The United Nations System here yesterday inaugurated its One UN House in Kingston which is meant to accommodate all of its agencies in one area.
According to the Department of Public Information, United Nations Resident Representative to Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka said that the move is in keeping with an “ambitious reform plan implemented by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres”. She said that it has been part of the move to improve the agency’s operations and development systems since 2006. All of the UN’s agencies here are expected to take up their spaces over the next few months.
DPI said that the search for a location began with efforts to utilise CARICOM Headquarters’ Annex. This was, however, fully utilised according to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson. The compound of singer Eddy Grant’s House, at 107 Duke Street Kingston, Georgetown was finally settled on. Negotiations concluded late last year, the minister said, “We signed a ten-year renewable lease and we hope this will be the bedrock of UN activities in Guyana, from now on.”
According to DPI, Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan said that the new facility, made possible through the government’s auspices, was part of the Coalition Government’s effort to participate in the UN’s “Delivering as One Initiative” just six months after entering into office.
The initiative, the finance minister added, consists of five critical components. “One leader, one programme, one office, one budget and one voice.”
Guyana, he pointed out, has made progress in achieving three of these components and hopes to complete all five, “as soon as possible”.
Jordan also noted that the move would result in reduced transactions costs for Guyana and lower overheads for the UN System.
“The UN team will also be in a better position to implement more coherent programmes and deliver them at less cost”, it was stated.
