Government kickstarts diaspora engagement in New York
– Canada, UK and Caribbean outreaches in the pipeline
The Government of Guyana, in keeping with its promise to aggressively include the Guyanese Diaspora in national development, will commence its engagement with the diaspora in New York and New Jersey.
The outreach will take place from February 21 through 25. Heading the delegation on the New York outreach is the Honourable Prime Minister, Brigadier Mark Phillips. Accompanying him are Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag and Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall. Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and Head of the Diaspora, Rosalinda Rasul, will represent the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The international outreach, which is the first of several to take place in 2022, forms part of the diaspora agenda of the Government of Guyana and will enable officials to engage the Guyanese diaspora on the government’s development agenda, while addressing their concerns.
As part of the framework to engage the Guyanese diaspora, several strategies were identified. The presence of the government and its representatives in diaspora locations is important in advancing that process.
There are large concentrations of Guyanese living and working in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, the Caribbean and South America.
Regional and international outreaches will take the form of townhall and strategic meetings. Townhall meetings are opened to every member of the diaspora to discuss a wide cross section of topics relating to Guyana, the government’s development programme, and other areas of interests. It will allow for open engagements and questions and answers. Strategic meetings are more focused and may be sectoral. Target groups include diaspora investors, academics, religious leaders, diaspora groups, school alumni and other specialised groups. These meetings are strategic to the wider economic and social development objectives of the government and are mediums through which the diaspora’s attention and resources may be aligned with specific programmes, ministries or sectors.
The delegation will also be attending the Republic Day celebration in New York, planned February 22, and a similar ceremony on February 23 in New Jersey. The Prime Minister will speak at both events.