Georgetown, Guyana – (September 16, 2015) Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, today met with a visiting team from the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) at the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment’s Boardroom, where several key proposals were discussed.
The UN team was headed by Regional Representative of the Regional Office for Central America and the Caribbean for the UNODC, Amado Philip de Andres. He was accompanied by the United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Fund Resident Representative, Khadija Musa and Programme Coordinator- Operations and Programmes for the UNODC, Olivier Inizan.
UN Resident Coordinator, Khadija Musa, in brief remarks, told Minister Trotman that the UN has recognised the new government’s interest in fighting corruption and crime and as such, the meeting was organised to see how best those efforts can be aided.
“Since we know that there is a government which is interested in the fight against crime and drugs, and all those issues are paramount here and on the international front, we felt since you are now establishing your framework and structure, that it was important that UNODC come and share what they can do or in what areas they can assist so we initiated the visit,” Musa said.
UNODC Regional Representative, Amado Philip de Andres, proposed to the Minister, the setting up of a Regional Anti- Corruption Academy, which will target transparency and accountability in the Caribbean. “We were discussing options to help Guyana and one of the options was to establish a Regional Anti-Corruption Academy for the Caribbean and Central America. It is a carbon copy of the International Anti- Corruption Academy, located in Vienna. We want to set up a pilot country and that can be possibly be Guyana,” de Andres related.
He also noted that the UNODC is working on an Anti -Corruption and Transparency Diploma course for civil servants, which will be tailor made to suit each other on board the initiative. He also expressed the world body’s support in tackling and addressing Environmental crimes.
Minister Trotman, on behalf of the Government, welcomed these proposals, noting that they will be favorably considered for the good governing of the country.
“These are very good proposals, especially an institute where we can train multiple compliance officers, to sensitize them to identify and eradicate corruption. We welcome your support and pledge the Government’s willingness to explore these going forward,” Minister Trotman told the team.
