British Minister of State, Baroness Anelay has announced that she will be visiting Guyana from May 1-3, 2017 as part of a three-country tour, which includes Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.
A release from the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday said that the British Minister of State of the Foreign and Common-wealth Office made this announcement at the Caribbean Council’s House of Lords Annual Reception, on Tuesday night, where President David Granger also delivered an address
Baroness Anelay during her visit to Guyana, will meet with the Guyanese Head of State, the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, the Caribbean Community Secretary-General and members of the private sector. At the reception, she said that British investors want to share in investment opportunities here and the future described by the President. She also said that the United Kingdom’s commitment to strong relationships in the Caribbean is demonstrated by the fact that it is the largest bilateral donor to the Region.
“Our regional programme for the Caribbean led by the Department for International Development (DFID) amounts to £400 million for the period 2015-2020 and that support includes the £300M pounds UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund announced just three years ago, which will fund infrastructure projects to support economic growth and prosperity. Mr. President, not only in your speech a few moments ago, but also in our discussions earlier today, I was impressed, of course, by the work you have already done to analyse, which infrastructure projects will be needed not only to support the delivery of the discovery of oil and the delivery of that to the commercial sector, but also infrastructural projects that support the development of tourism”, she said.
Baroness Anelay said that even as the country prepares to leave the European Union, it remains absolutely committed to its relationship with the Caribbean. “Mr. President you stressed the fact that Guyana is the only English-speaking country on mainland South America, we should remember our shared values because our partnership is strengthened also by our strong personal ties, thanks of course in part to the number of Caribbean people, who have made their home in this country and who very much, make such a strong contribution to our country today”, she said.
