| High Commissioner of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to Guyana, James Gregory Quinn yesterdayUK High Commissioner, James Gregory Quinnsaid that the millions of Euros in budgetary support to Guyana for the sugar sector and sea defence from the European Union (EU) remains withheld.Speaking to members of the media at his Bel Air Gardens, Georgetown residence yesterday, Quinn said that the decision to release that funding is one which will be made in Brussels, Belgium’s capital and home to the EU headquarters.Earlier this year, the EU announced that it has temporarily put on hold its two latest partial payments, Euro$28.9M for the local sugar sector and Euro $14.8M for sea defence works.The EU had said that it has temporarily put on hold its two latest partial payments being, EURO until all eligibility criteria, including budget oversight, are “satisfactorily” addressed.Former UK High Commissioner to Guyana, Andrew Ayre had come in for criticisms from government when said that Guyana may be facing possible sanctions for operating without a Parliament.He had reportedly said as well, that UK taxpayers would more than likely object to its government providing budgetary support to a country functioning without any means of parliamentary scrutiny.This was followed by a firm retort from Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon. He had accused the EU and the British High Commissioner of conspiring to dishonour the longstanding budgetary support agreement between the EU and the Government of Guyana.Luncheon also hinted that the EU had reneged on an agreement with Guyana on budgetary support.While the Government had lashed out on Ayre’s comments, yesterday, Quinn made it clear that the decision not to disperse that last tranche money was one that was led by the 28-member states of the EU in Brussels,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, Belgium.He emphasised “we can’t block things by ourselves.”The UK High Commissioner revealed that in the future the Economic Development Funding (EDF) will be project base. The Euro 30.5B worth of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), he said, will go to specific activities. |
