Guyana Chronicle
April 25, 2001

MINISTER of Transport and Hydraulics, Mr Anthony Xavier is to leave Guyana today to attend the first two-day meeting of the ministerial level Executive Steering Committee (ESC) of the Action Plan for Regional Infrastructure Integration in South America.

At the meeting which begins tomorrow in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Xavier is expected to push to keep the Guyana-Brazil road link on the list of priorities (currently #6 on the plan) and to see if he can convince his fellow South American Ministers of Works to move the road up on the list.

His ministry said the Bolivia meeting follows the technical committee meeting held last December in Montevideo, Uruguay.

The plan of action for regional infrastructure integration in South America was agreed to by the 12 South American leaders at their meeting in Brasilia on September 1, 2000.

The Executive Steering Committee at this meeting will deal with issues relating to telecommunications, energy and transport and the ministry said it is expected that the ministers will initiate and state the plan of action while giving direction to some aspects of the functioning of the ESC.

The ESC is expected to define the vision and strategic orientation for modernising regional infrastructure development in South America and for setting the objectives, goals, priorities and procedures for implementation of the action plan approved in Brasilia.

The plan of action envisages better transportation links within South America, including roads, air and marine links, better telecommunication cooperation and the possibility of energy sharing.

The concept of the plan of action is all part of better connecting South America while moving the continent closer to integration and increased cooperation, the ministry said.

Permanent Secretary Mr. Kenneth Jordan will accompany Minister Xavier to the meeting, it added.