The World Bank has said that Guyana’s poverty rate is among the highest in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region prompting the Opposition to call on the government to utilize the resources from the oil and gas sector to bridge the gap.
The World Bank, in its updated fact sheet on Guyana, said that Guyana’s national poverty headcount, the share of the population living below US$5.5 a day, is among the highest in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region at around 48%.
“Poverty rates are highest in the sparsely populated interior or hinterland, where communities have limited access to economic opportunities, healthcare and public services. The country experiences high emigration and brain drain, with 39% of all Guyanese citizens currently residing abroad and roughly half of all Guyanese with a tertiary education having emigrated to the United States,” the World Bank said.
