Local Government elections essential – U.S. Ambassador

The United States government said that local government elections here are essential, as it assures that its partnerships with the Guyana government and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) would prepare the groundwork for the holding of the poll.

Local government elections have not been held in Guyana since 1994. Speaking at the New Amsterdam Rotary Club’s “World Understanding and Peace” dinner last Saturday, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana D Brent Hardt emphasised the desire of the U.S. to build a “forward-looking and mutually beneficial partnership” with Guyana, rooted “in our shared values of democracy, liberty, justice, and opportunity”.

He praised the many dedicated Guyanese he has met from government and civil society who have been working in partnership with the U.S. to enhance prosperity, strengthen security, and enrich democracy. For example, he noted that the U.S. and Guyana had been able to work hand in hand through the government, GECOM, the Elections Assistance Bureau, media, and civil society “to promote free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections in 2011”.

The ambassador noted that in such partnerships with government and civil society, the U.S. would seek “to prepare the groundwork for local government elections, which are essential to bring democracy to the local communities where people feel the impact of government most directly”.

The ambassador welcomed the “revitalised dialogue and debate between the executive and legislative branches of government” as “the very essence of a vigorous democracy”.

Boosting democracy

Ambassador Hardt also highlighted the critical role that expanding economic opportunity can play in boosting democracy by creating “open space for individual opportunity”. He reiterated the U.S.’ “firm commitment to supporting a prosperous Guyana”, citing trade initiatives such as the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act and entrepreneurial promotion efforts like the Caribbean Idea Marketplace (CIM).

The CIM, launched by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2011 in Jamaica, will offer grants to members of the Caribbean diaspora to support development in Guyana and elsewhere in the region.

To complement democratic governance and economic prosperity, Ambassador Hardt observed, citizen security was a top priority to build a peaceful world. To this end, President Obama had created the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), a partnership to enhance the capacity of Caribbean countries to address the full range of security challenges facing the region. “One of the strengths of CBSI is that it not only seeks to deal with the consequences of crime, but actively seeks to address the root causes of lack of jobs, skills, and opportunity for young people,” he said.

Hardt also urged the Rotarians to better understand the challenges posed by “the brutal crime” of human trafficking. He noted that Guyana and the U.S. were working together to build understanding, capacity, and commitment to combat crime. He praised the recent Counter Trafficking in Persons Conference as an important local effort to combat a global problem. The ambassador congratulated the Rotary Club for its highly successful efforts to eliminate polio worldwide and to donate essential medical support services to various communities in Guyana.