Five years after the Government of Guyana and the United States Government signed an assistance agreement for the implementation of programmes like the Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) project, the nation learnt that the project has now been put on hold. This unfortunate development took place following a series of public statements made by various government officials opposing to the project on the grounds that the Government was not consulted in its design, a claim that the US Ambassador denied.
In the last few months, the Government had been persistent in its call for a halt to the project. However, the US Embassy was adamant that it would proceed. Matters came to a head when the Government revoked the work permit of the head of the project, Mr. Glenn Bradbury. This prompted the US Ambassador to issue a statement that Guyana’s action was contrary to the understanding of the two countries with respect to the project. He met subsequently with the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, and the two parties issued a joint statement that the project has been placed on hold pending further negotiations. The Ambassador indicated that the United States welcomed the Government’s willingness to engage in further dialogue on the project.
Background to the project
The LEAD project came about as a result of USAID’s assessments in 2006 and 2008 that indicated a need to change the
