US Ambassador Sarah Ann Lynch has underscored the importance of maintaining democracy in a country, as she explained how her government has over the years helped Guyana to decrease opportunities for corruption in public office.
She was at the time delivering remarks at the launch of UG’s Master’s Degree Programme in Strategic Development Studies on Monday where she contended that the failure to deliver democracy can only worsen the chances of creating a country that is free of corruption.
“In Guyana, the US has helped build the capacity of public institutions like the Defence Force, the Police Force, the Guyana Revenue Authority, the justice sector, to increase institutional transparency and accountability to Guyanese citizens, thereby decreasing opportunities for corruption,” the US diplomat explained.
“We’ve also encouraged civil society organisations to develop and grow, therefore hold government to be transparent and accountability and responsive to citizens’ needs, to further reduce corruption,” she added.
Meanwhile, the US Ambassador further noted that even as Guyana continues to build its security strategy, the US would remain a dedicated development partner. According to her, the launching of the Master’s Programme is of critical importance to Guyana at this juncture of its development.
“We will continue to collaborate with the University of Guyana and other stakeholders involved in this programme, to ensure it’s great success in preparing the next generation of strong, capable, risk-taking, strategic leaders to help Guyana along its journey to success.”
President Dr Irfaan Ali had said that the new programme “is geared towards the development of the minds in a policy framework, in an analytical framework; bringing the output to a level in which they (the graduates) can apply themselves to very complex problems and complex issues.”
