GUYANA is among CARICOM countries expected to benefit from additional U.S. help in confronting security threats, especially narco-trafficking and crime, to socioeconomic growth and stability.
President Bharrat Jagdeo, during his breakfast meeting in New York last Wednesday with US President George W. Bush, sought additional help from the United States in responding to these threats.
President Bush has undertaken to send senior US security officials to the region to ascertain what forms of assistance Washington can give Guyana and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries in their fight against narco-trafficking and crime - two of the most serious, 'front-burner' problems plaguing the region.
The Guyanese leader was one of four CARICOM Heads of Government - Prime Ministers Perry Christie of The Bahamas, Dr. Kenny Anthony of Saint Lucia and Dr. Keith Mitchell of Grenada - who met with President Bush at the breakfast meeting.
Discussion on crime and illicit drug trafficking took up a great part of the 80-minute discussion at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York.
Showing an understanding of the problem, President Bush assured the four CARICOM Heads of Government he invited to the breakfast meeting that the US Government will be sending senior security officials from the U.S. to have an 'on the ground assessment' of the gravity of the crime and narco-trafficking situation in the region and to ascertain what forms of assistance the United States could give in a committed effort to combat this scourge.
"I would say that the meeting with President Bush was 'promising' with the U.S. President showing a welcome interest and sympathy to the difficult circumstances in which many of our countries now find themselves," President Bharrat Jagdeo told a news conference he hosted at the Presidential Complex in Georgetown yesterday.
Briefing reporters on the recent breakfast meeting with President Bush, the Guyanese Head of State said on the issue of security, he noted that there was increased divergence of drug trafficking and criminal activities in Guyana and the region. He said, too, that he proposed the establishment and sharing of immigration and other security-related databases and better coordination of monitoring systems.
"My colleagues also spoke about the security related issues and President Bush (undertook) to send senior US Government officials in the security area to ascertain what forms of assistance could be given," the Guyanese Head of State said.
He said, too, that they urged the U.S. President to visit the region and to meet with all the Heads of Government of CARICOM. The Prime Minister of The Bahamas even offered The Bahamas as a venue for such a meeting, should it take place.
President Jagdeo, however, pointed out that the U.S. President did not commit himself to either accepting or declining the request to visit the region.
Meanwhile, the President also indicated that he met with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Mr. Don McKinnon, and discussed with him the efforts of Sir Paul Reeves in support of the political engagements between the Government and the Opposition and more widely, Guyana's cooperation with the Commonwealth Secretariat.
He said he also received a visit from the U.S. Under-Secretary of State for Latin America and the Caribbean, Mr. Roger Noriega, with whom he raised the possibility of U.S. support to Guyana under the enhanced HIPC initiative. He said, too, that the opportunity was taken to update Mr. Noriega on developments in Guyana and the wider region.
"I also held a series of bilateral meetings with fellow Heads of State and other officials," President Jagdeo said, adding that his visit to New York and the United Nations was very positive, providing as it did a valuable opportunity for him to project Guyana's image on the world stage.