the master plan of interventions within the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) and lowland drainage systems as well as specific upgrading works and operational improvements aimed at enhancing flood control capacity of the EDWC. These works are expected to improve the ability of the government to manage water levels behind the EDWC during heavy rainfall by improving internal flows in the EDWC.

The issue of crop insurance and coverage for flood and drought has taken the front burner with increasing calls for mechanisms to ensure that the agriculture sector is protected. Guyana’s attempt to mobilize

29

2005 report to UNDP from consultants from Ministry of Waterworks of the Netherlands (March-April 2005).


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support for a risk insurance facility has resulted in discussions on the development of a Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF).

In addition to the above, a number of initiatives to build up institutional arrangements for effective and systematic disaster preparedness have been undertaken. These include the following:

� Provision of early warning mechanism: The EU has financed a new weather monitoring mechanism that provides continuous surveillance of all weather at various ranges. The new Doppler radar is also critical in informing the Guyanese public of approaching weather conditions, thus allowing appropriate action to be taken in a timely manner and minimizing the extent of disruption to people’s lives and damage to property;

� Development of Regional Early Warning System: FAO has been collaborating with CIDA under the Caribbean Water Initiative (CARIWIN) project in the area of Water Information Systems. CARIWIN in collaboration with Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology has established the Caribbean Drought and Precipitation Monitoring Network (CDPMN), which aims to be the genesis of a comprehensive regional early warning system. Data provided by National and Regional networks and National Water Information Systems are used to develop a regional warning system. FAO has been assisting Caribbean countries to develop these National Water Information Systems and Guyana has requested assistance in strengthening community-based systems for the country.

� The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) is supporting the development of a National Water Information System (NWIS) for Guyana under a Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded project. The NWIS serves as a repository for hydrologic, climate, land, infrastructure and water related data and will contribute to the strengthening of integrated water resource management.

� Disaster risk reduction and response: The Civil Defense Commission (CDC), the key government agency established in 1982 is tasked with cross-sectoral coordination and with managing emergencies and disasters. It has been collaborating with the UNDP and the IDB in a US$2 million, four-year project aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to reduce the risks of natural disasters. A key output is a National Flood Preparedness and Response Plan (NFPRP) designed to provide strategic guidance framework to prepare for and respond to floods in order to reduce the damage impact associated with those events, and establish a centralized and coordinated structure. The CDC is also implementing a number of other programmes including strengthening of the early warning system for floods and droughts, enhancement of emergency communications system, improving search and rescue, establishing minimum acceptable standards for emergency shelters, strengthening relief supplies management capacity, development of mass casualty plans and a national disaster risk management policy, training of community leaders and mitigation of flood risk in pilot communities, and development of guidelines for training technical staff of ministries to incorporate disaster risk reduction in agricultural planning and environmental management. The CDC has also acquired Geographical Information System (GIS) software which will be used in natural resource management, vulnerability assessment, flood hazard mapping, and agricultural insurance and combating climate change.

� The Health, Water, Agriculture, Education and Child Protection sectors each have emergency preparedness and response plans developed through their respective ministries. The Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Housing & Water (GWInc) have sophisticated plans, which have levels of decentralization to the Regional levels.

� After the 2005 floods, the Guyana Red Cross and OXFAM have, in collaboration with the CDC, developed and implemented community preparedness and response planning interventions for communities in the most vulnerable areas. The Ministry of Education has been initiating DRR planning at the school level.


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� In the area of defense and drainage infrastructure the Government has also progressively increased spending on sea and river defense and drainage and irrigation, from G$6.4 billion in 2008 to G$7.6 billion in 2009. In 2011, government expects to spend G$9.2 billion in these areas.

Key Challenges and Issues

With respect to disaster risk reduction, the following have been identified as key challenges and issues for Guyana:

� Strengthening the response mechanisms and upgrading management systems to respond to all types of disasters, including fires;

� Constantly reviewing, updating and testing the NFPRP for effectiveness;

� Engaging in gender sensitive risk assessment analyses relating to different types of disasters and their impact on different regions of the country, and creating vulnerability maps in both urban and rural communities. Such mapping should include evacuation sites in case of heavy rains as well as zoning for new residential building and industrial activity;

� Enforcing existing and developing new building codes and zoning regulations to govern coastal development and land use planning;

� Devising public education and awareness programmes on how to maintain the environment, including preventing littering and disposal of garbage in waterways and other unapproved places;

� Integrating disaster risk reduction into school curricula

� Revising local government laws to give NDCs greater resource mobilization capability to undertake regular maintenance of the drainage and irrigation infrastructure in their communities;

� Promoting sustainable land management as a strategy in the fight to reduce poverty to be integrated with practical on-the-ground interventions and governance measures;

� Studying the possibility of and mechanism for introducing crop insurance as a means of reducing risk in the agricultural sector.

Natural Resource Management

Situation Analysis

Guyana is endowed with a wealth of natural resources. These include inter alia, forest, fresh water resources, gold, diamond, bauxite, sand, fertile/arable soil, water. According to the FAO, six major forest formations are found in Guyana: broadleaved rainforest, seasonal evergreen and semi-evergreen forest, dry evergreen forest, mountain forest, alluvial marsh forest and swamp forest.30 Seasonal forests include the mangrove forest, which is found along the coastline and provides protection to the shoreline against erosion and are important to marine life. Mangroves have been seriously depleted by over-exploitation and pollution and natural causes, and now cover about 1 percent of the forest area. Approximately 46 percent of the state-owned forest has been allocated to timber harvesting concessions, which are divided into three categories based on area and duration: state forest permissions (annual permits), wood cutting leases (3-15 years) and timber sales agreements (10-25 years). A number of people have been engaging in small scale logging operation using chainsaw, mobile sawmills to convert logs into timber, cutting trees to make firewood and burning of trees to produce charcoal. Charcoal production has been an important

30 Food and Agriculture Organization (2009), Guyana Country Brief, Georgetown, Guyana


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industry in the past; as such large areas of Wallaba forest are degraded. However, with the diminution of exports (mostly to the Caribbean), production is limited to the domestic market. The production of logs and chainsaw lumber under annual permits has increased significantly in recent years. Since management plans are not required, these operations are largely unmanaged and difficult to monitor, thus posing a threat to sustainable forest management. To facilitate and manage small-scale operations, the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has encouraged the establishment of small loggers association and provides them with small-scale concessions for local communities.

The fisheries sector of Guyana is of critical importance to the country’s economy and is comprised of the marine fisheries, inland fisheries (freshwater) and aquaculture. The marine fisheries resources exploited are mainly demersal stocks -shrimp and finfish resources and, to a limited extent, the pelagic fish resources. There is considerable pressure on the demersal stocks, while the pelagic species are hardly touched, except by poachers from other nations. Preliminary stock assessments have indicated that the country’s prawn resources have probably reached their maximum sustainable yield and that a number of commercial finfish species, initially thought to be under-exploited, are probably over-exploited. It is feared that another important resource, seabob, is currently also being over-fished due to decreasing catch sizes.31 Hence the need to impose sustainable management practices on shrimp and finfish stocks and to concurrently expand seaward to deeper waters.32

Freshwater fishing is conducted in rivers, creeks, lakes, reservoirs, canal, and in savanna areas where seasonal increases in rainfall give rise to large expanses of seasonally flood lands. This type of fishing is influenced by the down period in agriculture and the unavailability of other economic activities. The limited data available indicate that Amerindians carry out most inland fishing. There are many informal reports that water pollution and habitat degradation, particularly from mining and forestry activities on the river systems of the interior, have impacted negatively on the spawning ground and growth of many freshwater species.33

Aquaculture activities in Guyana can be divided into freshwater and brackish water, all of which are practised on the coastal plain. Aquaculture development is seen as promoting agriculture diversification, improving food security, increasing the availability of high value protein food and improving environmental benefits. Emphasis on aquaculture has been driven mainly by the decline in the marine fisheries and aquaculture is seen as a way to increase production of fish for local consumption and reduce the pressure on the declining marine resources. Aquaculture is being proposed as an economically feasible way to diversify from rice and produce another crop that is marketable and with an adequate rate of return on investment.34 A major constraint to the fisheries sector is the lack of sufficient regulatory support. Fisheries resource management falls under the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture. The department suffers from severe constraints in terms of human and technical capacity, which undermine the support given to the sector.

Within the natural resource sector, the mining industry - gold, bauxite and diamond, is a significant contributor to GDP (10.5 percent in 2009), with a total value output of US$300 million, and creates direct employment for over 9,000 persons. Mining is an important rural areas activity, especially in the regions most isolated from the coast and where agriculture production is at a disadvantage because of the lack of access to infrastructure (road). In Guyana mining is done in six mining districts: Berbice Mining District,

31

National Aquaculture Sector Overview

32 Ibid

33 National Development Strategy (Guyana)

34 National Aquaculture Sector Overview


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Potaro Mining District, Mazaruni Mining District, Cuyuni Mining District, North West Mining District, and the Rupununi Mining District. Operations are done in three categories: The Large-Scale, Stone and Sand, and Small and Medium Gold and Diamond mining. Of the three categories within the industry, medium scale gold and diamond operations account for the majority of mining activities with approximately 950 land and river operations.35

Inappropriate agriculture practices and indiscriminate mining and exploration of minerals, especially gold, have contributed to deforestation and degradation of the environment. The use of inappropriate mining practices is creating extensive damage to the fragile tropical environment in the mining areas. Heavy equipment and powerful hydraulic jets are used to remove the overburden and forest cover in order to expose the ore body. This results in piles of overburden being left next to the excavated pits. Because the soil in these piles is loose, it erodes quickly into nearby rivers and creeks causing increased turbidity and siltation. Deforestation from gold mining causes significant erosion in the sloping landscapes of the mining areas, leading to changes in soil quality, which reduces forest regeneration. Disturbances in terrain and hydrology also result in stagnant pools that become breeding grounds for malaria vectors.

Large-scale gold mining in several areas of the country (including the Pakaraimas), manganese and uranium is being explored. In addition, construction work on the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project has resulted in the clearance of jungle and trails. These could have further impacts on the environment once these projects reach the operations stage. Indications are that the current high price for gold on the world market will continue to fuel mining activities that will impact on the forest ecosystems.

Guyana is rich in biodiversity. The country is the fifth largest exporter of wild birds in the world.36 The disappearance of forests can reduce the extent of natural habitats. Indeed, biodiversity is threatened by forest conversion and encroachment, inappropriate management of water resources, changes in water flows (especially in the interior regions where indiscriminate mining practices have changed and/or inhibited water flows), surface water pollution and salination, over-fishing and indiscriminate hunting and trapping. In addition, modern farming methods and deforestation also endanger genetic diversity of several species of flora.

Rapid urban development and industrialization are also important stressors of the natural environment and contribute to environmental health problems with the country. Water resources are generally abundant, with the different sources of water for domestic consumption including rivers, streams, creeks, ponds and springs; public wells; public standpipes or hand pumps; public piped into yards; public piped into dwellings; private catchment of rainwater; bottled water; and tanker-truck water. There has been increased access of potable water country wide, with 61.7 percent of households having access to pipe water in their dwelling or yard, though there were considerable variances across regions. Challenges persist with the quality, continuity and reliability of water services persist along the coast and in the under-served hinterland regions.37 There are localized pollution problems, with unsanitary conditions sometimes found along the banks of canals, streams and rivers in both urban and rural areas. Rivers and other related water sources are at risk of being polluted by surface drainage, oil and grease spills, and seepage from septic tanks, pit latrines, and domestic waste.

The only waterborne sewerage system, serving seven (7) percent of the national population in central Georgetown, is in need of major rehabilitation; GWI is executing rehabilitation of this sewer system with 35 Low Carbon Development Strategy (2010), Transforming Guyana’s Economy while Combating Climate Change, Office of the President, p32

36 Ibid, p28. Wildlife trade is controlled internationally by the Convention on the Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), which ensures that the species being traded are not endangered and that the amount of wildlife being exported is not depleting animal populations in the wild.

37 Pan American Health Organization (2009), Guyana: Country Cooperation Strategy 2010-2015, Renewed Commitment to Primary Health Care, Georgetown, Guyana


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funds from the IDB. The 2008 Strategic Plan for the Sanitation Sector estimated that 66 percent of households had pit latrines, and 24 percent had septic tanks.38 However, about half of the pit latrines did not meet basic guidelines and were not properly operated or maintained. These issues of waste disposal and water quality represent major environmental health challenges.”39

According to the 2004 Sectoral Analysis of Solid Waste, 102,900 metric tons of solid waste is generated per year in the greater Georgetown areas, of which only 63,700 – up to February 2011 – was disposed of at the main dumpsite. It is expected that the total amount of solid waste generated will increase due to the expansion in domestic and economic activities. From February 2011, a sanitary landfill has been commissioned, the Haag Bosch Landfill, receiving solid waste from the Georgetown and surrounding area. This landfill is still under construction with funds from the IDB.

Georgetown still needs a better waste collection system and improved services for the removal of waste from the city. Overall, inadequate solid waste collection results in indiscriminate disposal of garbage and illegal dumpsites. Waste not collected and delivered to the sanitary landfill is burned, buried or disposed of in illegal dumps and in around seven community dumpsites. Especially problematic are PET bottles and Styrofoam, as floating debris in drainage canals. The effects of such debris were felt during the 2005 Great Flood when the waste-filled canals prevented effective drainage and contributed to prolonged flooding. Inadequate waste management practices pose important environmental health problems and health hazard.

In March-April 2010 a Hydroclave was installed and became operational for the treatment of all biomedical waste in Georgetown and environs. Legislation has been put in place to accommodate the use of this facility for a user fee.

Public awareness on waste reduction and recycling is limited and education programs to improve public’s perception and participation in proper waste disposal including recycling, separation of garbage, and use of environmentally friendly packaging, wrappers and shopping bags should be developed and supported. As shown in other Caribbean countries, waste recycling not only results in a cleaner environment and improved urban drainage, it also creates significant employment opportunities.

The country is very dependent on imports of fossil fuel for its energy needs. Bagasse is used for the co-generation of stream and electricity in the sugar and rice industries. No commercial quantities of oil reserves have been found in Guyana but the offshore area appears to be extremely promising for oil and gas exploration. There is also the potential for substantial use of renewable energy sources such as hydropower, solar, wind and biomass. While the government has long recognized the importance of energy for development purpose, access to reliable, clean and affordable energy services in the hinterland villages remains a challenge for Guyana. The availability of energy services has a distinct impact on the lives of the hinterland poor, and women in particular, as energy is essential for meeting the most basic needs – lighting, pumping water and cooking. While most of the country’s infrastructure is concentrated on the coastal plain, access to the modern energy services is limited in the several coastal communities but more specifically in the hinterland areas. For the hinterland areas, the remoteness of villages, low, dispersed population, low demand for electricity, and the low spending power of the population, prohibit the extension of the existing electricity grids to these areas. Most of the residents in these areas use wood as fuel for cooking. The traditional “fireside” that is used for cooking has a low efficiency, and emits significant amount of smoke that exposes the users and other households to the risk

38 Strategic Plan for the Sanitation Sector in Guyana, PAHO-Ministry of Health-DFID, 2008

39 Country Cooperation Strategy 2010-2015, Renewed Commitment to Primary Health Care, Georgetown, Guyana, PAHO, 2009.


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of eye and respiratory diseases. In addition, a significant amount of time is spent by residents (mostly women and children) in collecting wood for cooking. Candles and kerosene lamps are common light sources. The remoteness of these communities makes energy availability critical for the provision of health care and communication.

The current approach and programmes to energy services does not allow hinterland villages to obtain energy access rapidly, and achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) before 2015. Capacity gaps have been identified regarding awareness on the energy access issue, on its importance towards MDG achievement and gender equality, on how to mainstream the issue into national development frameworks and national priorities, among other issues.

National Response

Guyana is strongly committed to sustaining development activities, and has enacted legislations, developed a suite of policies and plans and created a number of bodies to regulate, police, oversee, conserve and preserve its natural resources. In addition, the country is a Party to fourteen (14) Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). The Environment Protection Act (Act 11 of 1996) is Guyana’s central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework for the promotion, facilitation and coordination of effective environmental management and protection; and the sustainable use of Guyana’s national resources.40 With respect to forestry management, the Forest Act 1973, and the updated Forest Bill 2008, define state forest and provide regulations for issuing leases and sales agreements for forest resources exploitation. In addition, the Amerindian Act 2006 promulgates that Amerindian communities which have legal title to their land have jurisdiction over all natural resources, with limited exception of sub-surface resources and waterways, and are required to put systems in place for the management of these natural resources. Although, there is a suite of mining related legislations in Guyana pertaining to specific aspects of the industry, the Mining Act 1991 remains the framework piece of legislation. The Water and Sewage Act 2002 sets up the legal framework for the management of water resources in Guyana and deals with issues covering water supply and connection, water regulation, wastewater and sewage matters, drought orders and all hydro-meteorological matter. Guyana is one of eight countries signatory to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, an agreement to establish regulations for managing natural resources in Amazonia and to propose conservation-directed alternatives to the management of multinational projects. Guyana has developed a number of sectoral policies and plans to promote the sustainable management of natural resources. The Guyana National Action Plan, prepared under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), recognizes key land degradation issues facing Guyana – floods, droughts and impacts of natural resource utilization in the mining, forestry and agricultural sectors - and proposes a number of actions to address these issues. The government, in partnership with UNDP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), agreed to co-fund the Capacity Development and Mainstreaming for Sustainable Land Management Project (SLM), whose objectives include establishing an enabling environment to combat and reverse land degradation through a participatory process of capacity building, mainstreaming of SLM into national development strategies and processes, and broad stakeholder participation and resource allocation for sustainable land management.41 As part of its broader poverty alleviation strategy, the government has developed the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme (UAEP). The UAEP seeks to expand existing electricity grids along the coast to unserved coastal communities and also aims at examining and developing ways to provide and expand

40 http://www.epaguyana.org

41 Black, John (2010), Mid-term Evaluation of the Capacity Development and Mainstreaming for Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Project: Inception Report, Prepared for UNDP, Guyana


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electricity access to the hinterland areas in the most cost effective and sustainable manner. In support of the UAEP, the government has prepared a Hinterland Electrification Strategy. The Strategy entails implementing a number of demonstration projects in selected communities, using appropriate technology and locally available energy sources, to test their feasibility for potential replication at other locations. Under the UAEP, six demonstration projects have been implemented using solar technology and diesel to provide, at minimum, lighting in household. In addition, under a UNDP funded project, other demonstration pilots were set up to provide energy for both lighting and for productive use, and demonstrations of fuel efficient and cleaner burning wood stoves. The implementation of a project entitled “Energy access at community level for MDG achievement in Hinterland area” is ongoing; the project is expected to support the increase in energy services, electricity or cleaner fuels in hinterland villages. Other plans developed to promote the sustainable management of natural resources include: (i) National Strategy for the Conservation of Biological Diversity, (ii) National Biodiversity Action Plan, (iii) Fisheries Management Plan; (iv) National Mangrove Management Plan, (v) Draft National Forestry Action Plan, (vi) Draft National Solid Waste Policy, and (vii) Strategic Plan for the Sanitation Sector 2008. With respect to institutional arrangements for the sustainable management of natural resource in Guyana, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) is the institution with the mandate for coordinating environmental management and provides for the management, conservation, protection and improvement of the environment, the prevention and control of pollution and the assessment of the impacts of economic development activities on the environment. In addition to the EPA, a number of other agencies are involved in the management of the country’s natural resources, including the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), the Hydrometeorology Service of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana National Energy Authority (GNEA).

The GFC advises to the responsible minister on issues related to forest policy, forestry laws and regulations and is also responsible for the administration and management of all state forests.42 Forest research is being undertaken by the Forest Resource Management Division of the GFC. The Forestry Training Centre Incorporated (FTCI), an initiative of the Forest Producers Association of Guyana (FPAG), Tropical Forest Foundation and GFC provide hands-on, practical training in and demonstration of reduced impact logging for all skill-levels.

The agency responsible for mining is the GGMC which is tasked with regulating all activities in the mineral sector. Since the exploitation of minerals takes precedence over forms of land-use activities, both the GFC and the GGMC have been working on measures to mitigate the negative impacts of mining on forestry practice and have been part of an inter-sectoral Special Land Use Committee (SLUC) established to improve coordination between mining and forestry. The GFC is promoting the zoning of state-owned forests and identifying areas where mining will be the dominant activity in the short term and where the integrity of pockets of biodiversity will be conserved at all costs. The GGMC is working with the Environmental Protection Agency to develop mining regulations that reflect current environmental concerns.

Fisheries resource management falls under the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture whose mandate is to manage, regulate and promote the sustainable development of the nation's fishery resources.

42 http://www.forest.gov.gy


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The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) is responsible for land administration and surveying and developing and maintenance of land information.43 There are two agencies administering the legislation relation to water. The Guyana Water Inc. is responsible for the distribution of water for the country, while the Hydrometeorology Service of the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for the monitoring and assessment of surface and groundwater resources. The Guyana National Energy Authority (GNEA) is the agency within whose portfolio lies all energy related matters. Key Challenges and Issues

Ensuring long-term sustainability of the environment is emerging as a key challenge. Inappropriate agricultural practices, disturbance and degrading of forests, indiscriminate mining, and exploration of minerals, especially gold, inadequate waste management practices, and unregulated squatter settlements are some of the main issues to be addressed. Other challenges and issues include:

� Advocacy for a national environmental strategy for sustainable development: With rapid urbanization expected in the coming years, it will be important to ensure that urban and environmental sustainability planning is undertaken in an integrated manner. Urban solid waste disposal will be a key challenge in this regard;

� Sustainable energy: There is need to develop and implement a comprehensive, renewable energy policy that addresses alternatives to fossil fuels dependence (hydropower, solar, wind and biomass);

� Water and sanitation facilities: It is essential to improve the quality of drinking water and sanitation facilities, especially in schools and rural and remote communities;

� Law Enforcement: Improvement in the enforcement of laws and regulations, to preserve biodiversity and conserve environment and ecosystems, is required;

� Effective implementation of the Environmental Protection Act is hampered by a lack of capacity in both personnel and finance

� Greater participation by civil society and affected communities and stakeholders in public

consultations is needed when environment impact assessments are being undertaken � Need to strengthen the regulations and improve the operations for protected areas, through

enactment of protected areas legislation with supported protected areas management authority and trust fund

� Management of genetic resources, especially in-situ, to ensure preservation of local knowledge, generation of new knowledge, sustainable use for industry (e.g. pharmaceutical, food, agriculture), access and benefit sharing of commercial benefits from Guyana’s genetic resources

� Prevention of bio-genetic theft and pirating through legislation and systematic cataloguing of indigenous bio-genetic resources.

� Public Education and Awareness – increase awareness and education among the population to enhance greater participation in sustainable management of natural resources.

43

http://www.lands.gov.gy/evolution.html


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Apart from above, there are several overarching challenges and issues in the environment sector. Firstly, the focus on climate change may remove attention and resources from conservation of biodiversity and freshwater among other important environmental goods and services. There is a need to continue the legislative agenda to establish a national protected areas system with a supporting national protected areas authority and a long-term financing vehicle. For freshwater, greater effort is needed in the area of watershed protection and sustainable use. In the latter regard, the government should sign the Ramsar Convention and move positively to set aside wetlands for conservation of freshwater and other ecosystem services. Secondly, there is need to strengthen the generation of scientific knowledge of environmental goods and services to ensure that decisions are based on the best available evidence. Thirdly, balancing commitments to avoid deforestation and development would be challenging. Although, the LCDS document outlines the Economic Value to the Nation (EVN) of Guyana’s forest left standing, the challenge will be regulation of those extractive industries (e.g. mining, logging) to keep deforestation below the agreed threshold. Also, monitoring and enforcement will be a key challenge not only for deforestation but more so for forest degradation and land degradation. Fourthly, the forest degradation part of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus (REDD+) scheme would present tremendous challenges for the Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) system because it is very difficult to detect in real time. Finally, making every citizen in Guyana environmentally conscious and contributing to the protection of the environment in everyday livelihood activities remains a challenge.

Cross Cutting Issues

As Guyana seeks to address the challenges and issues with respect to the environment and sustainable development, several cross cutting issues are also worth addressing. The increase in intensity and frequency of climate related disasters is becoming evident. Climate change is clearly already impacting the lives of women and children, and it is important to help strengthen capacities at both national and local levels to reduce the risk, anticipate crises, and prepare for and respond to emergency threats in order to protect communities and livelihoods.

The impact of disasters is generally greater on women. Women are at greater risk because of their socio-economic vulnerabilities such as lower social and economic status, lower participation rates in the labour force, higher rates of unemployment, lower wages and, in addition, responsibility for child care, domestic work, and care of the sick, elderly and disabled.

There is also the tendency for agencies involved in environmental management to focus on their core issues, neglecting preparedness due to lack of resources. The rapid turn-over of staff at these agencies hampers institutional memory.

In addition, there is the need to build capacity in the collection, storage, analysis, sharing of, and access to, data and information among relevant national institutions.


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2. Inclusive Growth

1 INTRODUCTION

Following a prolonged struggle, Guyana’s democratic credentials were restored in 1992. Inheriting a collapsed economy and infrastructure which was compounded by a high debt burden, the new Government set about the task of rebuilding the economy, reducing poverty and improving the living standards of the people. Since 1992, the country has enjoyed a relatively stable macroeconomic environment and an enhanced business climate. As Guyana’s prospects improved and its debt burden eased as a result of prudent fiscal policies and accompanying relief, the economy has moved from stagnation toward steadier growth, greater prosperity, and more ready access to domestic and foreign investment. Per capita income has increased to such an extent that Guyana has graduated from a HIPC country to the newer ‘lower middle income’ classification. Spending in the social sectors has increased appreciably and this has enabled poverty and extreme poverty to decline from 43.2% and 28.7% to 36% and 18.6%, respectively, between 1992 and 2006.44

2 THE ANALYSIS

2.1 THEME ONE: Drivers of Growth

2.1.1 Assessment of the Situation

Despite a difficult global environment and emerging risks associated with climatic change and natural disasters, such as severe flooding in 2005, the economy has managed to deliver admirable overall economic growth performance with over four years of successive growth from 2006 to 2010. Importantly, opportunities remain for further advancing the diversification already underway, as evidenced by the recently rebased GDP.

Accelerating the expansion of the economy in the coming years will depend on the speed and extent to which the government is able to improve productivity, raise competitiveness, diversify the productive base, train and retain a skilled labour force and reduce poverty. The Government of Guyana has ambitious plans to accelerate and share economic growth, described in various documents such as the National Development Strategy (NDS), the Poverty Reduction Strategy and, more recently, the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). The NDS is designed to achieve a number of key overall development objectives, including attaining the highest rates of economic growth possible, diversifying the economy, eliminating poverty, attaining an equitable geographic distribution of economic activity, and achieving geographical unity. The vision of the LCDS is to transform Guyana’s economy by exploiting the country’s natural resources through the prudent use of the natural environment. It sets out the priorities for the period 2010-2015 which are geared toward stimulating investment, economic growth and job creation as well as improving security and social services, protecting vulnerable sections of society, and dealing with increased climate change-induced flooding.45 Through this strategic approach, it is estimated that Guyana can generate economic growth at or in excess of projected Latin American growth rates over the coming decade.46

44 World Bank and Guyana Bureau of Statics using Household Budget Survey data 2006; 1993 HIES/LSMS

45 http://www.lcds.gov.gy

46 Guyana’s National GHG Inventory (1998 UNFCCC Reporting); McKinsey & Company, “Global GHG Abatement Cost Curve v2” (2009)


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Guyana has long been recognized as a country of tremendous potential. It has large mineral and agricultural resources that have not been fully utilized. The period 2000 to 2005 represented a lower growth for the economy, principally as a result of increased oil prices, natural disasters (severe flooding in 2005), the winding down of the country’s largest gold mine, and a deteriorating crime and security situation. GDP growth rebounded during 2007-2010 at an average of 4.0 percent per annum. Despite difficulties experienced in the sugar and manufacturing sectors, non sugar growth driven by construction and commodity exports (gold, rice) improved terms of trade (in 2008). Additionally, increased foreign direct and domestic investments ensured growth remained positive during the period amply demonstrating the economic resilience that has kept the economy. Externally Guyana’s heavy reliance on primary commodity exports left the country exposed to the global recession in 2008-2009. The impact was reflected in 2009 in lower export receipts (exports earned 4.1 percent less in 2009). At the same time a sharp contraction in merchandise imports, on account of lower acquisition costs for fuel, allowed for an improvement in both the merchandise trade balance and the current account balance. A similar improvement in the capital account balance, occasioned by increased net public and private sector inflows, ensured an overall surplus of the balance of payments during 2008 – 2009.

The public finances came under stress during the first half of the decade but strengthened during the second half. Rising import prices for oil, flood-related reconstruction expenses in the wake of the extreme flooding in 2005, and investment in the modernization of the sugar industry were, in large part, responsible for the sizeable growth in public expenditure during 2002-2005 which led to an increase in the overall deficit of the Government. Since then, there has been a progressive decline in the deficit from 7.4% of GDP in 2007 to approximately 3% in 2010. This fiscal consolidation has been aided by the reform measures undertaken, including the introduction of the VAT, strengthening of revenue administration and containment of the growth of wage expenditure; increased prioritization of the PSIP; and lower interest payments from debt forgiveness and other debt relief initiatives. Prudent fiscal policies have been matched by a corresponding monetary stance enabling the inflation rate to decline from 6.1 percent in 2002 to 3.6 percent in 2009. Macroeconomic improvements have resulted in a rapid expansion of loans and advances by commercial banks to the private sector.

2.1.2 Analysis –

2.1.2.1 Sectoral Composition of GDP

The direct contribution made by different sectors to the growth of the economy during 2006-2009 is shown in Table 1. Two columns are shown for each sector: the column on the left is computed using 1988 prices while the column on the right is based on 2006 prices.47 The picture that emerges for the sectoral breakdown of growth rates and sources of growth is revealing. Regardless of which series is used, the services sector had the largest share. The influential agriculture sector, on which growth and exports have depended, has progressively declined in importance every year since 2006. The industrial sector (broadly defined to include mining and quarrying, construction, manufacturing and electricity and water),

47 Both series are shown because of the rebasing of the GDP in 2009. It had long been felt that GDP did not reflect the true reality of the economy because its computation was based on 1988 prices, did not capture the changes in the structure, activities and relative prices that had taken place since then, and did not take account of a large and growing underground economy, estimated to be as much as 50 percent of the official economy. Though the rebasing to 2006 prices took place in 2009, it will only take effect from 2010. The Statistical Bureau has undertaken work to convert national accounts for years 2006 to 2009 to the 2006 series. As a result, the new series has resulted in huge increases in GDP at current factor cost, ranging from 71 percent in 2006 to 83 percent in 2008; and GDP at market prices, which has increased by an average 62 percent. At the same time, the observed changes in the growth of constant GDP reflect fluctuations, ranging from 7 percent to 2 percent, compared to the old series when growth ranged from 5.4 percent to 2.3 percent. More information on the rationale for, and the methodology used in, rebasing the GDP, can be found on www.statisticsguyana.gov.gy and Budget Speech 2010.


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which lagged behind the other two sectors when 1988 prices were used, now ranks second using the re-based 2006 prices. While industry’s share increased from 2006 to 2007, it declined over the next two years.

Table 1 - Sectoral contribution to GDP growth at constant prices (percentages)

Agriculture Industry Services Total

2006

2007

2008

2009

31.6

30.1

27.6

27.7

23.9

22.4

21.4

20.9

22.5

23.2

23.9

23.3

30.0

30.4

29.9

29.0

45.9

46.7

48.5

49.0

46.1

47.2

49.7

51.1

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Source: Statistical Bureau Note: Left columns based on 1998 prices, right columns on 2006 prices

Agriculture : Although government has invested over US$200 million in the modernization of the Skeldon Estate Factory (SEF), sugar production has declined by 31.6 percent—from a high 331,052 tonnes in 2002 to 226,267 tonnes in 2008. Constraints included indifferent weather, reduced opportunity days and labour problems. On the other hand, rice output has been averaging nearly 325,000 tonnes during the four year period, 2006-2009, largely on account of better drainage and irrigation, the use of high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties, and implementation of a programme to boost competitiveness in the industry. Forestry has gained increased prominence following worldwide concern for climate change and the role sustainable management and conservation of the forest can play in reducing carbon emission. Production and exports of non-traditional crops have been boosted by the government’s “Grow More Food” campaign. Moreover, this increased production of non-traditional agriculture has contributed to an expansion of intra and extra regional trade and an improvement in domestic food security. In the case of the latter, in 2010 Guyana was identified as one of only two Caribbean countries, which have met their target for food security under the Millennium Development Goals.

The agriculture sector is recognized as one of the driving forces of the economy which contributes to GDP, exports, income and employment. To this end, there have been substantial investments in the sector. Between 2008 and 2009, the budgetary allocation to the sector increased by 106 % from US $ 21 million to US $ 43.5 million. However, agriculture’s contribution can be further enhanced by revolutionising the traditional approach, methods, policies and practices which are currently in the sector and by diversifying a wider variety of products. This can best be achieved by promoting plantation-scale agriculture and facilitating agro-business opportunities.

Industry : Industry’s growing influence in the GDP is attributed to the upsurge in construction and gold declaration. Mainly a housing boom created by widespread distribution of house lots and facilitated by easy credit access has fueled increased construction activities. Recently, improved hinterland infrastructure, a favourable fiscal regime and record international prices for gold have seen resurgence in the subsector resulting in improved declarations by artisanal miners. The subsector is an important employer with over 10,000 persons directly involved in more than 800 small to medium-sized operations. On the other hand, as a result of the years’ global economic crisis and depressed prices, production in the bauxite industry is still to recover in preceding years.


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Services : The increasing significance of the services sector, as verified by the rebased GDP, has been explained by rising incomes leading to reduced spending on food and more on essential services and durable and semi-durable items.48 In addition, the government has been promoting investment in the information and communications sub sector. This has led to a large private investment in fibre optic cable, which has increased bandwidth and has the potential for attracting new industries. The sub sector is an important source of employment; already, over 2000 persons are employed and this number will grow as new entrepreneurial activities are undertaken. The budding tourism sector has significant potential for backward linkages in the domestic economy and for employment generation for the rising number of youth in both rural and urban areas.

New Growth Poles : Petroleum exploration and the building of a major hydropower facility at Amaila Falls are two key projects designed to widen the economic base through the diversification of economic activities. Other areas of focus include fruits and vegetables, livestock and aquaculture, and manufacturing.

2.1.2.2 Medium Term Prospects, 2012-2016:

Growth prospects for the period 2012 – 2016 hinge principally on the global recovery, the turnaround in the sugar sector, accelerated growth in the non-sugar sector and new growth areas. Significant upside growth potential also derives from successful implementation of the LCDS and the materialization of the imminent large private sector investment projects. Fiscal consolidation is expected to be maintained in the medium term with the overall balance after grants averaging 3.8 percent per annum during 2011-2013, down from the projected 5.9 percent in 2010. Though ambitious, this improvement is doable and is premised on further reforms to the tax system and tax administration, improvements in budget and expenditure management, rationalization and increased prioritization of the PSIP and continued sustainable debt management strategy. The Government is to be commended for quickly bringing CLICO under judicial management and initiating its winding up. Largely using a grant of US$15 million extended by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago from its Petroleum Fund, it has been able to expedite payment in full to nearly 11,290 of the 15,000 policyholders whose policy values were G$30 million or less.

2.1.2.3 Key Challenges

Protecting the Environment : Pursuing broad-based, diversified economic growth and managing the countries natural resources in a sustainable manner is a major challenge. However, the task is being vigorously pursued by the government, led by the President, who is actively seeking the world’s attention to support Guyana’s economic development strategy embodied in the LCDS. The country’s almost pristine and intact rainforest is being leveraged to finance a catalytic transformation along a low carbon development path.

Climate, price and other risks in agriculture need to be managed given the sector’s importance in income generation, employment and the reduction of poverty. Appropriate agricultural practices, sustainable forest management techniques and environmentally friendly and socially responsible extraction of mineral resources, the disturbance and degradation of forests, and unregulated squatter settlements are the major issues related to the sustainability of the environment.

Sea level rise and changes in weather pattern : The country’s archaic and aged sea defense and drainage and irrigation systems are coming under increasing stress, as rainfall becomes more frequent and intense, sea level rises, new development activities get underway, and increasing pressure for new lands for expanded housing drives. The risk associated with these climatic changes and costs associated

48 Consolidate, Transform, Sustain, Budget Speech 2010


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with the adaptation are posing challenges to poverty alleviation, growth and improved competitiveness. Currently the cost are being borne by the government and to a lesser extent by the agricultural producers. There is therefore need for a comprehensive risk management strategy including crop insurance, where feasible, and social safety nets to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Infrastructure : In recent years, adverse weather conditions have placed additional strain on the country’s physical infrastructure. The challenge will be to reduce the added cost to production imposed by the current state of the economic infrastructure. While the government continues to invest heavily in the economic infrastructure, the momentum generated in recent years must be maintained. Particularly, the government has recognized the need to improve and expand drainage and irrigation, the transportation network (road, water, and air), liberalize the telecommunications and information markets, and deliver low cost, reliable and efficient power.

Human Capital : The changing dynamics of the global and national economies make it imperative that the existing gap between the supply and demand issues for skilled labour in the economy be addressed urgently. This implies that the education sector and the formal education system need to align its policy, the curriculum content and education delivery with the labour needs of the industries which are deemed necessary to spur growth and development in the economy to meet both current and future demands.

Crime and security : Reducing crime and improving security is critical to growth and increased competitiveness. In this regard the national Citizens’ Security Programme is expected to contribute to strengthened capacity in the security sector.

2.1.3 Conclusions

Guyana’s economy has demonstrated robust and consistent growth at an average of 4% over the past five (5) years. Sustaining and improving this level of growth is critical to the country’s prospects of achieving the MDGs and the broader national development agenda

Guyana has great potential for future economic growth: a relatively well-educated population, fluent in English; moderately low-priced labour; a comparative advantage of land area and fertile soils49; unutilized and underutilized mineral resources; an untapped hydroelectric potential; natural, unspoiled scenic mountains, rainforest and rivers; and the possibility to exploit the country’s location between northern Brazil and the sea.50 It needs to harness these assets in a structured manner so as to generate pro poor growth that would help in reducing poverty.

2.2 THEME TWO: Competitiveness


Economic competitiveness is a cross cutting and horizontal theme. One definition of the concept identifies productivity as the main driver of competitiveness51. At the macroeconomic level, the ability of a country to support productivity allows a high and rising standard of living. Competitiveness is driven by pressures—

49 FAO (2010), Inception Report of FAO Representative to Guyana

50 World Bank (2007), Guyana Investment Climate Assessment

51 http://competitiveness.mobi/whatiscomp.php


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such as the globalization of competition, the rise of knowledge-based economies, and increasing resource prices—but offers a range of opportunities, including new markets, decentralization of production, and the ability to leverage advantage in larger markets. As such the quality of the macroeconomic environment and the state of a country’s institutions determines the degree of competitiveness. Against this background, accelerating growth will depend on Guyana’s ability to become more competitive.

For many years, several of Guyana’s key exports (sugar, rice, rum) benefited from preferential access. While generating much needed income for the country, preferences had the unintended effect of delaying adjustment and re-tooling in the specific industry, in face of rising costs. The recent loss of preferential markets has brought into sharp relief the need for Guyana to improve the competitiveness of its exports in order to compete in the global market. The rapid liberalization of trade, investment and technology and the increasingly intense competition from other developing countries present both opportunities and challenges to several sectors of the economy. One key overarching opportunity is Guyana’s strategic geographical location as an English-speaking portal between the Caribbean and South America.

The government’s response to these challenges has been collaboration with stakeholders in the common objective of building on past progress to achieve sustainable economic development. This has resulted in the evolution of the National Competitiveness Strategy (NCS), which builds upon the foundations set out in the NDS. The NCS is a participatory approach to enhancing competitiveness. It focuses on an action plan designed to improve the environment for private sector investment, with a focus on investment promotion, reducing red tape, and improving competition and consumer protection; strengthen competitiveness for export development, with a focus on export promotion, trade, policy, infrastructure, business development services, access to finance and skills development; enhanced public-private cooperation, focusing on increasing the private sector’s involvement in the development of economic, trade, investment and business-related policies and initiatives.

The NCS provides for three mutually supporting components:

� Core policies or economy wide measures which cut across most sectors of the economy. These include macroeconomic policy, competition policy, taxation policy, and trade policy as well as measures related to education and training, technology and standards, finance, investment promotion, infrastructure, export promotion, red tape and strengthening the legal system;

� Sector policies that address sector specific obstacles and opportunities; and

� Strategic sub-sector policies targeting dynamic sectors with the greatest opportunities for growth and diversification.

Implementation of the NCS is a collaborative approach between government and the private sector. A public-private National Competitiveness Council (NCC), which is chaired by Guyana’s President, has been established to take ownership of the NCS and act as the central point of policy leadership that will ensure ongoing development and implementation of the NCS. The NCC’s main objectives are to:

� Act as a focal point of public-private leadership for the NCS, oversee and co-ordinate on-going strategy formulation, ensure that the goals of the NCS are adhered to, policies are implemented, results monitored, and new policies and programmes are devised;

� Promote and communicate the NCS locally and internationally;

� Search for solutions for key cross-cutting issues and challenges facing Guyana’s economic development; and

� Search for synergies among donors in order to improve effectiveness of donor and lender institutions.


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Donor and lending institutions are expected to play an important role in supporting the NCS. In that context, in March 2007, the IDB made available US$27 million, in the form of a hybrid policy and investment loan, to help with the implementation of the competitiveness programme over five years. The resources will be used to enhance the competitiveness of the economy, thereby bringing about economic growth and greater private investment, exports and employment. The project will help to strengthen the institutions for public-private dialogue on competitiveness as well as improve the business environment for private investment and export development. Although it is too early to assess the impact of the measures already taken, the commitment to address the issues should ensure an improved environment for growth, investment and competitiveness.

2.2.2 Analysis

Guyana enjoys exciting opportunities for trade, investment and economic growth despite the challenges faced that affect its ability to realize its potential. Some challenges and opportunities are unique to Guyana, while others are common to countries at this stage of development.

Key challenges:

Constraints to growth include:

� Infrastructure: It has already been emphasized that improving the infrastructure is critical to achieving increased competitiveness. The government is committed in its PRS to undertake various measures to improve infrastructure including improving drainage and irrigation and sea defense systems, and the roads network; expanding the power supply; and liberalizing the telecommunications sector. Foremost amongst the infrastructure gap is the need for affordable and reliable energy which is being pursued in the areas of hydropower and solar energy.

� Investment Promotion and Facilitation: The challenge here is to put in place the measures to support the legislative and regulatory actions already undertaken, including strengthening of the one stop agency so that it can become more dynamic and improve its capacity to promote and increase investment in the country.

� Export Promotion and Facilitation: The institutional framework for export promotion has performed well in recent years owing to strong sector representation, effective agency collaboration, and the provision of valuable policy advice. Beyond this, action needs to be taken to increase collaboration between sectors on supply chain issues, improve private sector representation in the area of export promotion, and further empower the export promotion agencies, and review export taxes and the incentives for export. This is already on-going in the agriculture diversification programme.

� In the agricultural sector, information also needs to be provided on the grades and standards for produce required by the various importing countries to ensure that Guyanese agricultural exports meet the requirements to promote trade. There is also need for a coordinating agency to organize farmers into clusters and manage their production, marketing and input supplies to ensure that there is a constant supply to meet the demands of the market.

� Access to finance: The high cost of finance, and the importance collateral plays in borrowing are stumbling blocks to increased investment. This is felt especially in the small and medium size businesses. Government needs to create the environment for a competitive marketplace for financial institutions, and enhance the capacity of businesses to access and deal with the banking system.

� Human Resources: The changing dynamics of the global and national economies make it imperative that the existing gap between the supply and demand issues for skilled labour in the economy be addressed urgently. This implies that the education sector and the formal education system need to align its policy, the curriculum content and education delivery with the labour


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needs of the industries which are deemed necessary to spur growth and development in the economy to meet both current and future demands..

� Bureaucratic Procedures: The efficiency with which Guyanese firms use direct inputs, such as labour and capital, to produce goods is low relative to other countries, and it drops dramatically when indirect costs, such as infrastructure and dealing with red tape, are factored in.52 Important steps have been taken to streamline procedures, particularly in relation to enterprise registration, export and import procedures, land and property markets and resolution of commercial disputes.

� Business Development Services: The aim is to improve marketing support and business information services, deliver more effective organization and management support services, and improve the infrastructure for supporting standards, certification and sanitation issues.

Competitiveness: Enhancing the economic opportunities for the poor and vulnerable groups is an inclusive mechanism for driving growth.

Community and micro-business operations have long been recognized as a more flexible and responsive model to foster diversification and competitiveness. This coupled with the accelerated development of small and medium scale businesses can potentially propel Guyana’s economic growth trajectory.

2.2.3 Conclusion

The economy must diversify and broaden its base, and sectors and industries must operate at higher levels of efficiency and productivity. Guyana’s geographic and strategic location in the Caribbean holds great potential. Globalization also brings with it opportunities to overcome the narrowness of the domestic market and increased access to capital and technology – all of which can lead to greater income and employment creation. The achievement of the MDGs depends on Guyana’s ability to generate new momentum for growth and prosperity consistent with more challenging competitive realities. In the last few years, the country has made progress to improve competitiveness, but there is more to be done.

2.3 THEME THREE: Job Creation/Labour Markets


The labour force in Guyana contracted between 1992 and 2006, declining from 282,964 to 263, 467 over this period. The employed labour force has shown a similar decline from 249,820 in 1992 to 235,225 in 2006. The unemployment rate has largely stabilized at about 11 percent since 1992, declining to 10.7 percent in 2006. The target groups for reducing unemployment are women and youth. This decline may be attributable to the changing dynamics of the Guyanese economy as a result of increased economic diversification and strengthened institutional arrangements and increased investment in the area of small business development.

2.3.2 Analysis of the Situation

The services sector generates half of the total employment in Guyana. A quarter is generated by agriculture and the rest is absorbed for the most part by construction and manufacturing.

52

According to the World Bank’s Report on Guyana Investment Climate, “Guyanese manufacturing firms spend on average 13.5 percent of their annual sales on different costs related to infrastructure bottlenecks (power and water interruptions), and to governance and insecurity, …”


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Guyana has a youthful demographic profile: According to 2002 Population and Housing Census, about 53 percent of the country’s population is less than 25 years while 35.5 percent is below age 1553. Given the distinctly pyramidal structure of the population, the number of youth entering the labour market is growing rapidly. The development of decent and productive work for youth has occupied the attention of the government and the government has developed a number of programmes, many of them with support from the donor community. The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security has resuscitated the employment bureau and has initiated various programmes related to employment promotion services such as registration of jobseekers, employment counseling, and job matching and placement in the private and public sectors. In addition to (re)training the workforce to be adequately qualified for jobs offered in the labour market, efforts have been made to facilitate the finding and filling of vacancies by job-seekers. The Central Recruitment Manpower Agency (CRMA) works to match job-seekers to vacancies, ensuring a more efficient allocation of workers across the system.

Web-based job portal has been launched and job fairs are held to bridge the information gap between jobseekers and employers. Recognizing the importance of equipping school-leavers with employable skills for smooth transition to gainful employment, focus has also been given to skills-development programmes.

Among the programmes that are being implemented is the Young Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme and a 3-year National Training Programme that targets early school leavers and out-of-school youths between 16 and 25 years, the cohort that experiences the greatest difficulty in obtaining employment. In addition to traditional skills such as carpentry, welding, plumbing and leather craft, life skills are taught so that trainees are exposed and achieve competency in basic literacy, numeracy and social development. This would improve their chances of finding gainful employment in the public and private sectors, and/or advancing their educational status in higher learning institutions. New technical and vocational institutes have been established in Anna Regina in Region 2, Corentyne in Region 6, and Linden in Region 10, to supplement the two institutes and trade school already in existence. Efforts are also being made by the Ministry of Education to re-orient the school curriculum to the needs in the workplace through the introduction of career counseling, life skills education and vocational awareness. One factor which may be responsible for unemployment is the existence of a gap in the skill set of prospective workers, generated by the formal education system and the skill set demanded by the labour market. Closer alignment between the education/training sector and the labour market is therefore required. This can take the form of ensuring that sector strategies adequately address this disconnect.

The private sector is an important stakeholder in the process of generating income and creating employment opportunities, a fact that government has recognized and has been undertaking reforms to improve the business environment by creating an enabling environment that rewards entrepreneurship and innovation. The private sector has been responding to government’s entreaties, as reflected in the expansion in loans and advances of the commercial banks and new, expanding and diversified businesses. Efforts will continue to focus on strengthening the legal and regulatory framework, supporting micro- and small-enterprises and newly emerging sectors such as agro processing, tourism and information technology – all of which have the capacity to absorb a large number of skilled and semi-skilled persons. To this end, government has engaged the private sector in the establishment of a G$500 million loan revolving fund that targets single parents, particularly female heads of households, in order to provide start-up capital for small business ventures. The aim is to promote self-employment and increase income and income-earning capacity among this group. This credit guarantee scheme is being implemented by a private commercial bank.

Additional activities targeted are related to employment preparation and entrepreneurship as well as enterprise creation and development. Hence, common components included in an effective and sustainable holistic approach to youth employment and development are: (i) life skills, such as building self confidence, working in teams, and other interpersonal skills; (ii) employability and/or entrepreneurial skill building, such as via career counseling, job or business opportunity identification, market-led product

53 Statistical Bureau, Results of the 2002 Population and Housing Census, p39


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development, labeling, advertisement and distribution; (iii) financial literacy education, including personal financial management, the importance of savings mobilization, and how to calculate returns on investment and interest costs; and (iv) access to investment capital, which can come from grants, family or personal savings, loans or equity investments.

Key challenges:

� Matching job skills with changing realities : While continued efforts are needed to enroll and retain boys and girls to complete primary and higher education, it is important to raise their awareness of existing and future labour market needs and prepare them with the right attitude and skills to enter the world of work. This requires strengthening career guidance and employment counseling services supported by a reliable labour market information base. There is also a need to build managerial and technical expertise through specialized training programmes, as these are among the areas of skills shortage and skills gap reported in the NDS, PRS, LCDS and reports of donors, and perceived as sources of mismatch between education and occupation by graduate employees.

� Better use of infrastructure facilities for vocatio nal training : The existing technical and trade schools, though inadequate, appear not to be efficiently utilized. With increasing numbers of school-leavers demanding exposure to such facilities, an audit should be undertaken to gauge their usage, curriculum content, teaching personnel, reach, relevance and feedback.

� Tackling underemployment : The absence of periodic Labour Force Surveys makes it difficult to quantify the level of underemployment in Guyana, It is important therefore, to address this data gap so as to inform policy makers in the design of policy interventions. Such policy options may include combining non formal education with skills development programmes and gender awareness to address female and male underdevelopment, particularly in rural areas.

� Creating niche markets : Based on Guyana’s natural endowments and large Diaspora, potential niche industries and markets (e.g. forest-based organic agriculture, medicinal herbs, handicraft and eco tourism) have been identified in the LCDS for exploitation Potential should be actualized through an action plan geared to support production, quality-control and marketing.

� Small enterprise development : Although a Small Business Act was passed in 2004, its operational effectiveness was rendered moot by the non-constitution of the Small Business Council. It is important to constitute this important organ so that small businesses can benefit from fiscal concessions, and technical and managerial assistance. On the other hand, the simplification of business registration, undertaken in 2009, should facilitate the acceleration of business enterprise development and create jobs.

2.4.3 Conclusion

If Guyana is to reduce poverty further and generate high quality jobs for the youth the focus has to be on pro-poor growth with intensive and sustainable employment creation. The LCDS provides a strong basis for achieving this goal with its emphasis on diversification of the economy, improving inter-sectoral linkages, and enhancing the environment for private sector development with emphasis on operationalising the framework for the flourishing of micro- and small business. This has to be matched by improvements in the quality and reach of vocational training to meet the needs of the growing number of young people entering the labor market with little or no prospect of securing a job. Making education and training more demand-driven should help in combating the high youth unemployment rate. Job creation in existing establishments is unlikely to produce the new jobs required to meet the annual net increase in the labour force. Thus the employment problem has to be addressed not only through growth in existing establishments, but more importantly, through enterprise creation on a massive scale. The new national competitiveness strategy and competition policy of the government are important steps in the right direction of providing scope for new entrants to the market.


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The government will also have to intensify its programmes for promoting investment in new export-oriented foreign-exchange earning sectors (notably manufacturing, high value export crops, eco tourism) so as to create a substantially increased momentum of growth in non-traditional exports of goods and services. This will require the vigorous pursuit of investment promotion campaigns and the construction of the necessary infrastructure in selected locations. Particular attention to agriculture is also needed, as the sector is home to the majority of the workforce and accounts for a significant share of the poor. Perhaps the strongest employment challenge that emerges is the need to create more high quality jobs (associated with higher productivity and wages). More and better opportunities need to be created in the manufacturing and export sectors, whilst simultaneously improving rural infrastructure in order to reduce the pressure of rural-urban migration.

2.5 THEME FIVE: Regional Integration


The fast pace of globalization has changed the external environment facing Guyana. Globalization provides great benefits but competition in the international arena is also fierce. Seizing the opportunities presented by globalization means by definition, increasing integration with the world economy. But with the risks and vulnerabilities associated with globalization, Guyana will have to address these as part of its strategy. Given the small size of the domestic market, regional integration is critical to overcoming this and other natural disadvantages of small size and lack of competitiveness.

Regional integration helps to overcome fragmentation through the creation of larger markets that permit economies of scale, wider competition and increased foreign investment. Deepening the regional integration movement will help to open up the economic space, driving down production and transactions costs. The path to greater prosperity in Guyana lies in greater integration, within the region and with the rest of the world. But all experiences bring both opportunities and challenges. Thus as, Guyana as part of CARICOM and UNASUR pursues greater integration in the context of a very dynamic world, it must improve the competitiveness of the economy.

Guyana is a member of the 15-nation grouping called CARICOM. As part of CARICOM, Guyana is playing an integral role in the realization of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). The challenge is how to advance this process further and at a pace that would bring the implied benefits to the people. An important part of that process for the promotion of trade in the agricultural sector, involves the removal of non-tariff barriers to trade and the establishment of protocols for the facilitation of trade in agricultural commodities among CARICOM countries. Supported by practical export promotion interventions, the private sector opportunities for taking advantage of the CSME are many.

As a member of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Guyana participates in the Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA). The IIRSA is a response-based on consensus to the challenges to the effective integration and the growing infrastructure needs in South America. It is aimed at promoting the development of transportation, energy and communications infrastructure to strengthen the physical integration of the twelve South American countries, under a standard of equitable and sustainable territorial development. 54 The completion of the Takatu Bridge, spanning Guyana and Brazil, and the Berbice River Bridge is seen in the context of the objectives of IIRSA. Two other projects, a road from Linden to Lethem (also called Guyana/Brazil Road) and the bridging of the Corentyne River, are also being considered. Together these significantly boost that national transportation network and connectivity to our neighbouring South American countries.

2.5.2 Analysis 54 http://www.iadb.org/en/topics/regional-integration/iirsa/the-idb-as-strategic-partner-of-the-iirsa,1414.html


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Key Challenges:

• Transforming domestic economy to take advantage of regional integration agreements

• Follow-up on decisions and coordination

• National implementation of regional agreements

• Spreading the word on the integration process to encourage civil society participation in their realization of business, professional and other opportunities.

Some key considerations for the Regional integration programme are the work at the agency level that can bear results. These include:

• The Guyana Shield Initiative, scaled up to the Guyana Shield Facility • South-South Cooperation, a key example the Takatu bridge with Brazil • Continued cooperation on census support and techniques

2.5.3 Conclusion

Guyana’s membership in CARICOM and a number of other regional organizations should be seen as part of a strategic approach to accelerating pro poor development in the country. The restructuring of trade relations between the ACP States and EU should help develop momentum behind regional integration in the Caribbean. Trade relations, which are now based on non-reciprocal trade preferences granted by EU, are now based on economic integration agreements, called Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)

The road from Linden to Lethem and the bridging of the Corentyne River could benefit from the IDB’s Fund for Infrastructure Integration (FIRII) which finances technical cooperation for infrastructure integration initiatives. When completed, a complete road link between Guyana and its South American neighbours would have been established, opening new vistas and markets; in short, creating an economic space for increased trade, investment and capital flows, and functional cooperation.


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3. Inclusive Governance

1 INTRODUCTION

Guyana's history is one of occupation, exploitation and struggle. The country was populated by the Amerindians before the European conquest, and large numbers of slaves and indentured servants were brought from Africa, India, China, Madeira and Portugal to work the plantation economy. It is this history that has created the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity of the country, in addition to its diverse biodiversity, which make Guyana a unique country in this hemisphere.

According to the 2002 Census, Indo-Guyanese make up 43.5% of the population, followed by Afro-Guyanese at 30.2%, Mixed at 16.7% and Amerindians at 9.1%. Noteworthy is the fact that the fastest growing ethnic group is the Amerindian population.

The Census showed that persons under 14 years old accounted for 33.3% of the population and those under the age of 35 years old make up 58 % of the population. There is separation of church and state, but the overwhelming majority of the population identifies with some religion (95.7%). Hindus represent 28.4%, followed by Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Muslims 7.2%, Anglican 6.9% and Seventh Day Adventist 5%.

Guyana, formerly British Guiana, won its independence on May 26, 1966. In 1970 it became a Republic and its hybrid Republican–Westminster parliamentary model was established. In 1980 a new constitution was passed after a referendum. The most recent Constitutional Reform process took place in the 1999-2003 period led by a broad based Parliamentary Constitutional Reform Commission which introduced major changes to the 1980 constitution.

The National Assembly is unicameral; it has 65 members elected under a hybrid system of proportional representation and geographic constituencies. Forty (40) are elected from the National “Top Up” lists and twenty-five (25) from 10 Geographic Constituencies, which correspond to the 10 Administrative Regions. The geographic seats are allocated in accordance with the Constitution. Up to 4 non-elected Ministers who are non-voting Members of Parliament can be appointed to sit in the National Assembly.

Politically the country is organized as a unitary state with three tiers of government - central government, 10 Administrative Regions, 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and 6 Municipalities (MCCs) at the local government level and 134 Amerindian Village Councils. The Executive is comprised of the President and Cabinet. The new local government system will be based on a hybrid “first past the post /proportional representational “electoral system which will be applied to the next NDCs and MCCs elections.

The PPP/Civic was elected in October 1992 and has been subsequently re-elected in the 1997, 2001, and 2006 general and regional elections. All these elections have been observed by international and local observer groups and found to be free and fair. The 2006 elections were the most peaceful in recent history. Elections are constitutionally due to be held in 2011.

Today Guyana is a middle income country which has made notable and noticeable improvements. In its February 2011 report on Guyana, the IMF says that despite external and domestic shocks, the Guyanese economy demonstrated resilience and registered a fifth consecutive year of robust growth in 2010. The IMF Executive Board’s conclusion of the 2010 Article 1V consultation with Guyana, March 4, 2011, states “Guyana’s outlook remains positive for 2011, an election year, and through the medium term” 55

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The country, has made significant strides moving from a low income country to a low middle income country and reduced poverty from 67% to 35 % in 2008. It is in the “Medium Human Development” category in the UNDP Human Development Report (2010), ranking 104 of 169 countries. 56

Guyana has acceded to the ICCPR, the CERD, the CEDAW, the CAT, the CRC, and the ISCER, the UNCAC, and more recently the Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers and their families and the 2 Optional Protocols on the Rights of the Child; it is a signator to the UN Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It has acceded to the Inter-American Convention on the Belem do Para on Elimination of Violence against women and the Inter-American Convention against Corruption.

In keeping with its treaty obligations it has submitted reports to the CERD, CEDAW, CRC, CAT and will complete outstanding reports to ICCPR and ISCER in 2011. It has submitted its report on the Belem do Para and has gone through all 3 Rounds of Review of the IACAC. It will be subjected to its first review before the UNCAC in 2012.

Guyana was reviewed by the UN UPR process in May and September 2010.

Guyana also responds to questionnaires and requests for information that are dispatched from the UNHRC and the IACHR, special rapporteurs etc. Guyana also reports to the various UN and OAS bodies with reference to security, drug trafficking, illicit trafficking in weapons, arms etc, nuclear weapons and counter–terrorism.

2 DEFINITION

In this thematic paper, the definition of governance used is that stated in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2007 policy paper on the subject, which states that: “Governance can be seen as the exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a country’s affairs at all levels. It comprises the mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations and mediate their differences. Good governance is….participatory, transparent and accountable. It is also effective and equitable. And it promotes the rule of law. Good governance ensures that political, social and economic priorities are based on broad consensus in society and that the voices of the poorest and the most vulnerable are heard in decision-making over the allocation of development resources.” Guyana’s model of inclusive governance evolved out of the Constitutional reform process in the 1999-2003 period, and is enshrined in Article 13, Human Rights provisions, the Parliament and appointment of the 5 Human Rights Commissions and the 3 Service Commissions and the expanded committee system.

These are recent reforms that are in some cases only 7 years in the making.

3.1 THEME ONE: Political Participation: Voice and A ccountability


In accordance with the Constitution, elections to the National Assembly57 and the 10 Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) occur every 5 years. The last national and regional elections of August 2006 were the

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This paper does not go into details on Guyana’s social and economic performance as these are covered in the

thematic papers on Inclusive Growth and Human and Social Development.


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most peaceful that the country experienced in over 14 years. The Peoples’ Progressive Party/Civic won those elections and formed the Government of Guyana for the fourth consecutive time, securing approximately 54.7 percent of the popular vote and 37 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly. The main Opposition People’s National Congress Reform One Guyana (PNC/R_1G), the Alliance For Change (AFC), and the Guyana Action Party/ Rise, Organize and Rebuild (GAP/ROAR) make up the Opposition, with 29 seats.

On coming to office in 1992, the PPP/C government began to build on the momentum generated by the return of democracy to Guyana, and benefitted from international and local goodwill, which was at its highest; significant support was extended to the country to pursue its development options. Since then there have been a number of positive developments.

Through the revision of the 1999-2003 Constitutional Reform process and the revised 2003 Constitution, the political framework for a more participatory and inclusive model of governance was laid.

Guyana is a secular state, with a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society, and boasts “a unique, inclusive, governance model”.

This Inclusive Governance Model has introduced reforms which focus on, but are not limited to, the following:

� Power sharing between the party in government and the parliamentary opposition as the President must have “meaningful consultations” with the Leader of the Opposition on the appointment of key constitutional posts. These provisions provide for the Leader of the Opposition to have a veto vote on certain appointments.

� Establishment of a constitutional Office of the Leader of the Opposition and replacing the name Minority Leader.

� Appointment and establishment of 4 Human Rights Commissions through an agreed on parliamentary consensual mechanism, namely:

• The Ethnic Relations Commission

• The Women and Gender Equality Commission

• The Rights of the Child Commission

The Indigenous Peoples Commission,

With the exception of the appointment of the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, the members of the other Commissions have been appointed.

• The Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission is appointed in accordance with the provisions of the constitution through the submission by the Leader of the Opposition58 of a list of six names “ not unacceptable” to the President from which the President selects the chairperson; The chairperson of the four other commissions comprise the members of this commission.

� The mechanism to appoint and establish the three Service Commissions, namely the Judicial, Public, and Police Service Commission, was reformed to provide for a more consensual approach. This was

58 The Leader of the opposition has been invited to submit names in accordance with the constitutional

requirements.


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done through the establishment of a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Appointments to Commissions (this body also appoints 4 of the 5 Human Rights Commissions mentioned above).

� The establishment of a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform charged with the mandate of continually reviewing the effectiveness of the working of the constitution and making periodic reports thereon to the National Assembly with proposals for reform as necessary; this was another innovative concept.

� The establishment of four parliamentary sectoral committees – Economic Services, Social Services, Natural Resources and Foreign Relations - to monitor and oversee all areas of government policy and administration. This has been significant, as in the exercise of their responsibility the committees have the power to examine all policies and administration for each sector and determine whether the execution of government policy is in consonance with the principle of good governance and in the best interest of the nation. These committees are comprised of non-ministerial Members of Parliament (government side) and MPs on the opposition side, the chairmanship is annually rotated in each committee between the government and the opposition. These committees can and do call the Prime Minister and Ministers of Government to appear before them to answer matters concerning policy and performance of entities within their portfolios.

� The establishment of a Parliamentary Management Committee with equal numbers of Government and Opposition chaired by the Speaker. This committee has to consider and decide on matters relating to the business of the National Assembly and such other matters as it may wish to consider or that may be referred to it by Committees or the National Assembly.

� The Office of the Auditor General reports directly to the Parliament and not the Minister of Finance.

� Expansion of the fiduciary oversight mandate and authority of the Public Accounts Committee to include responsibility for ‘general supervision over the Audit Office of Guyana’ in accordance with the Auditor General’s Rules, Policies and Procedures Manual. The Public Accounts Committee has to examine the accounts showing the expenditure of the sums appropriated by Parliament to meet public expenditure and other accounts laid before the Assembly and referred to it by the Assembly along with the Auditor General Report. Significantly, this committee is chaired by an Opposition Member of Parliament (MP).

� The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM59) was established in accordance with amended Article 161 of the Constitution and by statute. It is the entity that is responsible for the administration and conduct of elections in Guyana, registration and demarcation of electoral boundaries.

� The constitutional reforms were followed in 2005-6 with a robust period of parliamentary reforms that has implemented an expanded committee system parallel to those of more advanced democracies; new Standing Orders; enhanced and more qualified staff; use of modern technology in the Chambers and a more modern and deliberative Parliament.

� For the 9th Parliament ( 2006 September- 2011) 140 bills have been enacted so far, covering reforms in the financial, social, security, and judicial sectors among others thereby creating a more modern legislative architecture for the management of the country.

� For the same period, under the new Standing Orders, the opposition has asked over 500 questions with and without notice, for written and oral replies, and all have been answered.

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GECOM is constituted thus: 3 nominees of the President acting in his own deliberate judgment, 3 nominees from the Opposition Leader who has to consult with other opposition political parties and civil society, and a Chairman who is selected by the President from a list of 6 persons submitted by the Leader of the Opposition. Once appointed, the members serve for life, unless otherwise removed in accordance with the Constitution.


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� Fifteen (15) bills were sent to parliamentary special select committees for review and amendment in the 9th Parliament, these bills were later returned to the House and adopted.

� The period from 2005 to the present has witnessed significant investment in the evolution of a strengthened and deliberative Parliament with enhanced capabilities and capacity through an injection of increased financial and technical resources by way of an increase in the government’s annual budgetary allocations, loan ( IDB/GoG FFMP), CIDA and BHC and UNDP ( grant support) and the Millennium Challenge Cooperation

� The creation of the National Stakeholders Forum in 2008 which brings together the 16 umbrella religious organizations for the three major religions, the Inter-Religious Organization, the two umbrella labour movements, the 4 umbrella business sector organizations, women’s organizations, the National Toushoas Council for example represents a coming together of bodies that can speak for over 50% of the Guyanese population with the President. This forum has met on 8 occasions in the last 2 years.

3.1.2 Women’s representation in the political process

According to the Global Report on the Status of Women in Parliament 2010, Guyana is ranked 25 of 187 countries with 30% female MPs. In this regard Guyana ranks above developed countries such as Canada (51), United Kingdom (52), United States of America (73), as well as Trinidad and Tobago (28), Jamaica, and Grenada (87).

Women have generally been involved in the political life of the country from the 1950s. They have made tremendous strides - holding the Presidency and ministerial positions, as well as occupying positions in the senior and middle level management of the public sector.60 The constitutional reform period introduced a new eligibility requirement for political parties to contest national and regional elections which provided for one-third female candidates on the party lists. In the 9th Parliament (2006-2011) there are 22 female MPs out of 65, or about one-third.61 These proportions show improvement in Cabinet, where 6 out of 18 members are women, 30%. However, political leadership remains male-dominated and this is expected to continue in the 2011 Elections.

Women’s participation in civil society is evident but leadership tends to be male dominated as most visible in the leadership of the private sector organizations and the labour movement. Worthy of note, however, is that the nominations from civil society to the Women and Gender Equality Commission and the Rights of the Child Commission were over 90 % female. Four of the 12 member Indigenous Peoples Commission are female.

Despite the gains made by women there is still need for work to be done in encouraging their participation at the level of local government. 62 3.1.3 Local government democracy

In order to further strengthen popular participation and inclusion, the constitutional reform process provided for a reform of the local government system. As a result agreement was reached between the

60

Women hold key constitutional posts in the administration and judicial sectors such as the Director of Public

Prosecutions, Chief Magistrate, Principal Magistrate, 1/3 of the judges and ½ of the magistrates, the Registrars of

the Supreme Court, the Land Court and the Deeds Registry, as well as the Director of Budget.

61 The Deputy Speaker from the Opposition and the Chief Whip for the government are also female.

62 There is no female Regional Chairperson amongst 10 RDC nor any female Mayors of the 6 MCCs, and women

membership on the 10 Councils averages approximately 30%


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Government and Opposition parties on a hybrid proportional representation/“first past the post” system for the 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and the 6 Municipalities.

However, a number of bills are pending in a parliamentary special select committee as agreement has not been reached on a procedural approach as well as an agreed formula for government fiscal transfers. Failure to complete the reforms stated above in a timely manner has resulted in repeated postponement of local government elections, effectively stymying the advancement of this important part of the democratic process.

It should, however, be noted that at the NDC level G$3,000.000.00 is made available each year by the government for programming and the NDCs raise funds through taxation.

The emergence of a plethora of community development groups in the past 15 years has allowed for greater involvement of people in their communities’ affairs and contributed to the betterment of their communities. There are over 300 functioning in the country and there is a coordinator with an office, staff and budgetary allocations from government.

It should also be noted that there are 950 cooperative societies registered and functioning under the Friendly Societies Act in Guyana.

3.1.4 Governance of Amerindian Villages

Governance of the 134 Amerindian Villages is provided for in both the constitution and in the Amerindian Act of 2006. Elections for Village councils are held every two years. Biennially all the Toshaos meet at the National Conference of Toshaos where the new 20 member executive of the National Toshaos Council is elected. In 2010 female Toshaos were elected and for the first time a woman chairs the NTC. By resolution at the last Toshaos confab in October 2010 it was decided that the NTC is legitimate voice of the Amerindian people of Guyana and the only body to speak with and for them with the donor community and international bodies etc.

The constitution guarantees their representation of 5 members on the Indigenous Peoples Commission, two of which must be female.

The Amerindian Act 2006 also governs land rights and Guyana is the only country in this hemisphere that has granted state lands as communal land titles “absolute and forever” to over 134 communities representing over 14% of Guyana’s land mass. The process of consistent demarcation of more villages and request for extension of titled land is a continuous process and it is projected that in the next ten years 22 more communities will be surveyed, and demarcated to allow for them to receive titles.

3.1.5 Key challenges and issues.

� Continue to enhance and build the capacity of the Parliament Office and the expanded committee

system in terms of human resources, introduction of new technologies, accessibility to the public through an interactive website etc

� Continue enhancing and expanding the dialogue and structures for inclusive governance in order to create an enabling environment for peace and stability of the country.

� Providing timely voter education and building trust and confidence in the new local government electoral system.

� Implementing the agreed on local government reforms.

� Empowering women, youth and other key groups to participate more meaningfully at local government levels.


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� Enhanced capacity building for the 5 Human Rights Commissions to develop the capacity to implement their constitutional mandates..

3.2 THEME TWO: Maintenance of macro-economic stabil ity, promoting growth, debt sustainability, and poverty reduction


Theme 2 although part of the governance is addressed more expansively in the thematic papers on Inclusive growth and Human and Social Development. This section, therefore, will restrict itself to policy matters and approaches.

The Government of Guyana has consciously and consistently adopted a two pronged policy approach to the national developmental agenda since its assumption of office in October 1992 and with subsequent administrations. The focus of Guyana’s model of development is one of pro-poor and pro-growth. This means that the pro-poor priority y to improve the quality of life, to reduce poverty and regional disparities - is premised on focusing on the poor and vulnerable – women, children, elderly, Amerindians and differently abled. It is people centered and as a result deliberate and conscious decisions have been made in relation to budgetary allocation of such programmes as free education and free health care in the public sector, access to low income housing and access to low interest loans, waivers for elderly in water rates, waivers of electricity charges for low usage, expanded social services and social safety net programmes such as the universal old age pension scheme, single parent assistance programme, public assistance, universal school uniform allowance in the public sector, school feeding programme, free youth skills training programmes, free ART and PMTCT programmes, assistance to community based organisations in enhancement activities, special project support for Amerindian communities. This allocation approximates to over 25 % of the annual budget of the nation.

The second prong of the pro-growth policy focuses on investments, expansion and diversification of the economic base of the country and involves such budgetary investments in infrastructure, new growth areas, private sector growth, fibre optic cables, telecommunications, energy, communications, sea and river defense, drainage and irrigation, diversification of agriculture, as well as creating an enabling environment for sector led commercial legal reform. Interventions including a competitiveness strategy, tax reform, improved regulatory framework and delivery of services, new and more local and foreign in natural resources, construction, tourism, and information technology. The new and emerging sectors such as construction, information technology, tourism and diversified agriculture, mining and have contributed to the creation of over 5000 jobs and moved the country away from dependence on sugar and bauxite its two traditional exports for macro-economic stability.

The move to e-governance to improve access to information and services is an important investment in the future development of the country. Equitable access to services and opportunities and building greater trust and confidence are all outcomes of the pro-poor and pro-growth initiatives.

This two pronged policy has contributed immeasurably to the reduction of poverty from 67 % in 1992 to 35 % in 2008, improvement in the quality of life of the majority of the population, to a reduction in the disparities between and among the ten administrative regions and the urban centres, greater equity in access to the delivery of services, improved conditions of life in the Amerindian communities, one of lowest ratios of inequality levels in this hemisphere63, coupled with a level of macro-economic stability that has been recognized by the IMF in its most recent assessments November 2010 and February 2011.64The 2011 annual budget document points to a stable economic growth pattern over the last 5 years despite the global fuel and food crisis and the global economic financial and economic recession

63

World Bank- Assessment of Poverty in Guyana, 2008

64 Available on the IMF website.


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and a level of macro economic stability as evidenced by the retention of 6 months foreign reserves of over $ 700 M USD, a first in the country’s history.

3.2.2 Accountability and Transparency

Fiduciary oversight, transparency and accountability 65have been built into a plethora of modern legislative instruments since 2003 such as the Procurement Act, the Audit Act, the Fiscal Enactments Act, the Financial Institutions Act, the Financial Management and Accountability Act, supported with new manuals and policy guidelines and access to information on various websites such as the National Procurement Tender Administration where the minutes of its meetings, awards of contracts, standard bidding documents are easily available. A new website www.eprocure.gov.gy has enhanced transparency and greater equity in access to procurement practices, opportunities and government advertising

As stated earlier in this report, the role of Parliament in ensuring transparency and accountability has been enshrined based on the establishment and clearly defined mandate of the 4 sectoral committees. Government and state entities submit annual reports and policy documents that are used by the sectoral committees in overseeing government policy, performance and administration. Examination of public accounts by the Public Accounts Committee is entrenched and the role of the Auditor General is more arms length from government control.

Guyana recognizes that public procurement is a vital part of the overall fiscal system the development and use of new manuals, guidelines and standard biding documents for tendering and awarding contracts by ministries and other government bodies have been developed; rules, procedures and powers to award contracts have been put in place. 66

The Government of Guyana recognizes that transparency is essential for good public financial management and for public trust and confidence in the integrity of the governance systems and it continues to make efforts continue to develop stronger fiduciary oversight and accountability.

3.2.3 Key challenges and issues

• The challenges faced by all developing countries with financial and economic constraints and reduced availability of funds for development pertain to Guyana;

• The period 2012- 2016 will require infinite more attention to decision-making and securing external support to address these shortfalls;

• Badly needed reforms at the international financial levels are not expected to be achieved in this period;

• Guyana will have to continue to sustain the considerable advances in the area of economic governance, which has led to the introduction of new policies, processes and legislative framework for managing government finance and budgeting, improving oversight and monitoring of government operations and managing the monetary and financial systems in an increasingly globalized environment. These reforms are crucial given their focus on improving the efficiency of the core functions of the public agencies and on improving overall performance of government operations;

• Availability of adequate support through technical and financial support to implement and expedite e-governance to reach all ten administrative regions and communities in the far interior.

3.3 THEME THREE: Rule of Law

65

It should be noted that Guyana’s reports to the Inter-American Convention against Corruption and will be

reporting for the first time in 2012 to the UN Convention against Corruption

66 See websites of the National Procurement and Tender Administration and the Audit Office of Guyana


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Rule of law pertains to two main branches of the state -, the executive branch which investigates, enforces and prosecutes the law which includes the Disciplined Forces, the Police Service Commission, the Police Complaints Authority, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Judicial branch which upholds the law in the courts such as the Judiciary 67and Magistracy-are in place.

In Guyana the primacy of the rule of law is to ensure a stable and safe society for its citizens, maintain public order and safety, secure the nations borders and national security interests, protection of citizens human rights and access for redress in the courts.

Major reforms in this particular area of governance have focused on significant investments in constitutional and legislative steps to modernise the legislative framework as well as the provision of material resources and training in human resources to support these changes. Legal procedures have been reformed including enhanced monitoring of the professional conduct. ICT use has also been promoted to improve efficient use and allocation of resources.

With the additional technical and financial support of the donor community the modernization of the justice68 remains on-going.

Some of the key legislative instruments in the 9 th Parliament are the Time Limit on Judicial Decisions Act, the Court of Appeal Act, the Alternate Dispute resolution Act, the Plea Bargaining Act, the Legal Practitioners Act, and subsidiary legislation to the Criminal Law (Procedures) Act, the Evidence Act, the Prevention of Crimes Act, the Contempt of Court Act, the Summary Jurisdiction Act, the Adminsitration of Justice Act as well as historic and most recent the Judicial Service Commission Rules and Code of Conduct and new High Court Rules. The Family Court Rules have been drafted and are before the Rules Committee of the JSC.

Monies have been expended on training the judicial officers including prosecutors and refurbishing courtrooms and building new courts in various administrative regions.

The modernization in the security sector has been implemented around the Security Sector Reform Plan includes restructuring, new policy guidelines, manuals and training of human resources and is anticipated to create safer neighbourhoods, to improve public order and safety and to promote better delivery of justice.

This area has also been bolstered by new legislative instruments such as the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, the Interception of Communication Act, the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act, the Money Transfer Licensing Act as well as subsidiary instruments which have amended the Prison Act, the Telecommunications Act .the Defence Act, the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, the Juvenile Offenders and the Training School Acts, and the Intoxicating liquor Licenses Act etc. to name a few.

3.3.2 Analysis

Equal rights is a constitutional principle according to which all citizens, irrespective of race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, sex, political views, wealth or social origin can exercise equally all the rights

68 Guyana has three branches of Government, consisting of the Executive, Parliament and Judiciary. The Judicial system is a hierarchy of Courts comprised of Magistrates, High/Supreme Court, Full Court of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, which is the court of last resort. There are 37 Courts, of which 23 are of the Magistracy and 13 are of the High Court. Guyana’s final court is the Caribbean Court of Justice based in Trinidad and Tobago.


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envisaged in the Constitution and the Law, and can participate equally in economic, political, social and cultural life without privileges or discrimination. In this regard the policies of the government uphold these constitutional tenets and efforts focus on implementation and improving access to delivery of services and a better informed public.

Guyana upholds human rights standards in consonance with international treaties and as enshrined in its constitution. Torture, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment is prohibited in Guyana.

The rights of the child, women and girls are protected. The government has enacted a battery of modern laws in the last 2 years to criminalize violence, exploitation and abuse against women and children. The rights of Amerindians are protected both constitutionally and in law.

There are challenges to national security, including significant levels of crime and violence. The problem of the illicit trafficking in weapons and drugs continue to pose serious challenges to a resource strapped country.

3.3.3 Key challenges and issues:

� Continue the implementation of the reforms of the rule of law sector and seek additional support to expedite these reforms including support to the new family Court;

� Implement programmes that will enhance a culture of accessibility of information and develop a well informed and discriminatory public;

� Continue to invest in training and retraining of those in this area both from the law enforcement and judicial levels in order to strengthen the maintenance of public safety, access to justice in a timely manner.


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4. Human and Social Development

1. Introduction

The Co-operative Republic of Guyana is a parliamentary democracy with significant cultural, religious and ethnic diversity. According to the 2002 Census, Indo-Guyanese make up 43.5% of the population, followed by Afro-Guyanese at 30.2%, Mixed at 16.7% and Amerindians at 9.2 % - the last mentioned is the fastest growing ethnic group.

At the normative level, Guyana’s human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons are protected through constitutional provisions, statutory and administrative measures. The Constitution guarantees a wide range of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and in accordance with Article 154(A)(1), every person, as contemplated by the respective international treaties to which Guyana has acceded, is entitled to the human rights enshrined in those international treaties.69 Additionally, the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary and all organs and agencies of the Government must pay due regard to international law, conventions, covenants and charters that Guyana has acceded to bearing on human rights. As such in the case of any violation(s) victims can seek redress in the courts for breaches of human rights under the Constitution or any other laws.

Guyana is an emerging developing country with 36.1% of its population living in moderate poverty and 18.6% living in extreme poverty (2006 data). This is a reduction from, 43.2% and 28.7% respectively in 1992.70 The UNDP’s Human Development Report 2010 ranks Guyana 104th out of 169 countries in the Human Development Index and classifies it in the medium human development category.

Debt relief and prudent macroeconomic policies boosted the economy in 2006-2007, with GDP growth rates exceeding 5% and the country weathered the impact of the global economic crisis well, with real GDP expanding by 3.4% in 2010, for a fifth consecutive year of robust growth. However, the IMF report noted that the overall fiscal balance is estimated to have weakened by close to 1 percentage point of GDP, to 4.3 percent of GDP, due to weak performance in public enterprises, not fully offset by a decline in investment and despite strong central government revenues. Public debt was broadly unchanged, at 61 percent of GDP.71

Despite disparities in the poverty rate, mainly attributed to geographic location, and though there has been no regression in poverty rates between 1999 (35% living below the poverty line, 19% living in

69 The treaties are listed in the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution: Convention on the Rights of the Child, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Convention on the Elimination on All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Convention Against Torture and Other Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Inter American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women.

70 Guyana Poverty Reduction Strategy 2008-2012. Also, the World Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy 2009-2012 gives the moderate and extreme poverty rates of 36.1% and 18.6% for 2006, citing the Household Income and Expenditure Survey of 2006 and the World Bank’s Poverty Assessment Report 2008.

71 IMF Report on Guyana. http://guyaneseonline.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/guyana-imf-report-february-2011.pdf, accessed 7 April 2010.


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extreme poverty)72 and 2006, there is less inequality in consumption, as indicated by Gini coefficients of, respectively, 0.413 and 0.35 in those years.73 This can be attributed to the fact that poverty reduction has been addressed through the provision of services that satisfy basic needs particularly for population groups at higher risk. Examples include free health and education services, universal school uniform programme, automatic waiver of the tariff for water supply up to a specified maximum for older persons who satisfy certain criteria, eligibility of all persons over 65 years to receive a state pension, public assistance to those in especially difficult circumstances; and the Single Parent Assistance programme.

At present, the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS11)74 provide the foundation of Guyana’s national development agenda. The LCDS was drafted, revised and adopted by the National Assembly in December 2009. The LCDS enables the realignment of Guyana’s economy to a low-carbon, climate-resilient trajectory. Guyana signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kingdom of Norway and will receive payments from its international partners in exchange for carbon services realized from conserving its vast rainforest. If successfully implemented the LCDS will serve to strengthen the economy, expand employment prospects and reduce poverty while protecting the physical environment. The National Development Strategy 2001-2010, which is now complemented by the LCDS, aimed to accelerate economic growth, eliminate poverty, achieve geographical unity, attain an equitable geographical distribution of economic activity, and diversify the economy.

The PRS (Phase 1, 2001-2005 and Phase II, 2008-2012) is intended to unite the efforts of the Government of Guyana (GoG) and its international development partners into one GoG-led program. Its pillars include economic growth, employment generation, environmental protection, good governance, human capital (especially basic education and primary health care), physical infrastructure, social safety nets, and targeted interventions to address regional and demographic pockets of poverty.

There are five major governmental initiatives in progress in Guyana in 2011: the development of the Amaila Falls hydropower station, the installation of two fibre optic cables, the One Laptop per Family (OLPF) programme, the commencement of off-shore oil exploration, and the diversification of agriculture. These offer opportunities for cheaper and more reliable energy, as well as connectivity for the country, thereby reducing inequalities related to access to information, services, and e-governance among the people in the various regions. The initiatives also create new job opportunities; expand and diversify the economic base, and increase trade.

Table 1 below describes Guyana’s progress toward the MDGs and gives a snapshot of the policy environment which facilitates the process for the achievement of the MDGs.

72 Guyana Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 2001-2005. http://www.imf.org/External/NP/prsp/2002/guy/01/052302.pdfm accessed 7 April 2010.

73 Guyana Poverty Reduction Strategy 2008-2012.

74 See thematic paper on governance on the GoG’s pro-growth pro-poor policy approach to the implementation of

the LCDS and the PRSP.


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Table 1: Guyana’s Progress towards the MDGs 75

MDGs PROGRESS Meeting target by 2015,

(status as at 2009)

Selected Policy Environment

Interventions

Eradicating extreme poverty

(goal 1)

Target 1A: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people

living in extreme poverty

Potentially

- Good progress

- Target of halving the proportion of people who suffer from hunger has been met

- Performance in reducing poverty and increasing employment has improved

- All of the policies cited below, for other MDGs

- Low Income Housing

- Small Business Loans

- Social Safety Nets

- Establishment of the Rights of the Child Commission and the Chid Care Protection Agency

Target 1B: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work

for all, including women and young people

Not assessed

- Legislative measures to ensure that women are not discriminated against in the workplace and that they have equal opportunity to professional and economic benefits associated with work

- Women of Worth microcredit facility

-Single Parent Assistance Programme which includes training component and small project support

- Youth skills training programmes

- Matching of workers to jobs through Central Recruitment Manpower Agency

Target 1C: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people

suffering from hunger

Likely - Basic Nutrition Programme 2

- Food and Nutrition Security -Strategy

- National Nutrition Policy 2009 2015

Universal primary Target 2A: Ensure that, On track and achievable - Education Strategic Plan

75 From the draft MDG 2008/2009 progress report, used with the permission of the Office of the President.


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(status as at 2009)


Interventions

education

(goal 2)

by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls

alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

- Excellent progress

(2008-2013)

- Access and Equity in Primary Schools

- Education For All-Fast Track initiative EFA-FTI

- Child Friendly Schools Initiative

- Health and Family Life Education

- School feeding programme and universal school uniform allowances.

- Expanded technical and vocational education

- Flexible modes of continuous professional development

- Delivery of literacy and numeracy through new technologies

- New Guyana Learning Channel

-Reform of Teacher Education Programme to accelerate teacher training.

• Revised teacher training curriculum

• Associate Degree in Education

• Introduction of Continuous Professional Development Courses

• Use of open and distance learning modes to deliver content courses

Gender equality and empowerment of women

Target 3A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education

preferably by 2005.

Likely

- Good progress

- Target of eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary

- All of the above

- Women and Gender Equality Commission

- Inter-Ministry Committee on


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(status as at 2009)


Interventions

(goal 3) education has been met, and the country is striving towards parity at tertiary level

- Increased employment and decent work for women is targeted for improvement

- Female political representation in Parliament has substantially increased

Domestic Violence

-National Advisory Committee on Trafficking in Persons

- Domestic Violence Act

- Domestic Violence Policy

- Sexual Offences Act

- Mental Health Strategy

- Single Parent Assistance Programme

- Women of Worth micro-credit facility

Reducing child

mortality

(goal 4)

Target 4A: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate

Likely

- Good progress

-Target of reducing U-5 mortality by two-thirds already met.

- Aim is to further improve the record of reducing child mortality

- Improved health systems and services (coverage of antenatal care, PMTCT, IMCI, EPI -including the introduction of new vaccines); enhanced capacities

- Decentralization leading to increased access to health services

- National Heath Sector Strategy (2008-2012)

- National Nutrition Policy (2009-2015)

- National Strategic Plan for the Reduction of Maternal and Neonatal Mortality (2006-2010)

- Emergency Management of Obstetric and Neonatal Care

- Health Facilities Licensing Act

- Partnerships and support – Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, EC/ACP/WHO Partnership, PAHO/WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF - The Perinatal Information


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(status as at 2009)


Interventions

System

Improving maternal health (goal 5)

Target 5A: Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the

maternal mortality ratio

Potentially

-Despite progress towards improving maternal health, reducing maternal deaths, and increasing the availability of skilled health personnel at births, and the fact that antenatal care coverage and contraceptive prevalence are on the rise

- As for reducing child mortality

- Cabinet oversight through sub-committee focus

- Enhancing Maternal Mortality Surveillance

Target 5B:Achieve by 2015, universal access to reproductive health

Potentially

- Mixed outlook

Combating malaria and other major diseases

(goal 6)

Target 6A: Have halted, by 2015, and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS

- Steady progress

- Signs of beginning to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS

- Projected to meet the target of achieving universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it

- As above

- HIV Strategic Plan

- National HIV Prevention Principles, Standards, and Guidelines

- DOTS assessment (TB)

- Partnerships and support – Global Fund, PAHO/WHO, PEPFAR, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF

Target 6B: Achieve by 2015, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS

for all those who need it

Likely

Expanded PMTCT and enhanced access to free ART

Target 6C: Have halted, by 2015, and begun to reverse the incidence of

malaria and other major diseases

Potentially

- Prevalence rates confirm that the target of reducing the incidence of the disease has been met


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(status as at 2009)


Interventions

- Prevalence of tuberculosis shows tentative signs of a decline, with reduced incidence over the reporting period

Environmental sustainability

(goal 7)

Target 7A: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into

country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental

resources

Potentially

- Multiple successes in the quest to ensure environmental sustainability

- Target of integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs has been met and country is committed to significantly reducing biodiversity loss

- LCDS and GRIF

- EPA and climate change institutions

- National advocacy; boosted by the 'Champion of the Earth' recognition

- Selective logging/harvesting

- Partnerships and support: PAHO/WHO (water, sanitation), UNDP, FAO

Ministry of Housing and Water

Turnaround Plan

Target 7B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving by 2010, a significant

reduction in the rate of loss

Not assessed

Target 7C: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable

access to safe drinking water

Likely

- Target 7C has been met

- There have been notable increases in the population’s access to adequate housing

Target 7D: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the

lives of slum dwellers

Not assessed


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(status as at 2009)


Interventions

Develop a Global Partnership

(goal 8)

Targets not assessed

The GoG, through the Ministry of Health (MOH), has renewed its commitment to achieving all the health MDGs, and close attention is being paid to the implementation of relevant strategies in collaboration with development partners. The Minister of Health has identified combating childhood illnesses and maternal deaths - related to MDGs 4 and 5 - as the country’s most important public health goals for the next five years.76 In some areas, such as HIV, substantial progress has been made, as evidenced by decreases in HIV prevalence among pregnant women (2.3% in 2004 to 1.1% in 2009) and decreases in mother-to-child transmission of HIV from 16% in 2005 to 3.8% in 200977.

The government has identified some cross cutting challenges which need to be addressed if progress is to be made across the entire set of goals78. These are: resource constraints (financial and human), and costing the MDGs; infrastructure and accessibility (access to markets and service delivery); multiculturalism; decentralization; data collection; and policy design and implementation.

2. Leadership and Governance

Guyana’s normative and institutional framework has been strengthened over the years by a number of solid measures led and implemented by the Government. These include, but are not limited to; the reform of the 1980 Constitution and major parliamentary reform in order to reflect a participatory and inclusive governance model.79

76See Guyana Chronicle Online (Aug. 16, 2010), “Ministry ups fight against childhood illnesses, maternal deaths”

77 Guyana Presidential Commission on HIV and AIDS. UNGASS Country Progress Report, January 2008-December 2009.

78 Draft MDG Progress Report 2008/09

79 This has been extensively covered in the thematic paper on governance The latter includes the appointment and

establishment of five Human Rights Commissions namely: (1) the Ethnic Relations Commission; (2) the Women and Gender Equality Commission; (3) the Rights of the Child Commission; (4) the Indigenous Peoples Commission; and (5) the Human Rights Commission (HRC). The establishment of the HRC is still pending, as at April 2011.

Amerindian Development :



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The GoG has placed considerable focus on Amerindian issues. In December 2009 Guyana acceded to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Additionally, the Guyana national report submitted to the Eighth Session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council held in May 201080 identified several vulnerable groups for special attention, including women, indigenous (Amerindian) people, elderly, children, and persons with disabilities. Both the Constitution of Guyana and the GoG’s LCDS make special provision for the Amerindian people, who live mainly in the hinterland and riverain areas of Guyana. The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs coordinates and oversees relevant government policy and represents issues affecting Amerindian communities. The Amerindian Act (2006) provides for detailed rights in relation to the Amerindians, especially land rights, and the GoG has granted legal communal title to 134 Amerindian communities, allowing for indisputable control over the land. The proportion of the country’s land mass owned by this population group has increased from 6% in the 1990s to 14% currently.

Under the LCDS, the Guyana REDD+81 Investment Fund (GRIF) will support the continuation of the demarcation and titling of communal land to Amerindians and the provision of solar power and transformative economic projects developed by the communities in consultation with the government to expedite their integration into the national economy. Furthermore, Amerindians are free to acquire private land and /or lease land in their individual capacity as all other Guyanese.

The terrain in the hinterland sometimes makes access to and egress from Amerindian communities challenging. The GoG has initiated special development programs in these communities, including an Amerindian Development Fund to support economic development; a Hinterland Scholarship Program; improvement in infrastructure, especially roads; and the construction of primary health care facilities, with expansion of basic health programs to all communities. It is important to note that every Amerindian village has a nursery and primary school and there are now 13 secondary schools with dormitories in Administrative Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9.

Through the Ministry of Housing and Water and the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), the Government developed its strategic short term plan, 2007-2010 - “The Turnaround Plan” - to guide GWI to improve governance, greater efficiency, sustainability and financial viability82. The GWI is presently developing a new medium-term strategic plan. The Government’s introduction of the housing programme has played a key role in the social and economic development of Guyana, with the distribution of public land at low cost to low-income households. This has had multiplier effects - improving citizens’ well-being, dignity, and self-esteem; reducing poverty; providing shelter, security of tenure and safer environments; access to loans at low interest; development of the local manufacturing and construction industry; and employment.83 In addition, the squatter regularisation programme commenced in 2001 to provide standardized house lots and legal title of land to the occupants; this has led to 5,529 families holding title to their land and property for the first time. The GoG partners with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as Food for The Poor and Habitat for Humanity, to build low income houses for the extremely poor.

80 United Nations General Assembly. Universal Periodic Review National report submitted in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) of the Annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1: Guyana. Document A/HRC/WG.6/8/GUY/1, 14 May 2010

81 Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation

82 GWI Annual Report 2007 (http://www.gwiguyana.com/?q=node/6)

83 Universal Periodic Review Report (Guyana), May 2010, pp. 7 and 8.


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In 2010, $2.8 billion was allocated to the housing sector to further Government’s housing development.84 The “one stop shop” is a public/private partnership in which an allottee is able to access advisory services, loans, as well as construction materials and furniture. The achievement of the target of allocating 17,000 housing lots by September 2011 is well on its way; 10, 000 lots were distributed in 2010. According to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), there are at present over 216 squatting areas countrywide. Many of these are in varying stages of being upgraded towards the attainment of housing scheme status; 154 of these have been brought under the regularisation programme and are being transformed into regularised housing areas. The remaining areas are road, sea-defence or drainage reserves, such as the banks of canals, and are categorised as zero tolerance areas, in that they cannot be regularised.

The GoG has taken positive measures to eliminate hunger and promote food security, and Guyana’s food policy satisfies the elements of availability, acceptability and accessibility; the country produces the main staples to fulfil the population’s nutritional needs. However, there are disparities in the availability and distribution of food across regions, especially in the hinterland, where the difficult terrain and distance from established commercial centres make timely access and cost major problems. The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with other ministries and development partners, has developed a Food and Nutrition Security Strategy, which is soon to be finalized.

Many areas of Guyana are prone to flooding due to the fact that Guyana’s coast is below sea level. Global climate change is expected to have adverse impact on the vulnerabilities of these low-lying coastal areas. Floods, droughts, and sea level rise could also have negative effect on agriculture, freshwater resources and health, with resulting food and nutrition insecurity and surges in communicable diseases, including vector-borne diseases. The GoG is actively involved in disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and mitigation, spearheaded by the Civil Defence Commission. The Office of Climate Change in the Office of the President, in collaboration with several agencies, is developing a range of new policies, strategies, and plans to mitigate the effects of climate change. It will be necessary to develop local capacity to implement and sustain the mitigation efforts. These are discussed in further detail in the thematic paper on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Regarding health development, the National Health Sector Strategy (NHSS) 2008–2012 outlines the GOG’s priorities for that period and provides a blueprint for development partner support. The NHSS has 5 main components:

(1) Decentralization of health services providers, which aims at completing the decentralization process and strengthening management at sub-national levels;

(2) Strengthening the skilled workforce and human resource systems, which aims to improve retention of skilled staff and work with training institutions to build capacity; (

3) Strengthening government capacity for sector leadership and regulation, this aims to strengthen the MOH’s leadership in governance, policy and contracting service providers;

(4) Strengthening sector financing and performance management systems, which aims to consolidate various sources of funding, and identify new sources of funding to enhance the Package of Publicly Guaranteed Health Services (PPGHS); and (

84 Central Housing and Planning Authority report 4 January 2011 (http://www.chpa.gov.gy/)


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5) Strengthening strategic information, aiming to facilitate data collection and management for use in planning, management and evaluation at all levels.

The formulation of a new NHSS, 2013-2020, has been initiated and UN support technical support in already in progress.

The current Strategy notes the priority areas for action as family health (formerly maternal and child health); chronic non-communicable diseases; accidents, injuries, and disabilities; communicable diseases: HIV, STIs, tuberculosis and malaria; other communicable diseases, e.g. vaccine preventable diseases, dengue, leptospirosis, the neglected diseases (filariasis and Hansen’s disease), and emerging diseases, including SARS and avian influenza; mental health; and health promotion and risk reduction. The PPGHS aims to provide greater access to basic health services, strengthen primary health care, and reduce inequities. It is still being enhanced and rolled out, and development partner support for the PPGHS will be critical.

The Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Strategic Plan includes improvements in literacy and numeracy as key strategic objectives at all levels of the system. It proposes to increase the number of secondary schools offering technical-based curricula; upgrade science laboratories and establish them in all secondary schools; offer a range of arts, sports, and physical education programs in 80% of schools by 2013; and include culture and gender-specific skills. The MOE also expects to strengthen the links between technical schools and secondary schools. The introduction of a common curriculum for all secondary schools for the first three forms, with a set of electives offered in the fourth and fifth forms leading to either the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) or certificate in specific skills-based vocational competencies for progression to further training or employment, is expected to create opportunities for greater relevance, student participation and successful completion. In 2010 construction of two post-secondary technical institutions was started in Regions 3 and 5.

Leadership and governance in the protection of children have been demonstrated most notably in the enactment of five new children’s statutes which include the Childcare and Protection Agency Act 2009. This Act established the agency with responsibility for, inter alia, making proposals and recommendations on the enactment or improvement of laws relating to the welfare of children, providing counseling and other services to children, promoting good parenting education, responsibility and practices. Additionally, the “protective environment” has also benefitted from the establishment, in 2011, of the Men’s Affairs Bureau85 and the work and strengthening of the Domestic Violence Policy Unit, both under the Ministry of Labour, Human Services, and Social Security.

Guyana ranks 25 out of 187 countries in terms of female representation in Parliament according to the Women in Politics: 2010 publication of the Inter-parliamentary Union86. This represents the highest in the Caribbean and higher than many developed countries. Female representation in Parliament has increased from 12 members (18.5%) in 1992 to 22 (30.7%) in 2010. Issues affecting women are currently represented in Government through the Women’s Affairs Bureau in the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security. The Women and Gender Equality Commission was established to ensure gender equality and that women and girls are not discriminated against in any section of society. 85 The Men’s Affairs Bureau was established in 2011 to support the representation of issues affecting men at the

policy level.

86 http://www.ipu.org/pdf/publications/wmnmap10_en.pdf - Accessed 18 April 2011


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Government promotes the equality of women based on its obligations arising out of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) as well as other human rights instruments and standards.87 Women’s rights are protected through a number of legislative and administrative measures. In the first instance, Article 149 F (1) of the constitution enacts equal rights and opportunities for women and eliminates discrimination based on, among other grounds, gender or sex.

The completion of the construction of a new Family Court in late 2010 and the draft Rules for this new court, which are before the Rules Committee of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), will provide a user friendly (and especially a child friendly) court environment to address matters such as divorce, child custody and maintenance, sexual crimes.88The JSC will also be required to appoint judges to this new court.

There are opportunities to strengthen the implementation and observance of many aspects of the legislative and policy frameworks summarized above, and address the challenges, opportunities and strengths offered by Guyana’s diversity of people and environment. These include strengthening inter- and multi-sectoral coordination, community participation, and systematic monitoring of the implementation and enforcement of legislation and policies.

3. Service delivery

There have been many advances in the delivery of services in the social sectors. WHO and UNICEF report an increase in access to improved drinking water from 89% in 2000 to 94% in 2008, while access to improved sanitation increased from 79% to 81% for the same period89. The GoG is working to reduce the disparities between the coast (96%) and the interior (74%)90, which will benefit the indigenous people who are the main inhabitants of the hinterland. Access to safe drinking water has increased, and has no doubt contributed to reduction in illnesses and deaths due to diarrhoeal diseases especially in infants; challenges in relation to quality of supplied water, continuity, and reliability along the coast and in hinterland regions are being addressed. The distribution networks are old and require replacement, pumping suffers from interruptions in electrical power supply, while in remote areas water treatment is inadequate. The GOG aims to improve water quality and distribution throughout the country through the provision of water treatment plants in various locations, expansion of the distribution network and the replacement of old equipment in the existing distribution system.

87 Guyana is a also signatory to and reports on the Inter-American Convention on Violence etc against women known as the Belem do Para Convention

89WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Report 2010: Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water.

16 UNICEF (2008), Government of Guyana-UNICEF Country Programme of Cooperation 2006-2010, Mid-Term Review Report.

17 The Financial Standards Forum 2008 report


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A 2008 survey reported that 90% of the population has access to adequate sanitary facilities (66% pit latrines and 24% septic tanks)91. UNICEF reported in its 2006 MICS that sanitary means of excreta disposal is almost universal (98%), where 53% use traditional pit latrines and 40% employ septic tanks. The IDB is supporting two major projects in this sector: improvement of the water supply system in Linden (with a component that addresses selected neglected tropical diseases) and rehabilitation of the sewerage system in Georgetown which covers; the IDB is also financing the development of a sanitary landfill for the greater Georgetown area. The latter project document states that the sewerage system in Georgetown serves 50,000 citizens in Central Georgetown of the city’s population of approximately 175,000 people (28.6%).

During the period 2001-2009, the Ministry of Housing and Water allocated approximately 31,109 house lots that benefited about 130,000 persons and over the period 2010-2012, an additional 17,000 house lots will be allocated. Government also provides social services such as health centers, schools, and access to potable water and electricity as well as roads and drainage in these new housing schemes.

Although health indicators have been improving over the past decade, significant challenges persist in providing access to equitable and quality services, and they will have to be addressed in order to achieve the health-related MDGs. Under the Guyana-Cuba bilateral technical cooperation agreement over 1000, Guyanese students are receiving university training in medicine, engineering, physiotherapy, agronomy, and sports /physical education. Already 60 doctors have graduated and returned to Guyana and a total of more than 250 are expected to graduate by 2013 and return to take up positions in this sector. This injection of doctors will enhance the delivery of health care throughout the country, especially in the interior.

The construction of 3 new diagnostic centres (Suddie, Leonora and Diamond/Grove) including an Ophthalmological Centre (Port Mourant) through the Guyana-Cuba technical cooperation agreement has enhanced access to tertiary care services and the PHG/Caribbean Heart Institute offers cardiac surgery at agreed on and subsidized rates.

Challenges remain with the retention of skilled personnel, and continuous training to take advantage of technological and medical advances. Additionally, there are lifestyle choices and cultural and geographic factors that contribute to increases in chronic, non-communicable, as well as communicable, diseases. Some individuals face financial and structural barriers to receiving services, especially in the hinterland and other remote areas. These barriers relate to timely access to preventive measures, early screening, and management of catastrophic illnesses such as those related to cancer and organ failure. Persons with disabilities may face additional challenges when facilities are not physically accessible.

The MOH collaborated with development partners to commission an Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) census, in order to assess the readiness of maternity facilities to conduct lifesaving

Other Major Policy Interventions :

� Childcare and Protection Agency Act 2009 � Protection of Children Act 2009 � The Status of Children Act 2009 � Adoption of Children Act, 2009 � Custody, Guardianship and Maintenance of

Children Act 2011 � Disability Act 2011 � Amerindian Act 2006 � Trafficking in Persons Act 2005 � Sexual Offences Act 2010


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functions. A subcommittee to address the findings receive regular reports, and monitor the situation of maternal mortality in Guyana was established, and training in EmONC for service providers has commenced. In addition, a monitoring and evaluation framework has been established to ensure accountability and improve the quality of decision making and care.

The government has constructed and manages hundreds of nursery schools throughout the country in response to community demands, especially those of working mothers. The GoG therefore offers formal nursery programs for children of ages 3 years and 9 months to 5 years and 9 months, although nursery school education is not compulsory. Nearly 80% of the relevant age cohort is enrolled at this level. The New Education Act proposes that this level of education be formally included as a part of children’s education and be made compulsory92.

Guyana has made substantial progress in providing access to primary education and ensuring equity in primary enrolment, with a 94% enrolment rate. Gender parity has been achieved, and the GoG expects that primary education will be universal by 2015 thus achieving MDG 2. Primary school attendance (approximately 77% in 2009/10) is less encouraging; but, the survival rate of 95% in 2007/08 for boys and girls is satisfactory. Repetition rates have declined to below 2% for boys and girls and the drop-out rate which was 4% for a number of years declined to 3% in 2007-2008. These are indications that the Education for All - Fast Track Initiative which includes new methodologies in active learning, and partnerships for child friendly schools in garnering positive results.

In relation to enrolment and completion of secondary school education, data shows that enrolment has been steadily increasing and stood at 75 % in 2009. Guyana still faces challenges in relation to the quality of education93.

The World Bank and the CDB have approved two new investments in the University of Guyana. The former focuses on the provision of new scientific and technical skills through the development of a school of earth sciences that will facilitate the implementation of Guyana’s green economy. The latter aims to improve the governance of the university, which will contribute to noticeable and measurable improvements.

92 UN General Assembly. Human Rights Council. Guyana National Report to the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, 10 March 2010, A/HRC/WG.6/8/GUY/1.

93 The MoE has encouraged the formation of PTAs in every school and a National PTA body has been created and the establishment of school boards at the secondary level. Campaigns to help parents through training to play a greater role in their children’s education have been introduced.

Social Safety Net Programmes:

� Cash Transfers and Income Support Programmes for the most vulnerable (e.g. Public Assistance, Old Age Pensions)

� Human Development Programmes: (e.g. Uniform Programme, School Feeding Programme, Basic Nutrition Programme for pregnant mothers and children, Out-of Country Medical Care, Micro-credit).

Women of Worth :

Micro-credit programme aimed at improving the socioeconomic status of women in Guyana, promoting their active participation and integration in national development and contributing towards poverty reduction, thereby stimulating micro- and macro-economic growth.’ figure of $ 154 M G


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Various social safety nets have been established to help to relieve the burdens of poor and vulnerable citizens, which include labour market and microcredit programmes administered by a number of Government and donor organisations. For instance, Recruitment and Placement (open to all unemployed), the Skills Training and Employment Programme (STEP) which provides skills training to unemployed youth in five technical institutes, and Microcredit, under the Ministry of Labour Human Services and Social Security, which offers grants for microenterprise development. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has offered the Youth Entrepeneurial SkillsTraining Programme since 2000, to low achievers and school drop outs from all 10 Administrative Regions benefiting approximately 4,000 youth.

These, in tandem with the changes in the legislative environment, are instrumental in providing strategic direction to the country’s human and social development. It is recognized that these progressive steps require continuous and consistent measures to sustain their implementation in order for the full benefits of these interventions to be realized.

Social investment funds, innovative credit structures and aggressive housing and food policies together with various social security safety programmes comprise the social protection strategy of the country.

In an attempt to improve access to low interest loans, the GoG has established the Linden Empowerment Network (LEN), a low-cost fund for disadvantaged individuals and groups in one region, and a Women of Worth (WoW) Fund, with an initial capital of G$500 million, to provide collateral-free, low-interest loans to single parent women from poor households to undertake entrepreneurial activities. It is recognized that these initiatives will need greater attention to design and sustainability to meet national needs. Under the GoG/IDB support to agriculture programmes low interest rate loans have been made available to small and medium scale farmers in designated Administrative Regions.

Through the GoG/Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), a social investment fund supported by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), has been providing resources to poor, underserved communities to improve access to basic public services, enhance employability, and reduce vulnerability. Now into its sixth cycle, BNTF has contributed to improving living conditions in poor communities and reduced poverty and unemployment through the provision of water systems, schools, health facilities, rural roads, drains and footpaths, market infrastructure, day-care centres and skills training, based on the respective sectoral plans.

The GoG is making every effort to improve access to services at the community level, as evidenced by its focus on delivery of primary health care, universal access to education, the Hinterland Scholarship Programme, legal aid services established in most regions, development of the PPGHS, expansion and upgrading of health infrastructure, and establishment of youth-friendly health centres and community adolescent/youth-friendly spaces.


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4. Workforce

Overall the absolute size of the labour force has been declining from 282,964 in 1992 to 263,467 in 2006 and unemployment has stabilized around 10% for over a decade94.

The annual 2011 budget demonstrated statistically that the new and emerging sectors- construction, tourism and hospitality services, diversified agriculture and information-based technology – have contributed to a shortage of vocation and technical labour skills and provided greater employment opportunities. This has reduced Guyana’s dependency on sugar and bauxite as its main export revenue base. For example, Qualfon is a call centre that employs approximately 1,500, workers and is expanding to a new and larger facility that aims to employ an additional 2,000 workers over the next two years. There are 6 call centre providers in Guyana in 2011 employing over 2500 workers and these have also encouraged the formation of ancillary services to meet their needs.

Challenges being faced in the workforce include: retention of skilled personnel, uneven participation by women and young people eligible to work, improvement of skills sets, matching supply of and demand for skills, and creating opportunities for increased economic activities through self employment and the creation of new small and medium business specially targeting support services for emerging sector.

The GoG is addressing challenges in the health sector through bilateral agreements with other governments including China and Cuba, which include the provision of medical professionals to serve in various capacities in the country. The Cuban Medical Brigade provides services at the primary health care level and in three new diagnostic centres, while the Chinese health professionals work in the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and at the Linden Hospital Complex.95

Training for health care providers is provided by the Medical School and the Health Science Faculty at the University of Guyana, the GPHC, three Nursing Schools, the Medex Training Programme and on-going in-service training managed by the MOH.96 The MOH has a developed a Health Human Resources Action Plan 2010-2015, to meet the changing health care needs of the nation.

The Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) provides teacher education and training programs for nursery, primary, and secondary school teachers through a pre-service program at the main campus in Turkeyen and in-service programs, generally by distance mode, in 14 in-service centres located 94 Figure used in the draft MDG Progress Report 2008/09 points to a 10% unemployment figure.

95 Cuba also offers training for a broad cross-section of professionals in health and allied fields, and China has

donated supplies and equipment to the GoG and some health facilities.

96 The UG provides training mainly in graduate programmes, and in post graduate programmes with support from

GPHC; and the MOH has a Health Sciences Education Unit to provide educational support to all health and medical programme activities, including planning and implementing intervention, training of health workers and communities in educational methodology, design and development of educational materials and research into the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health problems. In-service training, distance learning, and continuing education are important training modalities.


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throughout the country. The University of Guyana offers a Certificate in Education, Bachelor and Master of Education degrees, and a post-graduate diploma in Education. The National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) offers continuous professional programs to practicing teachers- Education Management Certificate and non-graduate Certificate courses for teachers of Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Information Technology and Special Needs Education. Practical instruction centres, industrial training centres and technical institutes offer programmes for technical and vocational education.

Student-teacher ratios are well within internationally accepted norms, with a national average of 26 students per teacher in 2008/09 but the ratio of students to trained teachers is higher and unevenly distributed, with schools in the coastal areas showing the highest proportion of trained teachers. The ratio of students to trained teachers was 44:1 in 2007/08 and is especially high in Region 8 (130:1 in primary schools and 132:1 in primary tops). The Education Strategy Plan (ESP) also mentions low performance in Mathematics and English on the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination at the end of the secondary education cycle.

The MOE has introduced programs to give greater content to teachers of English and Mathematics and will soon extend them to teachers of science.97 The use of a distance education approach through satellite learning centres is providing teachers in the hinterland with in-service training. The NES envisions increasing the number of teachers specializing in social and emotional learning, and the MOE is providing workshops to assist teachers in the diagnosis of students with disabilities,98 aiming to have at least 70% of teachers trained by 2013. It has also made organizational changes that are intended to improve monitoring and supervision, and about 1,200 teachers have completed an education management program.99

The Guyana Learning Channel offers modules for students at the nursery, primary and secondary levels as well as public information on world affairs, science, history and culture. This channel will offer additional support to the education that children receive in the classroom and will be complemented by the Government’s initiative to provide greater connectivity and access to alternative energy sources, especially benefitting children in Amerindian communities.

Significant strides have been made in reducing disparities at the primary and secondary levels; however considerable disparity exists at the tertiary level,100 with more than twice as many girls as boys enrolling at this level. This is a logical follow-on from the trend of greater numbers of girls sitting for secondary school leaving examinations. As such more girls are meeting and taking advantage of the entry requirements for

97Government of Guyana (2010), Periodic Report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

98UNICEF (2009). Child Friendly Schools Evaluation: Country Report for Guyana.

99Guyana Chronicle Online (Aug. 11, 2010), “Teachers being prepared to meet changing demands in the school system.”

100 ‘Tertiary’ education in Guyana is available at the two campuses of the University of Guyana, Cyril Potter College of Education, and the 4 Technical Institutes, Guyana School of Agriculture, 3 Nursing Schools, and privately run facilities where access to post secondary degrees from Cambridge University is available and such others as the Harry Went School of Aeronautical Engineers and the Aviation School,


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university. However, as in other countries in CARICOM, the high level of female participation and performance in education is not reflected in an equivalent status at the economic level.

With new and emerging sectors and the modernization of some of the traditional sectors, new and improved technical skills are needed to enhance greater participation and integration into the economy. Access to education and training and the provision of incentives and support systems to facilitate the entry of women into the workforce and self employment include a variety of training programmes offered by the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute; the Board of Industrial Training; the Institute for Distance and Continuing Education (IDB/IDCE)’ the Single Parent Assistance Programme101; the National Training Programme for Youth Employment Programme; and the Youth Entrepreneurial Training Programme, as well as a multitude of privately-run training programmes in the wider society.

Various constitutional and legislative measures102 are in place to protect women from discrimination in the workplace and ensure that they have equal opportunity to professional and economic benefits associated with the world of work. Among the many factors that can affect the ability of women to enter into the work force are responsibilities including care of the elderly and familial dependents, including their own children.

More programmes targeted at encouraging greater numbers of males completing secondary level education in order to qualify themselves academically for progression to the tertiary level or entrance into the economy are needed.

5. Financing

The social sector budget of the Government of Guyana comprises all current and capital expenditure in the areas of education, health, housing & water, and other poverty alleviation expenditure. This includes social protection and social safety nets, sanitation, rural development projects and targeted poverty reduction interventions.

On average during 2006-2009, Government expended 40% of the total national budget on spending in the social sectors, representing 13 percent of GDP103. In 2010, the social sector budget accounted for 38.1 percent of total government expenditure, and 12 percent of GDP.

101 The Single Parent Training Programme offering day care vouchers to subsidize the cost of childcare supports the participation of single mothers in the workforce and provides training in selected ‘child-friendly’ professions, such as cosmetology, catering, information technology, office procedures, childcare and care for the elderly including areas such as driving heavy vehicles

102 Article 149F (2) of the Constitution enacts that every woman is entitled to equal access with men to academic and vocational training; Prevention of Discrimination Act, the Equal Rights Act, and labour laws etc.

103 It should be noted that all calculations of social sector expenditure as a percentage of GDP have used the rebased GDP figures. As a result of the rebasing exercise, GDP estimates since 2006 have increased significantly and consequently have a downward impact on statistics which are expressed as a percentage of GDP. Estimates of


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From 2006-2009, education expenditure accounted for 15.3% of the national budget, and 5% of GDP. In 2010, education expenditure was 14.6% of the national budget, and 5% of GDP. From 2006-2009, health expenditure accounted for 9.3% of national budget, and 3% of GDP. In 2010, health expenditure was maintained at 9.3% of national budget, and 3% of GDP. From 2006-2009, expenditure on housing & water constituted 6.2 % of the national budget, and 2% of GDP. In 2010, housing & water was allocated 4.1% of national budget, and 1.3% of GDP. From 2006-2009, other remaining poverty alleviation expenditure accounted for almost 10% of national budget, and 3.1% of GDP. In 2010, poverty alleviation expenditure was maintained at 10 of national budget and 3.2% of GDP.

Within the social sector budget over the period 2006-2009, the proportion of expenditure on education as a percentage of social sector expenditure was 38%, and in health, it was 23.1%. In 2010, the education allocation remained high at 38.3% of total social spending, and the health allocation increased to 24% of total social sector expenditure. In the housing & water sub-sector, an average of 15% of total social sector expenditure has been spent annually from 2006-2009. Allocations to housing and water as a percentage of total social sector spending have almost doubled, increasing from 12% in 2006 to 20% in 2009. Other poverty alleviation expenditure accounted for 24% of total social sector spending from 2006-2009, and in 2010, 26% of the total social sector budget went towards these activities.

The GoG receives technical and financial support from bilateral and multilateral development partners. Bilateral and Multilateral Portfolio Review Meetings are coordinated by the Ministry of Finance to provide a forum for engagement with development partners in this regard. Thematic groups between donors and the relevant government agencies in health, education, housing and water, infrastructure and governance have operated from time to time. As multi-donor funding in some areas have decreased the raison d’etre for these committees has also diminished.

Several bilateral partners have been mentioned in the preceding paragraphs and the table below lists of the main multilateral partners in selected social sectors.

Sectors Main multilateral partners

Education UNICEF, UNESCO, UNDP, WB

Health PAHO/WHO, IDB, ILO, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, PEPFAR

Housing and Water UNICEF, PAHO/WHO IDB

Labour ILO, IOM

Social Services UNFPA, UNICEF, UN WOMEN, ILO, BNTF, CDB

social sector spending as a percentage of GDP prior to 2006 may therefore appear to be higher than estimates post-2006, and should not be interpreted as a negative trend.


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External financing has contributed significantly to the infrastructural, human resource and technical development in the social budget. A critical challenge for Guyana is the need to become more reliant on its own funding to sustain and expand programmes that currently receive significant external support. The global financial and economic crisis and policy shifts have resulted in a reduction of concessional funding. This limitation on resource mobilization is likely to be compounded by Guyana’s improving economic status and the shift to regional funding by multilateral and international financial institutions.

6. Information systems/monitoring and evaluation

Guyana’s National Information and Communication for Development Strategy was developed to facilitate and ensure the “dramatic increase of the country’s social and economic wealth at all levels”. The Strategy is geared towards leveraging and enhancing Guyana’s human resources, innovation, education, infrastructure, and information technology to enhance human and social development. To that end, specific objectives in the strategy are aimed towards capacity building, content and application, infrastructure and connectivity, legislative and regulatory reform, and IT enterprise development, implementation, and management. The Strategy provides a good framework to guide the development of ICT in Guyana and represents another avenue for supporting changes in the environment.

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are embedded in the programmes under the various sectors in human and social development. In order to strengthen the existing M&E frameworks, there is need for capacity strengthening, enhancing sectoral information systems and communication, and maintaining up-to-date and comprehensive data. These data should be disaggregated by sex, geographic location, and ethnicity to facilitate monitoring and evaluation, and the identification of inequities. Greater access to timely, accurate, quality official data is needed for sound planning, reporting and effective M&E s well as accurate representation of national data in international reports. As noted in the UPR 2010 report, with “improved data collection systems, Guyana will be in a better position to improve its compliance under treaty obligations”.

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of programmes is currently carried out across Government with varying degrees of strength and effectiveness. The Government of Guyana has long recognised the utility of M&E in the results-based management of its operations. Its early attempts to create such a system include the movement towards programme budgeting in 1997. Government, through the Ministry of Finance, is currently spearheading an initiative aimed at strengthening and institutionalising M&E functions across central government. A national monitoring and evaluation framework is currently being developed and is expected to create and implement an enhanced information regime across government that systematically measures, evaluates and reports on key aspects of programmes and their performance.

7. Access to supplies, equipment, and technologies

The increased use of technology is among the strategies identified for improving quality in numeracy and literacy. The use of distance education modes is now evident in the delivery of mathematics for children in Grades 1 to 3 through an Interactive Radio Instruction. At the secondary level, computer laboratories with the primary purpose of allowing students to pursue studies in information technology (IT) have been


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helping students to participate successfully in the IT examinations for the CSEC offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). With support from the OAS, a Computer Refurbishing Centre at the Government Technical Institute (GTI) was established, thus providing services for many schools. The An organization of Guyanese in the diaspora, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, has supported the development of 40 fully equipped computer laboratories in various high schools, with 60 more to be completed in 2011.

The use of computer technology is a major necessity for the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions which now offer programmes on computer studies for those who had no exposure to the technology at school. Computer-Aided Design Training is now almost indispensable in instruction for drafting in engineering, construction, interior design. The CPCE provides in-service teacher training via the distance mode, in 14 in-service centres spread across the country.

The Guyana Learning Channel was launched in April 4, 2011 and is intended to maximise and re-orient resources, especially in reaching out to children across Guyana. It aims to: (1) Fill the gaps in teaching and learning in regions, education divisions which have limited teachers and limited skills (2) Encourage the best teachers to develop demonstration lessons which can then be transmitted across Guyana (3) Complement the One Laptop Per Family project (4) Enhance distance education and (5) Engage the general public in various educational activities. It will be offered on a 24-hour basis, will not have any political nuances, and will be broad-based, addressing health, education, and the humanities, among other topics. Among the objectives of the One Laptop per Family project are enhancing knowledge, skills and capacities for families who have not had access to ICT; engaging communities to support the context of social and community learning; and providing opportunities for people to use the Internet to access and share information.

The LCDS is expected to provide opportunities to introduce green technologies and the subsequent green jobs for the people of Guyana. The country has a potential of 7000MW in hydro power and the GoG continues to pursue its plans for the Amaila Hydropower Plant (165 MW). The NDS indicates that solar voltaic energy is especially applicable in the hinterland and solar water heaters will reduce the dependency on hydrocarbon. The LCDS promotes and facilitates the introduction of these technologies also creating employment opportunities for the installation and maintenance of these technologies.

Conclusion

The GoG has initiated several innovative strategies for progress in human and social development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The Low Carbon Development Strategy, the focus on enhancing development aid effectiveness, and the policies that serve the needs of population groups at higher risk are frameworks to which partners can contribute.

The human resources and other constraints demand multi-sectoral, creative approaches to facilitate sustainable capacity development and support the fulfillment of obligations under the international treaties and agreements to which Guyana has committed. In this way, the country can continue to build on the progress already made on its path to the full realization of its potential.


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GoG/UNCT. 2011. Thematic Paper on Inclusive Growth. Unpublished

GoG 2010 The Low Carbon Development Strategy

GoG 2010 Periodic Report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child

WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Report 2010: Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water

GoG. 2009. Poverty Reduction Strategy II (draft unpublished)

UNICEF 2009 Child Friendly Schools Evaluation: Country Report for Guyana

World Bank 2009. Country Assistance Strategy

GoG 2008 Report on the Millennium Development Goals (draft unpublished)

GoG. 2003. Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper I

GoG. 2001-2010 Guyana National Development Strategy

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Draft MDG Progress Report 2008/09 (Unpublished)

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