Wednesday, October 28, 2009

British withdrawal from SSRP prompted by…

Guyana’s refusal of British request for ‘live firing’ at Amerindian border community
- Dr. Luncheon assures SSRP will be implemented at Gov’t expense

NEGOTIATIONS with the United Kingdom (UK) Government for a 4.9M pounds sterling security sector reform project have been abandoned by that Government.

However, Guyana remains committed to the reform of the sector although it will be at a different pace and funded by the Government.

The Press and Publicity Unit at the Office of the President late last night issued a brief statement on the situation, saying it has noted a report about the UK government’s withdrawal from the Guyana Security Sector Reform Project.

“This decision by the UK Government is believed to be linked to the administration’s refusal to permit training of British Special Forces in Guyana using live firing in an Amerindian community on the western border with Brazil and Venezuela,” the OP statement said.

And Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon, in an earlier statement last evening issued via the Government Information Agency (GINA), said the decision is regrettable and noted the project itself had attracted media attention in the past.

Dr. Luncheon pointed out that from the trend of the negotiations, it was expected that there would have been approval and implementation.

He recalled that as late as December 2008, the two parties, the Government of Guyana and the Government of the UK, had agreed in Georgetown on a design that was submitted to the principals in the UK for their blessings.

In April 2009, Luncheon said “Guyanese were advised about the re-design that was unilaterally carried out by the UK when they submitted their response to our joint December 2008 submission”.

He said this design “violated the sovereignty of Guyana” and “it was drawn to the attention of the British High Commission here in Guyana and after efforts it was agreed that the government would submit its revised version of the British design”.

President Bharrat Jagdeo was involved in the revision of the document after which it was presented to the British High Commission in detail which outlined Guyana’s version of the model to be used to design and ultimately implement the Security Sector Project.

“Lo and behold, the President was involved in the discussion surrounding the new design submitted by the Guyanese team when he was informed that the project itself had been halted and the UK Government had provided him with information saying that they were not interested in pursuing an agreement with the Government of Guyana,” Dr. Luncheon stated.

He further pointed out, “It is tempting to believe that this about-face from the December 2008 joint agreement to what happened in the middle of 2009 might have been associated with some decision that the Guyanese Government made with request for training by the UK Special Forces, on a Western Border location with live firing to which the Government was unprepared to support.”

The Cabinet Secretary stated it is possible that the UK Government is not aware of Guyana’s commitment and emphasis on the vision of non-violation of the sovereignty of Guyana.

“Their insistence in installing in their design in April, (comprise) management features, seriously compromise Guyana’s ownership and when our new design re-established ownership that was more consistent with our notions of sovereignty, the plug was pulled. I started by saying it was regrettable; it’s unfortunate because our joint positions at the beginning was Security Sector Reform in its entirety was indeed in our best interest. Security Sector Reform will continue in Guyana, maybe at a different pace and the scope and the design will be different but the implementation of that will be from public funds from the Government of Guyana,” Dr. Luncheon said.

6 comments:

  1. Indeed it is a disappointment for the government of Guyana for the negotiation of the Security Sector Reform, all because the UK president withdraw form the agreement. Definitely we cannot have these Special Forces training amongst our Amerindian communities, these people lives would be traumatize with there routine, if you think about it. We cannot afford to have them violating the sovereignty of Guyana so lets just say it is a blessing in disguise , and support our government because our country will indeed will do well a security reform , I guess this will happen in time to come.

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  2. This is a disappointment and a good move.Firstly i would say that it is a disappointment cause the Security Sector Reform would have done good for Guyana and secondly it is a good move for the Government of Guyana not to allow a live firing training in a Amerindian village.this would have cause a discomfort and fear for the people live in that community.

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  3. 17. I am at a lost to understand why the British in this day and age still suffer from that colonial psyche which makes them feel that they are above everyone else. Imagine they have no regard for the Amerindians of this country, so one can assume how they treat the minorities in their own country. They want to use the Amerindians as Target practise for their security forces . And they claim to e democratic... what a joke

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  4. These white people really eyes pass Guyana. They wan turn Guyana into another Iraq or Afghanistan. As soon as they come hay de Venezuelans gon feel threatened.

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  5. Just hear President Bharat Jagdeo has HIV, he has been HIV positive for sometime now, notice his weight loss, fat loss from the face? Apparently he has been promiscous and likes to swing both ways, hence his constant trips overseas.

    Minister Ramsammy has been secretly treating him to control the HIV virus - his medication is Atripla and cost $1,800 US for 30 supply. He gets this medication through the Ramroop Organization (Guyana Times & Guyana Pharmacy owners) Someone has spilled the beans and word is getting out. This explains the president's irrational and irresponsible behavior towards Governing Guyana. Please post this breaking news, the other blogs are carrying it.

    Thanks

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  6. Let’s just say it is a blessing in disguise, indeed Guyana needs a Security Sector Reform, and that is just not the way the UK government negotiated it with Guyana; by having his troops doing war break routine amongst our Amerindian communities, man that is just unfair. Plus the havoc it would have on the sovereignty of this country makes it even worse for Guyana, so it is a good thing in the long run.

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