Georgetown, GINA, January 18, 2004

Visiting top officials of the World Bank today met with Prime Minister, Sam Hinds, and officials of Omai Gold Mines, for an overview of the Omai investment in Linden Mining Enterprise, (LINMINE) and other aspects of bauxite operations in the mining town.
The meeting was held at Watooka House, Mc Kenzie, Linden, and saw the participation of Managing Director of the World Bank, Mr. Shengman Zhang, Country Director, Dr. Caroline Anstey, and Chief Executive Officer (ag) of LINMINE, B.O.F Holder.
During an interview with the media prior to privately held talks with OMAI, LINMINE and other regional officials, Mr. Zhang said the recently published World Bank Development Policy Review Report presented a “fair and objective assessment” of the Guyana situation, as it relates to qualifying for assistance.
Zhang noted that the monetary body recognises that Guyana needs assistance for basic social services, but he explained that any country that qualifies for assistance, has to meet the stipulated requirements.
On the question of whether the World Bank was satisfied that the report represented the true climate of the country, Zhang said, “Our focus is not to criticise, but to point out possible action that Government may want to take so as to improve its development prospect.”
He further pointed out that though a country receives an objective report, this does not suggest that it is perfect, in order to receive HIPC support.
Touching on his interface with the Administration, Zhang said he believes that Government recognises the need to improve in certain areas, and that it has to work in partnership with the World Bank.
Country Director of the World Bank, Dr. Caroline Anstey said the monetary body was satisfied that Guyana had reached the HIPC completion point, qualifying for funding under the Poverty Reduction Strategy Programme (PRSP).
Asked about World Bank assistance to Haiti, seen as the poorest nation in the Caribbean hemisphere, Dr. Anstey said the institution is working with the French Republic to clear its arrears amounting to US$35M.
“We’re at the moment doing US$3.5M in grants to Haiti, for basic health care HIV/AIDS, and we’re looking to do some more grants,” Anstey stated. To this end, she noted that the World Bank has recently established a facility to examine grants to countries that are in arrears to the bank.
“For the longer term, the world bank is preparing programmes in community programme development, economic governance, and health and education with the hope that in six to eight months we can find a solution to the arrears problem and re-engage with Haiti,” Dr. Anstey stated further.
As a means of garnering wide support, the World Bank official said the lending institution is currently in discussion with Haitian authorities, civil society and the opposition, about the Poverty Reduction Strategy Programme, PRSP, to introduce a programme similar to Guyana’s.
Haiti has now undertaken an interim PRSP with the intention of moving fully into its PRSP in the next year. In its effort to propel the course of the PRSP in Haiti, the World Bank has commenced the deployment of missions to the French Republic annually, as part of its efforts to meet basic needs within that country.
The World Bank Country Director deemed the needs of Haiti as significant, and bemoaned the fact that the human life expectancy there is 50, as compared to 72 in the rest of the Caribbean.
In a positive light, Haiti has completed its payment of arrears to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and it has since managed to re-engage with that institution for funding assistance.
Returning to the Guyana situation, Dr. Anstey expressed satisfaction that Guyana has reached the HIPC completion point to quality for PRSP assistance. “ Some of the conditions were met in terms of reforms, and our shareholders felt that Guyana had met the programme,” said Anstey.
She added, “HIPC was completed because the programme was on track. The macro economic situation has improved.” Guyana has also recorded progress in the last six months and there has been movement in the communiqué, though there is still room for improvement, remarked Anstey.
“Guyana needs our support and we’re pleased to be able to reach this point.”
Despite problems, Anstey said the World Bank is engaged in discussions with Government and Opposition, since it is important to build on some of the issues in the report.
She noted that discussions centred on implementation of the PRSP, while Governance remains important for the World Bank for countries worldwide. In the meantime, the World Bank sees its immediate challenge in Guyana as the monitoring and adjustment of the national poverty reduction strategy programme where necessary.
Following meetings at Linden today, the World Bank team was taken on a tour of the LINMINE East Montgomery Mines and the Bauxite Plant at Linden.