India ferry grant, other $$ on hold after budget cut

Chief Guest, then President Donald Ramotar (right in foreground) arriving at the inauguration of the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in January at Gandhinagar, India alongside India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (GINA photo)

Announced with much fanfare in January, a US$8 million grant from New Delhi for Guyana to buy a ferry from India as well as other funding is now “curtailed” due to a slash in the country’s Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) budget.

In January, it was announced that India would grant a Line of Credit (LoC) of US$50 million to Guyana for the East Bank Demerara-East Coast Road Link Project, as well as US$8 million to assist in the acquisition of an ocean ferry vessel. The announcement was made during then President Donald Ramotar’s six-day official visit to India and was highlighted by him on several occasions during the recent general election campaign. Ramotar is now out