US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday announced a significant US$3M for a “locally-led programme for citizens involvement in the government” and US$1.5M so that “the youth of Guyana will be involved in democracy as well”.
The funding will come from USAID.
“We know the Guyanese people cherish democracy, they cherish freedom, they value free, fair and transparent elections just as Americans do, just as all people do. I was proud to…support the Guyanese people in their quest to have the results of the election respect…,” he said, noting that the announcement of the results took longer than anyone would have hoped for.
“But it was worth fighting for,” he said.
Pompeo said Guyana and the US have been “friends” for over five decades, and while this is the first official visit of a US Secretary of State, he committed that “it won’t be another fifty years”In fact, the former coalition administration knew of the updated requirements since November 2015 but did nothing to ensure there was compliance.
