# Guyana - United States Department of State

- Guyana HomeReportsBureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices&#8230;Guyana				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Guyana																																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																																																																																							Download Report																																																							Translations																																																																 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																																									a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																																											b. Disappearance																																																																											c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																																			Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																																																		d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																																			Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																																																		e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																																			Trial Procedures																																																								Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																																																		f. Transnational Repression																																																																											g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																																											h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																																																	Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																																									a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																																			Internet Freedom																																																																																																																		b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																																											c. Freedom of Religion																																																																											d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																																											e. Protection of Refugees																																																																																	Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																									Elections and Political Participation																																																																																	Section 4. Corruption in Government																															Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																															Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																																									Women																																																																											Indigenous Peoples																																																																											Children																																																																											Antisemitism																																																																											Trafficking in Persons																																																																											Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																																											Persons with Disabilities																																																																											Other Societal Violence or Discrimination																																																																																	Section 7. Worker Rights																																																									a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																																											b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																																											c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																																											d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																																											e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																																																																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Guyana during the year.Significant human rights issues included credible reports of:  arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings; extensive gender-based violence, including domestic or intimate partner violence and sexual violence; laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adult men, which were not enforced; and existence of the worst forms of child labor.The government took credible steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses.																														Section 1.													 Respect for the Integrity of the Person												    																																																a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings										There were reports the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings, during the year.In January police officer Shane James shot and killed Detective Corporal Dwayne McPherson and Kishan Budburgh.  Police officials alleged McPherson attempted to arrest Budburgh, but Budburgh resisted.  James allegedly shot Budburgh, killing him and McPherson.  In February authorities arrested James and charged him with the murder of McPherson and Budburgh.  As of September, the preliminary inquiry into James’s case was underway.As of September, the committal hearing into the murder allegation against police officer Kristoff Denobrega, charged with the June 2022 shooting death of Quindon Bacchus, continued.Inquests ordered by the Department of Public Prosecutions regarding the 2021 alleged police killing of Peter Headley and June 2022 alleged police killing of Deanraj Bacchus had not been held as of September.																																				b. Disappearance										There were no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities.																																				c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses										The constitution prohibited such practices, and there were no credible reports government officials employed them.																Prison and Detention Center Conditions						Prison and jail conditions, particularly in police holding cells, were reportedly harsh and potentially life threatening due to inadequate sanitary conditions and prisoner-on-prisoner violence.Abusive Physical Conditions:  Prisoners and detainees reported unsanitary conditions and a lack of potable water.  They also complained of lengthy confinement in their cells with limited opportunities for exposure to sunlight.There were five cases of prisoner-on-prisoner violence requiring medical attention of prison nurses on site.  In August a prisoner from New Amsterdam prison was hospitalized and later died from what his family members alleged were injuries sustained in prison.  Family members alleged they were not informed, were prohibited from taking photographs of the prisoner in the hospital, and were denied the opportunity to have a second autopsy conducted.  Prison and law enforcement agencies were investigating the matter.Administration:  Authorities stated officers in charge of each prison location conducted weekly meetings with prisoners’ complaints committees to hear concerns.  Prisoners often circumvented procedures for submitting complaints of inhuman conditions or mistreatment by passing letters addressed to government officials through family members.Independent Monitoring:  There was no independent nongovernmental confirmation the government permitted outside groups to monitor prison conditions.Improvements:  The government established a new bloc within a prison to hold women inmates on the outskirts of Georgetown, the capital city.																										d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention										The constitution prohibited arbitrary arrest and detention and provided for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest or detention in court.  The government generally observed these requirements.																Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees						An arrest required a warrant issued by a court official unless an officer witnessing a crime had good cause to suspect a crime or a breach of the peace was or would be committed.  The law stipulated an arrested person could not be held for more than 72 hours without filing charges.  Authorities generally observed this requirement.  Bail was generally available except in cases of capital offenses and narcotics trafficking.Although the law provided criminal detainees prompt access to a lawyer of their choice and to family members, authorities occasionally did not fully respect this right.The state provided legal counsel for indigent persons only when such persons were charged with a capital offense.  Police routinely required permission from the senior investigating officer, who was seldom on the premises, before permitting counsel access to a client.Arbitrary Arrest:  There were reports of arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention.  In June the High Court found police unlawfully arrested Rehanna Reginald in 2020.  Reginald was kept in police custody for more than 72 hours and was not allowed contact with her lawyer.  Reginald also alleged her holding cell was littered with human feces and lacked a functional toilet and bed.  The court awarded 2.25 million Guyanese dollars ($10,700) in damages to Reginald.In July the High Court found the police’s Special Organized Crime Unit unlawfully arrested attorney Tameika Clarke in October 2022.  According to news reports, officers arrested Clarke for advising her client to remain silent during an interrogation by the unit.  As of September, the court was considering the amount of damages to award Clarke.The independent watchdog Police Complaints Authority’s report for 2022 found most police officers interviewed were ignorant of constitutional provisions regarding arrests and searches and that a significant number of complaints concerned unlawful arrests.Pretrial Detention:  Lengthy pretrial detention was a problem, due primarily to judicial inefficiency, staff shortages, and cumbersome legal procedures.  The average length of pretrial detention was three years for those awaiting trial at a magistrates’ court or the High Court.  This often exceeded the maximum possible sentence for the crime for which they were charged.  In July the High Court freed Solomon George, accused of murder, after he was in pretrial detention for seven years.																										e. Denial of Fair Public Trial										The law provided for an independent judiciary, and the government generally respected judicial independence and impartiality.Delays and inefficiencies undermined due process.  Shortages of trained court personnel, postponements at the request of the defense or prosecution, occasional allegations of bribery, poor tracking of cases, and police slowness in preparing cases for trial caused delays.  In July the government appointed a Judicial Service Commission after it had been defunct for six years.  The commission was responsible for appointing members of the judiciary and addressing personnel shortages.  As of September, the positions of chancellor of the judiciary and chief justice were unfilled.																Trial Procedures						The constitution provided for the right to a fair and public trial, and the judiciary generally enforced this right.While the law recognized the right to legal counsel, this right was limited to those who could afford to pay, except in cases involving capital crimes.  Although there was no formal public defender system, a defendant in a murder case that reached the High Court could receive a court-appointed attorney.						Political Prisoners and Detainees						There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees.																										f. Transnational Repression										Not applicable.																																				g. Property Seizure and Restitution										Not applicable.																																				h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence										The law prohibited such actions, and there were no reports the government failed to respect these prohibitions.																																					Section 2.													 Respect for Civil Liberties												    																																																a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media										The constitution provided for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, and the government generally respected this right.  An independent media and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression, including for media members.  Independent news media were active and expressed a wide variety of views without restriction.  The ruling party’s monopoly of state media created an imbalance in public discourse and tended to give the party a public affairs advantage, since the opposition did not have an outlet of its own.Libel/Slander Laws:  Libel was a crime punishable by imprisonment of three years or less.  There were no reports the government or individual public figures used these laws to restrict public discussion or retaliate against journalists or political opponents.																Internet Freedom						The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content.																										b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association										The law provided for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				c. Freedom of Religion										See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country										The law provided for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these rights.Married, divorced, or widowed women were required to fill out additional passport application sections that were not required of men, regardless of marital status.In-country Movement:  The law required that local village councils grant permission in advance for travel to Indigenous areas, but most individuals traveled in these areas without a permit.																																				e. Protection of Refugees										The government cooperated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, or asylum seekers, as well as other persons of concern.Access to Asylum:  The law did not provide for the granting of asylum or refugee status, and the government had not established a system for providing protection for refugees.  In the absence of national legislation and requisite government capacity, UNHCR assumed the main responsibility for determination of refugee status.Temporary Protection:  The government provided temporary protection to approximately 500 individuals who may not have qualified as refugees.																																					Section 3.													 Freedom to Participate in the Political Process												    																						The law provided citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage.  Elections also took place in Indigenous communities, where members elected Indigenous leaders every 33 to 36 months.																										Elections and Political Participation										Abuses or Irregularities in Recent Elections:  National elections held in 2020 were initially reported as free and fair.  Independent observer groups subsequently noted irregularities.  Claims of electoral fraud and the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change governing coalition’s refusal to accept its loss in the elections led to a national recount and litigation in the Caribbean Court of Justice, the country’s court of final instance, overturning the Guyana Court of Appeal’s decision on a challenge to the recount.																																					Section 4.													 Corruption in Government												    																						The law provided for criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implemented the law effectively.  There were isolated reports of government corruption not involving police officers.Corruption:  Corruption by police officers was frequent.  The government reported it received 40 complaints against police officers for criminal complicity and charged five of these as of August.  In January the government began prosecuting police corporal Rawle Haynes for money laundering.  The prosecution against Haynes continued as of September.  In May the government charged prison officers Alexander Hopkins, Oldfield Romulus, Conroy Hossanah, and Omar Whitherspoon, all attached to the Mazaruni maximum security prison, with aiding the escape of convict Mark Royden Durant Williams.  The prosecution of the prison officers was underway as of September.  In August the Police Complaints Authority report for 2022 noted the Police Disciplinary Authority was slow to discipline errant officers.For additional information concerning corruption in the country, please see the Department of State’s Investment Climate Statement for the country and the Department of State’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which includes information on financial crimes.																											Section 5.													 Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights												    																						A number of domestic human rights groups generally operated without government restriction to monitor or investigate human rights conditions or cases and publish their findings.  The groups at times complained government officials were uncooperative and unresponsive to their requests.  They stated that when officials responded, it was generally to criticize the groups rather than to investigate allegations.Government Human Rights Bodies:  The law provided for an ombudsperson to investigate official government actions or actions taken by government officials in exercise of their official duties.  Observers reported the ombudsperson operated independently of government interference, and they considered the ombudsman to be somewhat effective.																											Section 6.													 Discrimination and Societal Abuses												    																																																Women										Rape and Domestic Violence:  The law criminalized rape of men or women, including spousal rape, and domestic violence, as well as domestic or intimate partner rape and other forms of domestic and sexual violence, including so-called corrective rape of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex (LGBTQI+) persons.  The law provided stringent penalties for rape, with life imprisonment as the maximum penalty.  Successful prosecution of domestic violence cases was infrequent.Gender-based violence was widespread.  The law prohibited domestic violence and allowed victims to seek prompt protection, occupation, or tenancy orders from a magistrate.  Penalties for violation of protection orders included fines and 12 months’ imprisonment.  The law was not enforced effectively.  There were reports of police accepting bribes from perpetrators and of magistrates sentencing offenders to less than the minimum after conviction.  In other instances, police noted cases were dropped after the survivor did not pursue charges or support the evidence collection.The government reported 20 percent of police officers were trained in investigating domestic violence and sexual offenses, and 27 percent of police stations had special victims units.Other Forms of Gender-based Violence or Harassment:  The law prohibited sexual harassment in the workplace and provided for monetary penalties and award of damages to survivors.  The law did not cover harassment in schools.  Acts of sexual harassment accompanying physical assault were prosecuted under relevant criminal statutes.  While reports of sexual harassment were common, no cases had been filed as of September.  In July the ombudsman released his report for 2022 and highlighted a former police officer’s allegations of sexual harassment against his colleague.  As of July, the ombudsman reported police authorities had not responded to the allegations.Discrimination:  Although the law provided women the same legal status and rights as men, gender-related discrimination was widespread and deeply ingrained.  The law prohibited discrimination based on gender, but there was no meaningful enforcement against such discrimination in the workplace.  Employers routinely advertised they sought specifically men or women applicants for private-sector job vacancies in industries such as construction, retail, and mining.  Women reportedly earned approximately 14 percent less than men for equal work.Reproductive Rights:  There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.The government provided access to sexual and reproductive health services for survivors of sexual violence, but survivors often did not pursue it.  Emergency contraception and postexposure prophylaxis were available as part of clinical management of rape as well as for purposes of family planning.Geographical circumstances were the primary barrier to access health care, including emergency health care, specifically in the interior regions.The Pan American Health Organization reported the country had an estimated maternal mortality rate of 112 deaths per 100,000 live births, a decline of 41 percent over the last two decades.  The government reported the estimated maternal mortality rate was 100 deaths per 100,000 live births.  Primary causes for maternal death included poor obstetric performance, malaria, poor nutrition, and infrequent access to prenatal care among some women in remote areas due to inadequate transportation.  UNICEF data from 2017 indicated the rate of adolescent pregnancy among Indigenous girls, 148 per thousand, was double the national average.																																				Indigenous Peoples										In July the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights assessed that members of an Indigenous Carib community were at serious risk of suffering irreparable harm to their human rights.  The community alleged they faced threats, harassment, and violence for opposing mining activities on or near their lands.  In August the government ordered a temporary cease-work order against the miners.Various laws protected the rights of Indigenous peoples, and Indigenous persons had some ability to participate in decisions affecting them, their land, and resources, including ancestral lands and sacred waters.  Rules enacted by village councils required approval from the minister of Amerindian affairs before entering into force.  The government had the authority to override village councils when issuing mining concessions.  There were reports of interference by government officials in the affairs of Indigenous peoples’ councils, as well as of labor exploitation, child sexual abuse, and harassment.  Indigenous lands were not effectively demarcated.																																				Children										Child Abuse:  The law prohibited abuse of children, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, and sexual exploitation.  There were frequent, widespread reports of physical and sexual abuse of children.  The government generally enforced the law effectively.  In June the government launched a campaign to tackle child labor under its Every Child Safe initiative and announced a grant to an NGO to establish a child advocacy center in the hinterland.Child, Early, and Forced Marriage:  The legal age for marriage was 18, but children could marry at age 16 with parental consent or judicial authority.  The government effectively enforced this provision.Sexual Exploitation of Children:  The law prohibited the sale, grooming, or use of children for commercial sexual exploitation, including sex trafficking.  The law stipulated penalties commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape.  There were reports of child trafficking victims exploited in commercial sex.  The law prohibited child pornography.  The law also regulated selling, publishing, or exhibiting obscene material.  The age of sexual consent was 16.  By law, a person who had sexual relations with a child younger than 16 could be found guilty of a felony and imprisoned for life.  The government enforced these laws effectively.																																				Antisemitism										Excluding expatriates, the Jewish community had fewer than five members.  There were no known reports of antisemitic incidents.																																				Trafficking in Persons										See the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics										Criminalization:  Consensual same-sex sexual activity among men was illegal and punishable by up to two years in prison.  Anal intercourse was punishable with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, regardless of whether the intercourse was between persons of the same sex.  These laws were not enforced, and there were no reports of charges or arrests.Violence and Harassment:  A leading LGBTQI+ NGO reported frequent acts of violence by nonstate actors against LGBTQI+ persons.  A transgender individual in Region 4 sustained facial injuries after being punched several times by a man who accused the individual of identifying as a man when the person was born a woman.Discrimination:  No specific antidiscrimination legislation existed to protect persons from discrimination based on real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics.  Legislation to protect persons from discrimination based on gender at birth, age, race, religion, marital status, political persuasion, disability, or social status applied to LGBTQI+ individuals.  NGOs reported widespread discrimination of persons in this regard.  The law did not recognize LGBTQI+ couples or their families.Reports noted government and societal discrimination in employment, access to education and medical care, and in public spaces.  A law criminalizing cross dressing was repealed in 2021, but NGOs reported persistent discrimination against transgender persons in employment.Availability of Legal Gender Recognition:  The law did not provide for legal gender recognition.Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices:  There were no reports of so-called conversion therapy, including forced or involuntary, in an attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.  While no such practices were reported by the government, human rights organizations reported social, cultural, and religious intolerance led to recurrent attempts to “convert” LGBTQI+ individuals informally through family, religious, medical, educational, or other community pressures.  There were no reports medically unnecessary and irreversible “normalization” surgeries were performed on children or on nonconsenting adult intersex persons.Restrictions of Freedom of Expression, Association, or Peaceful Assembly:  The law did not restrict the freedom of expression, association, or peaceful assembly of LGBTQI+ organizations.  Nevertheless, LGBTQI+ NGOs reported that fear of abuse and intimidation prevented them from developing their membership.																																				Persons with Disabilities										The law called for the formulation of policies regarding access to education, health services, and public buildings for persons with disabilities.  Children with disabilities in the most populous areas primarily attended separate schools with programs tailored to their disabilities, while some attended mainstream programs, provided they met the program’s academic requirements.  The majority of those living in rural areas did not have the ability to attend school as there were no programs tailored to inclusive education for children with disabilities.  Schools admitting only children with disabilities used a primary school curriculum, irrespective of age, and students received certification upon graduation.The public health-care system was accessible to persons with disabilities.  Most public buildings were inaccessible to persons with disabilities, but new schools were being built with ramps.  Some information from the government was provided in accessible formats, including sign language, audio, and braille.  The transportation system, based on privately owned minibuses, was not accessible to many persons with physical disabilities.  There were reports of private discrimination against persons with disabilities in attaining employment and housing.																																				Other Societal Violence or Discrimination										Local activists noted stigma and discrimination against individuals with HIV or AIDS.																																					Section 7.													 Worker Rights												    																																																a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining										The law provided for the right of association and allowed workers to form and join trade unions, bargain collectively, and conduct legal strikes.  The law barred military and paramilitary members from forming a union or associating with any established union.  The law prohibited antiunion discrimination by employers but did not specifically require reinstatement of workers fired for union activity.The Ministry of Labor was required to certify all collective bargaining agreements.  Individual unions directly negotiated collective bargaining status.By law, unions were required to have 40 percent support of workers, a provision the International Labor Organization (ILO) criticized.  The government could declare strikes illegal if the union leadership did not approve them or if the union did not meet the requirements specified in collective bargaining agreements.  Public-sector employees providing essential services could strike if they provided a one-month notice to the Ministry of Public Service and left a skeleton staff in place.  The ILO noted public contracts did not contain required labor clauses.The ILO also noted not all sectors deemed essential by the government adhered to international definitions, including the services provided by the Transport and Harbors Department and the National Drainage and Irrigation Board.  Arbitration was compulsory for public employees, and such employees engaging in illegal strikes were subject to sanctions or imprisonment.The government did not effectively enforce the law.  Penalties for violation were small fines the government rarely applied.  Penalties were commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights.  Administrative and judicial proceedings regarding violations often were subject to lengthy delays and appeals.Some public-sector employee unions alleged antiunion discrimination by the government, asserting the government violated worker rights and did not effectively enforce the law.  The unions were concerned employers used hiring practices such as contract labor and temporary labor to avoid hiring workers with bargaining rights.  The Guyana Public Service Union reported instances of political interference in the union and government attempts to pressure some members to leave the union.  The union’s July 2022 lawsuit against the government, the country’s largest employer, for failing to participate in required collective bargaining had not been heard by the High Court as of September.																																				b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor										See the Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment										See the Department of Labor’s Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor at  https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings/&nbsp;.																																				d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																														e. Acceptable Conditions of Work										Wage and Hour Laws:  The law provided for a national minimum wage, but there was a different minimum wage rate for the public sector and private sector.  Minimum wage rates were set through Minimum Wages Orders made under the Labor Act and Wages Council Act.  In sectors not covered by the act, wages could be agreed upon by individual or collective agreement.  Minimum wages for regular working hours of all full-time, private-sector employees were set nationally for hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly workers.  The national minimum wage for regular working hours of full-time, public-sector employees was above the poverty income line.A normal workweek was 40 hours, distributed over no more than five days per week.  The law prohibited compulsory overtime, and overtime work had to be paid according to rates set in the law or according to collective bargaining agreements in force where workers were unionized.  There was provision for overtime pay.Alleged violations of wage, hour, or overtime laws were common in the private security, construction, hospitality, restaurant, and mining sectors.Occupational Safety and Health:  Occupational safety and health (OSH) standards were not appropriate for the main industries, and the government did not effectively enforce OSH laws.  The law provided that some categories of workers had the right to remove themselves from unsafe work environments without jeopardizing their employment, and authorities effectively protected employees in these situations.  OSH inspectors actively identified unsafe conditions and recommended procedures for addressing workplace hazards.Wage, Hour, and OSH Enforcement:  Local trade unions and NGOs reported the Ministry of Labor did not effectively enforce OSH laws.  The number of labor inspectors was insufficient to enforce the law effectively.  Penalties for violations for wage, hour, and OSH enforcement were not commensurate with those for similar crimes, such as fraud or negligence, and were rarely imposed.  Inspectors had the authority to make unannounced inspections but not to initiate sanctions.  Ministry follow-up of labor inspection findings varied, and compliance among employers was also inconsistent.  Trade unions criticized government delays and failure to act on wage and hour violations perpetrated by companies in the private sector and particularly in foreign-owned firms.  In a number of hinterland mining areas, miners reported they never saw labor inspectors.As of 2021, the Guyanese Bureau of Statistics reported the proportion of workers in informal employment was approximately 50 percent.  The International Monetary Fund and Caribbean regional economists estimated the informal economy represented 35 to 44 percent of total economic activities.  Informal-sector workers and part-time workers were covered by wage, hour, and OSH regulations and were subject to labor inspections.  Laws and regulations relating to wages and OSH were rarely enforced, however.																																				    							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Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																							a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																						b. Disappearance																																																						c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																				Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																				d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																				Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																				e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																				Trial Procedures																																												Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																				f. Transnational Repression																																																						g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																						h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																			Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																							a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																				Internet Freedom																																																																																				b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																						c. 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Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																						c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																						d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																						e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																									Tags																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Guyana
- Secretary Blinken’s Call with Guyanese President Ali HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Secretary Blinken’s Call with Guyanese President Ali				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Secretary Blinken’s Call with Guyanese President Ali																																		Readout																														April 1, 2024																																							Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Guyanese President and current chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Irfaan Ali.  Secretary Blinken and President Ali discussed efforts to support Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council and the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti.  The Secretary reiterated the United States values CARICOM’s support of Haitian efforts to promote inclusive and representative governance.						Tags																					Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Guyana																								Haiti																								Office of the Spokesperson																								The Secretary of State
- Economic and Health Dialogue of the Americas High-level Meeting Outcomes for 2024 Office of the SpokespersonThe Economic and Health Dialogue of the Americas (EHA) was launched on the margins of the 9th Summit of the Americas in June 2022 by the U.S. Department of State. In 2023, the EHA held its first high-level meeting to establish the governance structure and approve scope of work. Since then, countries have organized 11 technical meetings and a first in person encounter in Uruguay at the end of 2023.On the 11th of March of 2024, the 2nd annual high-level meeting of the EHA was held in the Dominican Republic with representation from 17 countries. Ministers and Vice Ministers from health, finance, economy, foreign affairs, and commerce agencies participated to include Ministerial-level participation from of the United States, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Mexico, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Guyana, Guatemala, Suriname, Panama, Colombia, and Paraguay, in addition to high-level representatives from Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Ecuador. In addition to government representatives, leadership from regional technical organizations participated, including IDB Executive Vice President Jordan Schwartz and PAHO Deputy Director Mary Lou Valdez. Representatives from ECLAC, USAID, USTDA, U.S. Department of Commerce, and CDC were also in attendance.What were the main agreements and outcomes of the 2nd Annual EHA High-Level Meeting in the Dominican Republic?Countries reaffirmed EHA’s commitment to strengthen health systems and economic resilience to emergencies in the region. Paraguay, Uruguay, Bahamas, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, and Chile affirmed their commitment to co-lead EHA technical working groups. Panama was praised for their leadership as co-chair of EHA along with United States.PAHO announced the launch of their Public Finance Management tool. The tool will enable countries to conduct analysis of fiscal space for the health sector to support responsible spending as well as sustainable and equitable public health financing. PAHO has committed to the goal of two countries applying the tool in 2024-2025. Several countries expressed interest at the meeting. The work supports the “Smart Spending” workstream.PAHO committed to use the Essential Public Health Functions (EPHF) assessments from 14 countries to produce a policy document that would establish shared priorities and identify institutional capacity gaps across the region that will require future investment to fill, with a sub-regional focus on Caribbean countries. This work will support the workstream on Prioritization of Health Sector Transformation, which is led by the Bahamas. The Bahamas announced the completion of their EPHF assessment at the meeting.Brazil, Dominican Republic, and Chile committed to apply the IDB’s Maturity Assessment Tool (MAT) to measure the capacity of social protection systems to respond to emergencies. Countries like Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Paraguay outlined some of the best practices around social protection during COVID-19, as well as lessons learned from other sectors and emergency response scenarios. The goal for 2024 will be to explore potential regional agreements to coordinate increased preparedness and responsiveness to future crises in the region. This work supports workstream on Responsive Social Protection.EHA countries announced commitment to conduct a pharmaceutical mapping exercise and prepare a regional strategy for nearshoring of critical inputs and consumables. EHA members short-listed mRNA vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and antimicrobials, including for malaria and tuberculosis, as priority products for the 2024-2025 analysis. The United States committed to support this analysis in coordination with co-leads Argentina and Peru. Argentina affirmed their commitment to conduct a regional Private-Public Partnership analysis. This work supports the Resilient Supply Chain workstream.USAID shared progress on the Americas Health Corps initiative, announcing the training of 120,000 healthcare workers in the region thus far.USAID also announced funding for a market analysis of the current capacity within the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region to produce or manufacture vaccine countermeasures for emerging threats, endemic diseases, and local priorities relevant to the regional market. The EHA platform committed to supporting the implementation of recommendations from the analysis.EHA members approved the work plan for 2024-2025 and committed to a mid-year high-level meeting to review progress.EHA members recognized the importance of digital health and utilization of technology in the public health system and proposed establishing a new EHA workstream on technology and health. The EHA Executive Technical Working Group will develop a scope of work for this proposed workstream with the goal of launching it in 2024.For further information, please contact E_Commmunications@state.gov, or visit the EHA website: https://www.iadb.org/en/home/economic-and-health-dialogue-americas .
- U.S.-Caribbean Engagement to Counter Firearms Trafficking Office of the SpokespersonUnited States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield led a U.S. delegation to Guyana to participate in the U.S.-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dialogue on February 25, 2024.  Her engagement builds on Vice President Kamala Harris’ April 2022 meeting  with Caribbean leaders, the Vice President&#8217;s June 2023 engagement  of Caribbean leaders in The Bahamas, and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken’s participation in the 50th Anniversary of CARICOM in July 2023 in Trinidad and Tobago. The following are activities stemming from recent US efforts in the region.Countering Firearms TraffickingBipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA): Signed into U.S. law in July 2022, the BSCA dramatically increased criminal penalties for straw purchasers and U.S.-sourced firearms trafficking. Provisions under the “Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act” assign further penalties for smuggled firearms or ammunition out of the United States, with the intent to promote transnational organized crime.Recent Firearms Cases: On February 1, Haiti’s 400 Mawozo gang leader Joly Germine pleaded guilty  to his role in a gunrunning conspiracy that smuggled firearms to Haiti in violation of U.S. export laws, and the laundering of ransoms paid for U.S. hostages to the gang in 2021. His former girlfriend, Eliande Tunis, pleaded guilty to the same 48-count indictment. Jocelyn Dor, a Haitian citizen also affiliated with 400 Mawozo, was sentenced  to 60 months in prison on February 28 for her role in a firearm smuggling scheme between the United States and Haiti. On February 26, Elieser Sori-Rodriguez was sentenced  to 57 months in prison for smuggling firearms from the United States to the Dominican Republic.Coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions: In July 2023, the Department of Justice named a Coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions to elevate firearms trafficking and prosecutions and help implement the provisions of the BPSA.  The Coordinator has since attended an Association of Caribbean Chiefs of Police meeting, traveled to Jamaica and met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and met with the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security Leadership.  He will travel to Trinidad and Tobago this spring to meet with host nation counterparts, Caribbean officials at the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit, and U.S. law enforcement partners at Embassy Port of Spain.Operation Hammerhead: Partnering with the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CGIU) , U.S. Homeland Security Investigations initiated an interagency, multijurisdictional surge operation to target illicit firearms being trafficked from the United States to the Caribbean.  Through collaboration with Caribbean partners, Operation Hammerhead has, to date, resulted in seizures of 339 firearms, 26,495 rounds of ammunition and over 400 magazines.Training on Firearms Investigations: In 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) supported training for 270 Caribbean police officers on firearms investigations, including familiarization training on Privately Made Firearms (Ghost Guns) and 3D-printed firearms.  To advance firearms trafficking prosecutions in the United States, ATF conducted extensive domestic training on applying anti-trafficking provisions in the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) to disrupt and dismantle international trafficking schemes.Haiti Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU): On February 13, 2024, Homeland Security Investigations and the Government of Haiti signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to formally establish the Haiti TCIU, which will facilitate the exchange of information between law enforcement partners in the United States and Haiti, and enhance cross-border investigative capabilities to prosecute those involved in transnational criminal activities. TCIUs are multi-discipline units comprised of vetted foreign law enforcement, prosecutors, and customs, immigration and intelligence officials that share information and operational activities. This complements the work of existing TCIUs in the Caribbean, located in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.Holiday Cargo Screening: In advance of the 2023 holiday season, U.S. agencies surged resources to screen outbound cargo from the United States to the Caribbean via freight forwarders at the Miami River.  Caribbean partners advised U.S. law enforcement counterparts that firearms traffickers take advantage of the annual surge in U.S.-Caribbean shipping to hide firearms and firearms components in “blue barrel” shipments bound for the Caribbean.Saint Lucia Forensics Lab: The State Department is proud to have partnered with Saint Lucia to make its forensics lab a Regional Center of Excellence, working toward laboratory accreditation under the International Organization for Standardization.  This project is part of a $2.2 million United States investment in strengthening Caribbean forensics capabilities. The Regional Center of Excellence will enable Saint Lucian law enforcement and regional counterparts to collect and analyze crime scene evidence in the region, ensuring that criminals can be arrested, tried, and convicted more quickly, with scientific evidence.
- U.S.-Caribbean Engagement Office of the SpokespersonUnited States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield led a U.S. delegation to Guyana to participate in the U.S.-Caribbean (CARICOM) Dialogue on February 25, 2024.  Her engagement builds on Vice President Kamala Harris’ April 2022 meeting  with Caribbean leaders, the Vice President&#8217;s June 2023 engagement  with Caribbean leaders in The Bahamas, and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken’s participation in the 50th Anniversary of CARICOM in July 2023 in Trinidad and Tobago. The following are activities stemming from recent US efforts in the region.U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis (PACC 2030)At the 2022 Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, following consultations with Caribbean leaders, Vice President Kamala Harris launched PACC 2030 to strengthen our partnership with Caribbean nations on climate adaptation and resilience and clean energy.Facilitating Clean Energy and InvestmentCaribbean Climate Investment Program (CCIP): USAID awarded $3.6 million in two new grants to advise and prepare small and medium-sized enterprises for investment and to support a climate resilience and renewable energy investment firm with an emphasis on reaching women entrepreneurs.The Department of State Power Sector Program (PSP): PSP supported advances in the geothermal project in Dominica with the December 2023 signing of commercial contracts between the Government of Dominica and Ormat Technologies, followed by World Bank funding approval for related power infrastructure for an estimated $90 million investment total. PSP will provide additional technical support to the government to support Dominica’s pursuit of 100 percent reliance on renewable energy.Building Clean Energy Procurement Regulatory Capacity:   PSP and the Department of Commerce launched a clean energy investment and procurement training series for Caribbean energy regulators known as Power Hours.  PSP collaborated with the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation and Caribbean energy regulators to deliver 15 technical training and capacity building events on clean energy grid integration, clean energy procurement, and power system resilience.Energy Resilience and Security: The State Department is launching the Energy Resilience and Security in the Caribbean program, working with the Local2030 Islands Network to provide on-demand support to strengthen Caribbean institutional capacity to deploy climate-resilient energy infrastructure development.Food Security  Caribbean Agricultural Improvement and Production Activity (CAPA): Through this $5.3 million, three-year activity, USAID promotes sustainable agricultural practices, increases farmer knowledge via improved extension services, formalizes smallholder farms‘ market access by building micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprise capacity to improve the region’s access to locally produced food.McGovern-Dole International Food for Education Program:  In 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded a new five-year McGovern-Dole project to the World Food Program (WFP), valued at $33 million, delivering daily hot school meals to approximately 75,000 pre-primary and primary school students in northern Haiti.  The project includes a local and regional procurement component, technical assistance and advocacy to build food system resilience, provide nutrition education, improve access to water, and increase literacy.Resilient Agriculture Activity in the Dominican Republic: This $2.7 million, two-year project, launched by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in February 2023, directly addresses the spike in food prices, crude oil, and commodities—including fertilizers and other common agricultural inputs—due to supply chain disruptions.  The project aims to mobilize funding from the private sector and will benefit 1,500 farmers, 30 percent of them women and youth.Climate-Smart Agriculture Practices and Extension: The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, under its Cochran Fellowship Program, is planning a training program for Grenada, Dominica, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, focused on the adoption of comprehensive climate-smart agriculture strategies in the Caribbean.International Climate Hub: USDA provided training on U.S. resources for 12 grantees of the Partners of the Americas&#8217; Environmental Protection and Resilience Professional Exchange Program across the Caribbean.   Participants were instructed on the International Climate Hub&#8217;s research, resources, and tools to help them make climate-informed decisions.Food Safety Training: USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service provided food safety trainings in collaboration with the Interamerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in Barbados on requirements of the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).  The FDA-certified workshop prepared participants to lead and support the creation, development, and implementation of Food Safety Plans in their food processing companies.African Swine Fever (ASF) Prevention and Control: USDA supports increased ASF prevention and control capabilities in the Caribbean.  Anticipated outcomes include improved regulatory frameworks for animal health, surveillance, and biosecurity, increased field and laboratory surveillance capabilities, and effective inter-sectoral coordination for the prevention and control of ASF in the Caribbean.Enhancing Local Capacity for Climate Adaptation &amp; Resilience The President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE):  PREPARE focuses on enhancing local capacity for climate adaptation and resilience with a set of activities in the Caribbean region.Caribbean Resilient Economies and Sectors (RESET): On January 30, USAID announced $6.1 million in funding for the new Caribbean Resilient Economies and Sectors (RESET) activity, which will reduce barriers to public and private finance to build climate and disaster resilience and support the adoption of climate smart practices in critical sectors.USAID Caribbean Sustainable Ecosystems Activity (CSEA): With $5.8 million, USAID&#8217;s CSEA will reduce threats to coastal-marine biodiversity and build the resilience of coastal communities in the Caribbean to the negative impacts of climate change.  The program will focus on preserving endangered ecosystems and species such as mangroves and coral reefs, as well as communities of sharks, rays, marine turtles, and more.  The work will also enhance climate resilience and the well-being of local communities including women, youth, and other marginalized groups.Strengthening Water Security in Haiti:  USAID will provide $10 million to build resilience and reduce the impact of climate and other shocks and stresses to Haiti’s water resources.  The activity will enhance the capacity of institutions to manage, finance, and deliver safe, reliable, and resilient drinking water services. With this support, one million Haitians will have access to climate-resilient sources of safe water.Department of Defense (DOD) Operationalize Climate Resilience Initiative: The initiative is part of DOD’s $5 million program to assist partners in the Western Hemisphere, particularly in the Caribbean, to provide training to defense and security partners in how to plan against, prepare for, and respond to climate contingencies.  Between March – July 2024, the Department of Defense will host sub-regional symposia and a region-wide capstone conference on addressing the impacts of climate change.  The program’s goal is to catalyze regional collaboration and response mechanisms leading to climate-resilient outcomes.Department of the Navy Climate Resilience Initiative: In January 2024, the Department of the Navy led a series of engagements with Caribbean partners focused on climate resilience, hosting two Caribbean Chiefs of Defense staff for a lecture to Navy and Marine Corps higher education institutions and will continue engagement by hosting technical workshops in early 2024.  Topics include resilient infrastructure, community health and safety, and climate research, data sharing and technology transfer. These engagements will culminate in a tabletop exercise in May 2024 on how the U.S. and Caribbean partners can work together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disaster event.Regional Storm Surge Modeling and Forecasting Workshop: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with funding from USAID, developed and deployed storm surge risk maps to improve understanding of storm surge flooding vulnerability from landfalling tropical cyclones in The Bahamas.  NOAA will host a regional storm surge modeling and forecasting workshop in Barbados in April focused on training forecasters and civil defense on utilizing these new early warning systems.Heat and Health Forecasting for the Caribbean: NOAA&#8217;s Climate Prediction Center, with funding from the Department of State, will implement a 3-day workshop in April with Caribbean partners on heat and health forecasting on the climate scale.  The workshop will bring together officials from throughout the Caribbean region to assess current capacity and challenges for health early warning systems; develop a framework for a heat-health early warning system; and lay out next steps for advancing these systems.National Frameworks for Climate Services: NOAA, with funding from the Department of State, is supporting a Regional Workshop on National Frameworks for Climate Services in the Caribbean.  The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology will convene the workshop in March 2024 to advance the development and implementation of national-scale climate services. The outcomes of this workshop are expected to bolster the adaptive capacity and resilience of participating islands from across the Caribbean.Caribbean Hurricane Awareness: The NOAA National Weather Service, in partnership with the U.S. Air Force&#8217;s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of &#8220;Hurricane Hunters&#8221;, will conduct its annual Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour this April.  The Hurricane Hunters will fly to The Bahamas, Barbados, and St. Lucia to host on-the-ground events that leverage aircraft tours to engage local civic leaders, emergency managers, air traffic managers, and the media ahead of hurricane season.Tsunami Community Preparedness and Resilience: NOAA, with funding from USAID, and in support of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development goal that 100 percent of communities at risk from tsunamis are prepared and resilient to tsunamis by 2030, is implementing Tsunami Ready projects throughout the Caribbean.  Tsunami hazard and evacuation modeling, in addition to preparedness and response planning activities, are supported to save lives and minimize impact in the region.Improving Access to Development FinanceEnabling High-Quality Growth Through Increased Private Sector Financing: At the Summit of the Americas, President Biden committed to a capital increase for the private sector arm of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, IDB Invest.  IDB Group shareholders plan to conclude negotiations on the capital increase and a new Group-wide Institutional Strategy that incorporates a dedicated framework to address the unique needs of the Caribbean at the Annual Meetings in the Dominican Republic from March 8-10, 2024.  The IDB Group will be able to mobilize substantial private capital to increase investments in a low-carbon, climate-resilient and inclusive future in a manner that responds to the needs of low-lying and climate-vulnerable nations in the Caribbean.Technical Assistance for the CARICOM Development Fund: With $1.75 million in funding, USAID supported the development of the CARICOM Development Fund’s new Resilience Fund by providing advisory services to support capital fundraising and build an investment pipeline.  The Resilience Fund, which is anticipated to raise $100 million, aims to expand investment in adaptation and climate change in the eastern and southern Caribbean.Crisis Response Financing and Toolkit: U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) Evolution initiative continues to bear fruit.  The World Bank’s expanded crisis response toolkit will benefit the Caribbean through piloting of climate-resilient debt clauses, and greater agility in accounting for vulnerability in resource allocation and eligibility decisions.   Supporting Small Business: The U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) approved a $200 million loan to Banco Popular Dominicano in the Dominican Republic. The deal will support the institution’s lending to small businesses and women entrepreneurs, including 10 percent allocated for sustainability projects.Supporting Private Sector Development: The DFC plans to open a regional office at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo to support private sector development in the Dominican Republic and across the Caribbean.  DFC’s on-the-ground presence will help advance opportunities in critical sectors for the region such as renewable energy, infrastructure, and climate solutions, among other top development finance priorities.
- Secretary Blinken’s Call with Guyanese President Ali Office of the SpokespersonSecretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Guyanese President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali to reaffirm the United States’ unwavering support for Guyana’s sovereignty.  The Secretary reiterated the United States’ call for a peaceful resolution to the dispute and for all parties to respect the 1899 arbitral award determining the land boundary between Venezuela and Guyana, unless, or until, the parties reach a new agreement, or a competent legal body decides otherwise.  Secretary Blinken and President Ali noted the International Court of Justice order issued on December 1, which called for parties to refrain from any action that might aggravate or extend the dispute.  The Secretary reiterated that the United States looks forward to working closely with Guyana once it assumes its non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in January 2024.  The two leaders concluded the call by agreeing upon the importance of maintaining a peaceful and democratic Western Hemisphere.
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- Guyana HomeReportsBureau of Economic and Business Affairs2023 Investment Climate Statements&#8230;Guyana				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Investment Climate Statements: Guyana																																																																																												 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment																																																									Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																																											Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																																											Business Facilitation																																																																											Resources																																																																											Outward Investment																																																																																	2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties																															3. Legal Regime																																																									Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																																											Resources																																																																											International Regulatory Considerations																																																																											Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																																											Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Resources																																																																											Competition and Antitrust Laws																																																																											Expropriation and Compensation																																																																											Dispute Settlement																																																																			ICSID Convention and New York Convention																																																								Investor-State Dispute Settlement																																																								International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts																																																																																																																		Bankruptcy Regulations																																																																																	4. Industrial Policies																																																									Investment Incentives																																																																											Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																																											Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																																																	5. Protection of Property Rights																																																									Real Property																																																																											Intellectual Property Rights																																																																																	6. Financial Sector																																																									Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																																											Money and Banking System																																																																											Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																																			Foreign Exchange																																																								Remittance Policies																																																																																																																		Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																																																	7. State-Owned Enterprises																																																									Privatization Program																																																																																	8. Responsible Business Conduct																																																									Additional Resources																																																																											Climate Issues																																																																																	9. Corruption																																																									Resources to Report Corruption																																																																																	10. Political and Security Environment																															11. Labor Policies and Practices																															12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs																															13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics																															14. Contact for More Information																																																					EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				Guyana is located on South America’s North Atlantic coast, bordering Venezuela, Suriname, and Brazil, and is the only English-speaking country on the continent. Guyana became an oil producing nation in 2019 and, with a population of roughly 800,000, is poised to dramatically increase its per capita wealth. While GDP per capita is skyrocketing thanks to oil production and 2022 GDP growth of 62 percent, but many still live under the poverty line. Guyana’s economy is projected to grow by 37 percent in 2023 alongside a 6.6 percent inflation rate, making it one of the fastest growing economies in the world.Guyana’s offshore oil development is poised to deliver over 500,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) by the end of 2023 with expectations that the country will produce 1.2 million bpd by 2027.A consortium with a U.S. company as a majority shareholder is developing Guyana’s over 11 billion barrels of offshore oil and gas deposits. Industry experts expect Guyana’s total recoverable oil deposits to increase as exploration activities expand to other offshore blocks, which remain unexplored and for which an auction was expected in 2023. Guyana’s Natural Resource Fund (NRF) is anticipated to exceed $2 billion by end of 2023. Guyana is quickly transforming into a regional destination for international investment as it seeks to spend its oil revenues on transformational change and improved services for its people. Guyana’s foreign direct investments (FDI) have seen a 47% or $629 million growth in the first six months of 2022 to nearly $2 billion. Guyana welcomes U.S. investors.Attempts to diversify the economy away from oil and gas have been slow to produce results. Local content requirements for the oil and gas sector were legislated in 2022, and oil and gas accounts for more than 50 percent of the total GDP. Guyana’s export composition remains largely dependent on natural resources. To diversify the economy away from oil and gas, the GoG is offering incentives for investment in the agriculture, business support services, health, information technology manufacturing and energy sectors, especially in outlying regions, through the Guyana Office for Investment, or GOINVEST. At the same time, processes including the government tender process are slow and often opaque, with some tenders expiring and being re-issued after a year passes without decision. Some major tenders have seen increased transparency, with international experts brought in to assess bidder qualifications.Guyana has taken steps to address climate change through the adoption of its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which seeks to create financial incentives for maintaining the country’s intact forests covering 84 percent of the landmass, watersheds, and unique biodiversity. Guyana sold 30 percent of its carbon credits in 2022 and remains open to the sale of the remaining carbon credits as it utilizes the funds to preserve its forests.The GoG’s 2023 priorities include significant infrastructure investments, energy developments, education, bolstering healthcare services, diversifying, and expanding agriculture sector, and improving the business climate. Many businesses report their key challenges to doing business in Guyana include increasing crime, the high cost of electricity, unclear interpretation of the law or lengthy delays at customs, contentious tax issues, and access to land. However, the GoG has taken steps to address the challenges including the Gas to Energy project to reduce the cost of electricity and is developing a single window for processing housing and business permits.The majority of Guyana’s population resides on the coastal area, including much of the population residing under sea level in locations at high risk for flooding. In 2022, Guyana continues to feel the pain from the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine which resulted in higher food and energy prices.Table 1: Key Metrics and RankingsMeasureYearIndex/RankWebsite AddressTI Corruption Perceptions Index202285 of 180http://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/overviewGlobal Innovation IndexN/AN/Ahttps://www.globalinnovationindex.org/analysis-indicatorU.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, historical stock positions)N/AN/Ahttps://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheetWorld Bank GNI per capita2021USD 9,410http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD																																					1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment						    																																																Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment										The GoG is open to investment in all sectors of the economy and views foreign direct investment (FDI) as critical for growing and diversifying the Guyanese economy. Guyanese law does not discriminate against foreign investors. Foreigners can participate in Guyana’s local stock market, but it has few listed companies and is traded once weekly. The GoG prioritizes investments in the following sectors: agriculture, agro-processing, light manufacturing, renewable energy, tourism and information and communications technology (ICT). The Guyana Office for Investment (GOINVEST) is the GoG’s primary vehicle for promoting FDI opportunities and assisting foreign corporations with their business registrations and applying for tax concessions. Companies and investors are encouraged to do their due diligence and have robust business plans completed before approaching GOINVEST. The GoG passed the Local Content Act (LCA) on December 31, 2021, which establishes baseline requirements for foreign and local firms operating in the country’s oil and gas sector to hire Guyanese and source local materials. The legislation lists local quotas for 40 business services and material inputs, which must come from Guyanese businesses. The targets range from near total local sourcing (90 to 100 percent) for services like ground transportation of personnel, local accounting and legal services, and pest control services to lower levels (between five to 25 percent) for more technical items like dredging services, engineering and machining, borehole testing, environmental services and studies, and aviation support services.  The GoG plans to expand this initial list of services and materials as local capacity increases, in which case foreign firms may be required to enter into partnerships with local firms to comply with the LCA. Some local firms involved in joint ventures or subcontract relationships with foreign companies have expressed concerns on capability of local partners and the likelihood of a stronger LCA, which could delay their operations and create conditions for undue influence and rent seeking behavior.																																				Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment										Guyana’s constitution protects the rights of foreigners to own property in Guyana. Foreign and domestic firms possess the right to establish and own business enterprises and engage in all forms of commerce, except for some oil and gas services which are now legally protected under the LCA. Guyana’s investment Act of 2004 provides legal protection for investment and outlines that there shall be no discrimination between foreign and domestic investors. Additionally, foreign investors can participate in Guyana’s stock market.Private entities are governed by the 1991 Companies Act (amended in 1995) under which they have the right to establish business enterprises and are free to acquire or dispose of interest in accordance with the law. Some key sectors like oil and gas, aviation, forestry, banking, mining, and tourism are heavily regulated and require special licensing and may have limits on foreign ownership. The process to obtain licenses can be time consuming and may in some instances require ministerial approval.The LCA significantly increased the ownership criteria for a company operating in, or servicing the oil sector, to be considered Guyanese as: Guyanese nationals having at least 51 percent voting rights, holding at least 75 percent of executive and senior management positions within the company, and at least 90 percent non-managerial staff positions. As of April 2023, these limits on foreign control and ownership only apply to the initial schedule of local companies outlined in the 2021 LCA. However, it is likely that the initial schedule may change later in 2023.The GoG also prohibits foreign ownership of small-and-medium-scale mining (ASM) concessions. Foreign investors interested in participating in the industry at those levels may establish joint ventures with Guyanese nationals, under which the two parties agree to jointly develop a mining property. However, this type of relationship can carry a high level of risk because arrangements are governed only by private contracts and the sector’s regulatory agency, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), offers little recourse for ASM disputes. The U.S. Embassy strongly encourages investors to thoroughly conduct due diligence when exploring business opportunities.The GoG maintains an investment screening mechanism through GOINVEST. Under this mechanism, investment agreements are prepared by GOINVEST, followed by a review by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), and approval by the Minister of Finance ultimately approves the investment agreement, pending approval by the GRA. Industry specific investments can be subject to approval by the relevant ministries, like the recently established Local Content Secretariat within the Ministry of Natural Resources, which now approves all oil and gas related business operations.																																				Other Investment Policy Reviews										Government policy focuses on attracting inward FDI. The GoG applies national treatment to all economic activities, except for certain oil and gas and mining operations. The World Trade Organization (WTO) published its most recent trade policy review of Guyana on March 2, 2022, in which it encouraged the GoG to invest in infrastructure and human capital development and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. The most recent report reiterated prior recommendations for the GoG to increase transparency in government procurement and modernize the government’s treatment of intellectual property rights. Business support organizations report that Guyana is a favorable enabling investment environment. However, collateral requirements and the absence a developed stock market remains a hurdle for the nation’s development.World Trade Organization is available at the following link:  https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp522_crc_e.htm 																																				Business Facilitation										The GoG business facilitation efforts focus primarily on investor services through its investment promotion agency. All companies operating in Guyana must physically register with the Registrar of Companies, there is no online platform. Registration fees are lower for companies incorporated in Guyana than those incorporated abroad. Locally incorporated companies are subjected to a flat fee of approximately $300 and a company incorporated abroad is subject to a fee of approximately $400. Depending on the type of business, registration may take three weeks or more. Newly registered businesses are encouraged to immediately apply for a tax identification number (TIN) from the GRA. To learn more on the requirements for business registration please visit the deeds and commercial registry website:  https://dcra.gov.gy/ .If a company employs Guyanese workers, the company must demonstrate compliance with the National Insurance Scheme (social security). Businesses in the sectors requiring specific licenses, such as oil and gas, mining, telecommunications, forestry, and banking must obtain operation licenses from the relevant authorities before commencing operations. Additionally, for entities operating in the oil and gas sector desirous of a local content certificate this may take over two months. Guyana has six municipal authorities which also assess municipal taxes: Anna Regina, Corriverton, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, and Rose Hall.GOINVEST advises the GoG on the formulation and implementation of national investment policies and provides facilitation services to foreign investors, particularly in completing administrative formalities, such as commercial registration and applications for land purchases or leases. Under the Status of Aliens Act, foreign and domestic investors have the same rights to purchase and lease land. However, the process to access licensing can be complex and many foreign companies have opted to partner with local companies which may assist with acquiring a license. The Investment Act specifies that there should be no discrimination between foreign and domestic private investors, or among foreign investors from different countries. The authorities maintain that foreign investors have equal access to opportunities arising from privatization of state-owned companies.																																				Resources										Guyana Deeds and Commercial Registry: https://dcra.gov.gy/ GO-INVEST: https://goinvest.gov.gy/ Guyana Revenue Authority: https://www.gra.gov.gy/ 																																				Outward Investment										The GoG does not promote or incentivize outward investment. The GoG does not restrict domestic investors from investing abroad.In 2021, Guyana repealed and replaced its existing sovereign wealth fund legislation, the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act. The passage of the revised NRF, along with the appointment of a board of directors, paves the way for the GoG to invest a portion of its oil revenues and royalties in global markets. Guyana’s NRF is likely to surpass USD 2 billion by the end of 2023 and may open the way forward for outward investments made by the GoG abroad.																																												2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties						    																						Guyana does not have a bilateral investment treaty with the United States. Guyana has bilateral investment treaties with the United Kingdom, Germany, Cuba, China, Switzerland, South Korea, and Indonesia. Double taxation treaties are in force with Canada (1987), the United Kingdom (1992), and CARICOM (1995). The United States and the GoG signed the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) in October 2016, and implementation began in June 2017.																																		3. Legal Regime						    																																																Transparency of the Regulatory System										The GoG has a Guyana competition and consumer affairs commission which is guided by local laws to foster market-based competition. Additionally, public utilities like telecommunications are regulated by the public utilities commission.Legal, regulatory, and accounting systems are consistent with international norms. Guyana is a commonwealth nation and embraces the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS), under which all publicly traded companies are legally required to publish their annual reports. Guyana is a democratic country, whose constitution mandates the separation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. In practice, however, many GoG processes are opaque and frequently cause confusion for investors and exporters. Regulations are developed through stakeholder consultations followed by parliamentary debate and eventual passage in Guyana’s National Assembly (parliament). While the GoG does not require companies to disclose environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, it actively encourages ESG through investment policies and the LCDS. Guyana’s laws are publicly available on the Ministry of Legal Affairs website. Publicly listed companies’ finances and debt obligations are relatively transparent, but Guyana’s accounting and auditing firms are severely limited in their capacity to conduct thorough audits that comply with international best practices. Oversight mechanisms for public finances include the national assembly and the Auditor General Office. Guyana has a public debt policy for public finances which guides the Ministry of Finance.Guyana’s bureaucratic procedures are cumbersome, often involve multiple ministries that often have overlapping regulatory responsibilities and could potentially be resolved by an electronic single window which remains under development. Investors report having received conflicting messages from various officials, and difficulty determining where the authority for decision-making lies. An extraordinary number of issues continue to be resolved in the presidential cabinet, a process that is perceived by many – especially new investors or bidders &#8211; as opaque and slow.																																				Resources										Ministry of Legal Affairs:  https://mola.gov.gy/laws-of-guyana 																																				International Regulatory Considerations										Since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995, Guyana has complied with the rules for trade-related investment measures (TRIMs). Guyana is also a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and is working to harmonize its regulatory systems with the rest of the CARICOM member states. Guyana is a signatory to both the REDD+ and UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) initiatives to reduce emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation.Guyana has laws governing intellectual property rights and patents. However, a lack of enforcement offers limits safeguards in practice and allows for the relatively uninhibited distribution and sale of illegally obtained content.																																				Legal System and Judicial Independence										Guyana’s constitution is rooted in the separation of powers and Guyana’s legal system combines civil and common laws. Guyana’s judicial system operates independently from the executive branch. The Caribbean Court of Justice, located in Trinidad and Tobago, is Guyana’s highest court. Registered companies are governed by the Companies Act and contracts are enforced by Guyanese courts or through a mediator. Guyana has a commercial court in its High Court, which has both original and appellate jurisdiction.																																				Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment										Legislation exists in Guyana to support foreign direct investment, but investors report lengthy delays in the enforcement of regulations (due to limited capacity in the judiciary). The objective of the Investment Act of 2004 and Industries and Aid and Encouragement Act of 1951 is to stimulate socio-economic development by attracting and facilitating foreign investment. Other relevant laws include: the Income Tax Act, the Customs Act, the Procurement Act of 2003, the Companies Act of 1991, the Securities Act of 1998, and the Small Business Act. Regulatory actions are still required for much of this legislation to be effectively implemented. The Companies Act provides special provisions for companies incorporated outside of Guyana called “external companies.” Most recently the 2021 Local Content Act mandates certain levels of Guyanese participation (in the form of workforce, company ownership, and sourcing of materials) in the oil and gas sector. Companies should direct their inquiries about regulations on FDI to GOINVEST.Guyana has no known examples of executive interference in the court system that have adversely affected foreign investors. The judicial system is generally perceived to be slow and ineffective in enforcing legal contracts. Guyana’s local content legislation was passed on December 30, 2021. The legislation provides a sliding scale for minimum participation of Guyanese businesses for 40 business lines within the oil sector. This is subject to change as the schedule is likely to be revised in late 2023.																																				Resources										GO-INVEST: https://goinvest.gov.gy/ 																																				Competition and Antitrust Laws										The Competition Commission of Guyana was established under the 2006 Competition and Fair-Trading Act. The Competition and Fair-Trading act seek to promote, maintain, and encourage competition; to prohibit the prevention, restriction, or distortion of competition, the abuse of dominant trade positions; and to promote the welfare and interests of consumers. The Competition Commission and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) is responsible for investigating complaints by agencies and consumers, eliminating anti-competitive agreements, and may institute or participate in proceedings before a Court of Law. For mergers and acquisitions within of the banking sector, the Bank of Guyana has ultimate oversight and approval.																																				Expropriation and Compensation										The government can expropriate property in the public interest under the 2001 Acquisition of Land for Public Purposes Act, although there are no recent cases of expropriation. Adequate legislation exists to promote and protect foreign investment. However, investors report delays in enforcement of local laws. Many reports view Guyana’s judicial system as being slow and ineffective in enforcing legal contracts. All companies are encouraged to conduct due diligence and seek appropriate legal counsel for any potential questions prior to doing business in Guyana.																																				Dispute Settlement																										ICSID Convention and New York Convention						Guyana is a party to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID Convention). Additionally, Guyana has ratified the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (1958 New York Convention), which entered into force in December 2014.						Investor-State Dispute Settlement						Guyana does not have a bilateral investment treaty with the United States. Negotiations began in 1993 but broke down in 1995. Since then, the two countries have not conducted subsequent negotiations.There is one ongoing investment dispute involving a U.S. telecommunications company, which previously held a legal monopoly in Guyana.						International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts						International arbitration decisions are enforceable under the 1931 Arbitration Act of British Guiana, as amended in 1998. The Act is based on the Geneva Convention for the Execution of Foreign Arbitral Awards of 1927. The GoG enforces foreign awards by way of judicial decisions or action, and such awards must be in line with the policies and laws of Guyana.According to many businesses, suspected corrupt practices and long delays make the courts an unattractive option for settling investment or contractual disputes, particularly for foreign investors unfamiliar with Guyana.The GoG has set up a Commercial Court to expedite commercial disputes, but this court only has one judge presiding, and companies have reported that it is overwhelmed by a backlog of cases.  The Caribbean Court of Justice, based in Trinidad and Tobago, is Guyana’s court of final instance. In practice, most business disputes are settled by mediation which avoids a lengthy court battle and keeps costs low to both parties. Guyanese state-owned enterprises are not widely involved in investor disputes. To date, there are no complaints on the court process relating to judgments involving state owned enterprises.																										Bankruptcy Regulations										The 1998 Guyana Insolvency Act provides for the facilitation of insolvency proceedings.  The 2004 Financial Institutions Act gives the Central Bank power to take temporary control of financial institutions in trouble.  This Act provides legal authority for the Central Bank to take a more proactive role in helping insolvent local banks.  A creditor is entitled to present a petition against any debtor being a trader if any act which would have been an act of insolvency if committed by a debtor.																																												4. Industrial Policies						    																																																Investment Incentives										Guyana’s industrial policy is articulated in the Low Carbon Development Strategy which supports the decarbonization and aims to foster innovation and decoupling from the reliance on fossil fuels. Guyana’s industrial policy is rooted in fostering food security, energy security and addressing infrastructure bottlenecks to enhance productivity to support a broad-based economy. Guyana prioritizes investments in agriculture and manufacturing as it seeks to advance and diversify its economic base. For publicly listed companies, dividends paid to shareholders are tax free and there are no capital gains taxes incurred. Firms interested in listing on the local stock exchange can contact the Guyana Securities Council. Guyana offers an array of incentives to foreign and domestic investors alike in the form of exemption from various taxes, tax holidays, accelerated depreciation rates, full and unrestricted repatriation of capital, profits, and dividends. The first point of contact in applying for tax concessions is GOINVEST. The GoG utilizes investment incentives to advance its broader policy goals, such as boosting research and development, or spurring growth in a particular region. Guyana offers fiscal incentives for clean energy investments including value added tax (VAT) and import duty exemptions for renewable energy equipment, and capital expenditure write off within two years. The GoG offers co-investing options for outlying regions.Guyana prioritizes green energy generation under its Low Carbon Development Strategy and welcomes investment to reduce its carbon footprint. The GoG offers accelerated capital depreciation for clean energy projects and investors seeking to provide electricity may write to the Guyana Office for Investment or the Guyana Power and Light for guidance on possible feed-in tariffs and the sale of electricity.Information on investment incentives in Guyana can be found on the following websites:Guyana Office for Investment:   http://goinvest.gov.gy/investment/investment-guide/ The National Procurement &amp; Tender Administration (NPTA):   http://www.npta.gov.gy/ National Industrial &amp; Commercial Investment Limited:  http://www.privatisation.gov.gy/ Ministry of Finance:  https://finance.gov.gy/procurements Guyana Power and Light, renewable energy:  https://gplinc.com/renewable-energy/ Guyana securities exchange council:  https://guyanasecuritiescouncil.com/ 																																				Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation										Guyana does not have free trade zones, however, the GoG is contemplating establishing free trade zones in Lethem, a Guyanese town on the Brazilian border that relies heavily on cross border commerce.Guyana was the 53rd WTO member and first South American country to ratify the new Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).  The WTO Secretariat received Guyana’s instrument of acceptance on November 30, 2015.The GoG has signaled intent to create an industrial zone in Wales appointing a Wales Development Authority which will likely host a developing industrial cluster.																																				Performance and Data Localization Requirements										There are no data localization requirements in Guyana requiring foreign investors to establish or maintain a certain amount of data storage within the country. There is no visa requirement for U.S. citizens to visit Guyana. There are no government-imposed conditions to invest. However, if seeking tax concessions, an entity will be bound to an investment agreement.A requirement to hire locally at least 80 percent of employees is applied equally to domestic and foreign investment projects. The GoG formalized this requirement in the oil and gas sector through with the passage of the LCA in 2021. There are no concrete plans to expand the LCA model to other industries at this time.Although no explicit government policy exits regarding performance requirements, some are written into contracts with foreign investors and could include the requirement of a performance bond.  Some contracts require a certain minimum level of investment. Investors are not required to source locally, nor must they export a certain percentage of output.  Foreign exchange is not rationed in proportion to exports, nor are there any requirements for national ownership or technology transfer. Foreign IT providers are not required to turn over source code and/or provide access to encryption. The Telecommunication sector is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission and is subjected to regulatory, investigatory and enforcement as conferred onto the Commission by the Public Utilities Act.There are no measures to prevent or restrict companies from transmitting customer or business data. The government agencies involved for local data storage include the National Data Management Authority and the Office of the Prime Minister.																																												5. Protection of Property Rights						    																																																Real Property										Property rights are enforced but it is often time consuming to determine the rightful owner of a particular plot of land. Property rights are enforced regardless of gender. In Guyana, cases of mortgages and liens exists on property. Ownership of property can be unclear even among government entities and potential investors are encouraged to have a local lawyer review any potential property purchase before executing the deal.Guyana has a dual registry system of property rights with distinct requirements, processes, and enforcement mechanisms. The two types of registry systems are deeds (regulated by the Deeds and Commercial Registry) and title (regulated by the Land Registry) registries that operate in separate jurisdictions, which in theory helps avoid the problem of double entry and dual registration. However, the percentage of land in Guyana that lacks a clear land title is unknown and the absence of a digital registry with which to easily verify title further complicates the transfer of property rights. Locals and investors alike share similar struggles accessing land which can be processed either through the Central Housing and Planning Authority or the Guyana Lands and Surveys. Companies often complain about Guyana’s property rights being overly bureaucratic and complex, with opaque regulations that overlap and compete. Some report that this affects the proper allocation, enforcement, and effectiveness of property rights, as well as the efficiency of property-based markets, such as real estate and financial markets (especially primary ones, such as mortgage markets). As previously stated, the judicial system is generally perceived to be slow and ineffective in enforcing legal contracts. The GoG is the country’s largest landowner. Property can be reverted to squatters who have squatted for over 10 years, but in most instances the GoG repossesses the land. Frustration arises when investors who have been leased land do not proceed with planned investments, so an ability to secure financing and move forward with projects is key.																																				Intellectual Property Rights										Upon independence in 1966, Guyana adopted British law on intellectual property rights (IPR). Guyana’s relevant laws governing IPR are the 1956 Copyright Act and the 1973 Trademark Act and Patents and Design Act.  Local contacts report that numerous attempts to pass comprehensive reforms to this legislation have been unsuccessful. However, piecemeal modernization amendments contained in the 2005 Geographic Indication Act, the 2006 Competition and Fair-Trading Act, the 2000 Business Names Registration Act, and the 1999 Deeds Registry Authority Act have offered additional protection to local products and companies.  In the past year, there was no new IP laws enacted.No modern legislation exists to protect the foreign-registered rights of investors. However, investors are encouraged to seek a lawyer to register and/or make an application for intellectual property. In the case of trademarks, registration is done through writing to the registrar, which once accepted after advertisement in the official gazette, the registrar inserts the particulars and issues a registration bearing the seal of the patent office. Guyana joined the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and acceded to the Berne and Paris Conventions in 1994. Guyana has not ratified a bilateral intellectual property rights agreement with the United States. The previous government drafted intellectual property rights legislation which has yet to be taken up in Parliament.Many businesses report that the registration time for a patent or trademark may take more than six months. However, there is a lack of effective enforcement to protect intellectual property rights. Patent and trademark infringement are common, as is evident among local television broadcasts of pirated and rebroadcasted TV satellite signals. Guyana has seen seizures of counterfeited food items by the Guyana Foods and Drugs Analyst Department (GFDD). However, the GFDD is severely short staffed and unable to police all commerce effectively. Local news media sources report that piracy of foreign academic textbooks is common. Guyana’s laws have not been amended to fully conform to the requirements of the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.  For additional information about treaty obligations and points of contact at local IP offices, please see WIPO’s country profiles at  http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/ .Guyana is not mentioned in the United States Trade Representative’s 2022 Special 301 Report, nor is it named in its 2020 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy.																																												6. Financial Sector						    																																																Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment										The GoG is indifferent to foreign portfolio investment. Guyana has its own stock market, which is supervised by the Guyana Association of Securities Companies and Intermediaries (GASCI).  GASCI is a self-regulated organization. Dividends earned from the local stock exchange are tax free. Guyana’s market capitalization grew by 57 percent in 2022 following the growth rate of the economy. Despite growing interest in the local stock market, Guyana has not listed a new company for over a decade. The GoG may consider listing a foreign entity on the local market if it satisfies the Guyana Securities and Exchange Council. Foreign investors can access credit on the local market if they satisfy local banking requirements. Credit is allocated based on risk profile, creditworthiness and is available on market terms. The private sector has access to limited credit instruments though on the local market and new legislation could transform access to other financial instruments. The Central Bank respects IMF Article VIII regarding payments and transfers for international transactions.																																				Money and Banking System										Guyana relies heavily on cash payments for most financial transactions, but credit cards and mobile payment options are increasingly common. Banking services are widespread throughout urban areas, but penetration is significantly lower in rural areas. The GoG’s monetary policy remains accommodative, aimed at achieving price stability and controlling liquidity within the economy. The financial sector is regulated by the Bank of Guyana (BOG), the country’s central bank. The BOG is empowered under the 1995 Financial Institutions Act and the Bank of Guyana Act to regulate the financial sector. Under these regulations a bank operating in Guyana must maintain high levels of liquidity and a strong deposit and asset base. Approval from the BOG is required before operating in Guyana.The BoG regularly performs stress tests to determine the vulnerability of licensed depository financial institutions (LDFIs). Licensed financial institutions in Guyana easily satisfy the 8 percent benchmark once they are 8 percent above the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) at 19.3 percent as of December 2022. Guyana’s banking stability index improved from 0.38 to 0.92 in the middle of 2022 attributed to improvements in asset quality and profitability of banks. Furthermore, the stock of non-performing loans improved to 6.1 percent from 10.2 percent at the end of June 2022.As Guyana’s oil production rises the country’s financial account may become vulnerable to external shocks. However, vulnerabilities remain limited attributed to the concessional nature of public borrowing. Guyana’s foreign currency transactions as of mid-year 2022 fell by 7.2 percent. However, private sector credit grew by 7.5 percent with expansions across all sectors except for mining.Guyana has six commercial banks. Foreign banks can provide domestic services or enter the market with a license from the BOG. There are no restrictions on a foreigner’s ability to establish a bank account. Furthermore, the country has two licensed investment banks. The GoG recognizes a need to improve access to finance for both the private sector and private citizens, with the current financial institutions seen as slow, overly cautious, and full of bureaucratic red tape.																																				Foreign Exchange and Remittances																										Foreign Exchange						The Guyanese Dollar (GYD) is fully convertible and transferable, and generally stable in its value against the U.S. dollar. The Guyana dollar weighted mid-rate, relevant for official transactions, remained constant at GYD 208.50 as at half year 2022. Guyana employs a de jure float exchange rate. Investment-related funds are freely convertible to regularly traded currencies. However, foreign exchange transactions must be conducted through authorized foreign exchange dealers, “cambios,” or local banks.No limits exist on inflows or repatriation of funds. However, regulations require that all persons entering and exiting Guyana declare all currency more than $10,000 to customs authorities at the port of entry. It is common practice for foreign investors to use subsidiaries outside of Guyana to handle earnings generated by exports.						Remittance Policies						The country’s financial system is fully liberalized and subject to market conditions. There is no required waiting period for the remittance of investment returns. There is no limit on the acquisition of foreign currency, although the government limits the amount that several state-owned firms may keep for their own purchases. Regulations on foreign currency denominated bank accounts in Guyana allow funds to be wired in and out of the country electronically without having to go through cumbersome exchange procedures. Foreign companies operating in Guyana have not reported experiencing government-induced difficulties in repatriating earnings in recent years.																										Sovereign Wealth Funds										The Irfaan Ali led administration in 2021 repealed and replaced the 2019 Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act to evolve the act towards having decentralized control over the fund and establishing a simple withdrawal schedule. Guyana’s NRF is held at the New York Fed. The fund earns interest from the New York Fed and is yet to make public an investment policy.Guyana’s Natural Resource fund as of April 2023, held USD 1.67 billion and is projected to grow to just over 2 billion by end of 2023. Guyana’s NRF act includes guardrails to foster transparency and embraces the Santiago principles. Guyana is a member of the EITI but was suspended by the EITI for failure to submit its EITI report in a timely manner.																																												7. State-Owned Enterprises						    																						Guyana has ten state-owned enterprises (SOEs) including: National Industrial and Commercial Investments Ltd. (NICIL), Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO), MARDS Rice Complex Ltd., National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Guyana National Newspapers Ltd. (GNNL), Guyana National Shipping Corporation (GNSC) and Guyana National Printers Ltd. (GNPL).The private sector competes with SOEs for market share, credit, and business opportunities. It is common for SOEs in Guyana to experience political interventions, driven by boards of directors filled with political appointees. Procurement on behalf of SOEs may be passed through the National Procurement and Tender Administration or handled directly by the SOE.  Agricultural SOEs export products like GUYSUCO which exports sugar to the U.S. SOEs, rarely invest in the U.S.The Public Corporation Act requires public corporations to publish an annual report no later than six months after the end of the calendar year. These reports must be audited by an independent auditor.																										Privatization Program										In the 1990s, Guyana underwent significant privatization with the divestment of many sectors. In 1993, the Privatization Policy Framework Paper known as the “Privatisation White Paper&#8221; was tabled in Parliament and led to the creation of the Privatization Unit (PU). Its function was to co-ordinate the implementation of the GoG’s privatization program and was tasked with:Combining the functions of the Public Corporations Secretariat (PCS) and the National Industrial &amp; Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL);Preparing for the program strategy and annual program targets for privatization or liquidation Cabinet’s approval;Implementing the privatization of SOEs and assets selected for inclusion in the program;Participating in negotiations for the privatization of SOEs;Reviewing offers and making recommendations to Cabinet on the terms and conditions for the sale of SOEs;Preparing financial and administrative audits of SOEs not selected for privatization.Developing a strategy to build public understanding and support for privatization;Ensuring that transparency of the privatization program is strictly respected and followed.Monitoring operations of privatized entities in accordance with the terms and conditions of each respective contract.Preparing for Cabinet, broad guidelines on operating policies for privatization, develop action plans for implementation, conduct a public relations campaign and help to build national consensus in support of government’s program.Foreign investors have equal access to privatization opportunities. However, there are many reports that the process is opaque and favors politically connected local businesses. Currently, the GoG is interested in privatizing at least a portion of GUYSUCO.U.S. firms are generally given equal access to these projects through a public bidding process. However, many bidders continue to complain about the criteria and question their unsuccessful attempt at securing a contract. In cases where international financial institution (IFI) funding has been involved in the project, such allegations have been credibly addressed. In cases where the project relied solely on GoG funds, redress has been more problematic to achieve.																																												8. Responsible Business Conduct						    																						While Guyana-based businesses lag in adopting Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) norms in alignment with North American and European standards, they continue to make rapid strides given the rapid introduction of foreign investment. Growing expectations on businesses to enhance their supply chains, adoption of a health and safety culture which was uncommon before oil was discovered and embracing standard labor practices provide a path forward for more businesses to adopt RBC.Guyana does not have a policy to encourage RBC. Most companies conform to their business responsibilities outlined by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), including human rights and labor rights, information disclosure, environment, bribery, consumer interests, science and technology, competition, and taxation. Guyana’s laws align with the guidelines for RBC by the OECD. Despite these improvements, Guyana has human rights concerns, especially involving child labor in outlying regions and in the mining sector. The GoG enforces human rights laws but many report a lack of capacity to adequately enforce human and labor rights law. In many hinterland areas competing land rights issues continue to plaque individuals and businesses. Workplace safety remains an issue, particularly in mining, agriculture and construction.Local companies have improved RBC as firms react to increased levels of competition, partly to compete or subcontract with companies in the oil and gas sector that emphasize it. Guyanese consumers are increasingly aware of RBC principles as the population becomes more sensitized. Enforcement of laws remains a challenge due to limits on institutional strength. The GoG has expressed hope that large multinational companies will lead the way on RBC practices, setting an example for smaller local firms to follow, particularly in the extractive industries sector. Guyana joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) as a candidate country in October 2017 but was suspended in February 2023. Guyana is not a signatory of the Montreux Document.																										Additional Resources										Department of StateCountry Reports on Human Rights Practices;Trafficking in Persons Report;Guidance on Implementing the &#8220;UN Guiding Principles&#8221; for Transactions Linked to Foreign Government End-Users for Products or Services with Surveillance Capabilities;U.S. National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; and;Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory Department of the TreasuryOFAC Recent ActionsDepartment of LaborFindings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor Report;List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor;Sweat &amp; Toil: Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking Around the World and;Comply Chain.																																				Climate Issues										Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 (LCDS) is an executive branch led policy framework/roadmap for the country to maintain 99.5 percent of its largely intact forests, incentivize biodiversity conservation, invest in climate resilient infrastructure, and keep carbon emissions at 2019 levels while quintupling economic growth over the next 20 years. The impetus to establish the LCDS came from the GoG’s 2009 agreement with Norway to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+), which earned Guyana $250 million over ten years for reducing its annual deforestation rate from 0.12 to 0.05 percent. Guyana currently complies with this commitment. The LCDS 2030 consists of four core objectives: accessing market-based mechanisms for Guyana’s forest carbon sequestration services, stimulate future growth through clean energy and sustainable economic activities, protect against climate change, and align with global climate goals. The LCDS contemplates active participation by the private sector but does not offer specific policies to incentivize their compliance. However, the GoG offers tax incentives and green loans for companies transitioning to clean energy sources. A market for tradeable permits, tax credits and pollution standards remain in its nascent stage of development, and Guyana’s procurement policy does not include environmental and green growth considerations.Guyana became the first country to be issued carbon credits specifically designed for the prevention of forest loss and degradation. As of April 2023, Guyana has sold 30 percent of its carbon credits and is actively seeking other partners in development. Guyana continues to make strides embracing technology to improve institutions for oil spill response and monitoring of the deforestation rate. Finally, renewable energy projects are being implemented which could reduce reliance on fossil fuels and reduce the carbon footprint of the country soon.																																												9. Corruption						    																						The law provides criminal penalties for corrupt practices by public officials. The relevant laws enacted include the Integrity Commission Act, State Assets Recovery Act, and the Audit Act. Notably, the Integrity Commission Board expired in February 2021, with no appointments made as of March 2022. Several media outlets reported on government corruption in recent years, and it remains a significant public concern.  Guyana has regulations to counter conflict of interests in the award of contracts. Media and civil society organizations continued to criticize the government for being slow to prosecute corruption cases.  The government passed legislation in 1997 that requires public officials to disclose their assets to an Integrity Commission prior to assuming office.  There are no significant compliance programs to detect bribery of government officials.Guyana’s Integrity Commission was re-constituted in February 2018 after a 12-year hiatus, but only collects reports of asset declarations and lacks any ability to investigate suspected irregularities, complaints, or issues. The Integrity Commission can only flag asset declarations for investigation by other authorities. Guyana ratified major international corruption instruments, including the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.Widespread concerns remain about inefficiencies and corruption regarding the awarding of contracts, particularly with respect to concerns of collusion and non-transparency.  In his 2020 annual report, the Auditor General noted disregard for the procedures, rules, and the laws that govern public procurement .  There were reports of overpayments of contracts and procurement breaches.  Nevertheless, the country has made some improvements. Additionally, American firms report growing issues with the Guyana Revenue Authority. According to Transparency International’s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Guyana ranked 87 out of 180 countries for perceptions of corruption, falling 4 spots in comparison to 2020.Companies interested in doing business in Guyana may contact a &#8220;watchdog&#8221; organization (international, regional, local nongovernmental organization operating in the country/economy that monitors corruption, such as Transparency International) for more information:																										Resources to Report Corruption										Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc.157 Waterloo Street, Second FloorPrivate Sector Commission Building,North Cummingsburg,Georgetown+592 231 9586 infotransparencygy@gmail.com 																																												10. Political and Security Environment						    																						Despite political stability and strong economic growth, citizen and public security concerns in Guyana impose significant costs on businesses and limit foreign and domestic investment. There are no known national security threats affecting foreign investment within Guyana.Guyana has a high crime rate, and violence associated with drug and gold smuggling is on the rise. The country peacefully transitioned to a new government on August 2, 2020, after a 20 month-long extra-constitutional and electoral crisis, which saw few instances of politically incited violence. The GoG has committed to electoral reform in the wake of the 2020 electoral crisis to avoid future electoral impasses.The security environment in the country continues to be a concern for many businesses. Businesses considering investing in Guyana are strongly encouraged to develop adequate security systems.The U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory (of May 2023) assesses Guyana at Level 3 indicating that travelers should exercise increased caution. U.S. companies with personnel assigned to Guyana are strongly advised to conduct security and cultural awareness training.																																		11. Labor Policies and Practices						    																						Guyana’s labor market is tightening due to high investments in the oil and gas sector. In 2017, the total population aged 15 and above residing in Guyana was 550,831. In the first quarter of 2021, the labor force participation rate was 51.1 percent. Unemployment stood at 15.1 percent in the first quarter of 2021. A concerning trend is an increase in youth unemployment, jumping from 30.2 percent in the first quarter 2020 to 31.4 percent in first quarter 2021. Guyana has witnessed an influx of Venezuelan migrants who predominantly work in mining areas and in the restaurant industry. The Ali-led administration implementation of the LCA creates pressure on an already tight labor market by offering legal protections and incentives for Guyanese companies to service the oil and gas sector, fueling the flight of labor and investment to the industry and raising the risk of the resource curse.Guyana has an old-age pension scheme, but social safety net programs do not exist for the working-age population. Strikes are common in the sugar industry and may vary with the public sector during collective bargaining sessions. Guyana has a significant informal economy, accounting for between 30 and 50 percent of the job market, though this is in part attributable to many Guyanese pursuing self-employment in unregulated jobs. In February 2023, GoG leadership suggested there was a labor shortage as the private sector calls for specific immigration changes for skilled labor.Local legislation governing labor in Guyana includes the National Insurance Act, Guyana Labour Act, Occupation Health and Safety Act, and the Termination of Severance and Pay Act.  Guyana’s Human Development Index for 2020 increased to 0.67 from 0.682. Guyana’s literacy rate is estimated at 90%. There is an ongoing push for an information and communications technology curriculum in Guyana’s schools to develop a talent pool for the industry.Guyana has one of the highest emigration rates, 89 percent, in the world for nationals with a university degree. A significant number of businesses report challenges with staff recruitment and retention.  These issues are linked to a small pool of semi-skilled and skilled workers. Companies entering Guyana should consider training and capacity building opportunities for their employees.The 1997 Trade Union Recognition Act requires businesses operating in Guyana to recognize and collectively bargain with the trade union selected by most of its workers.  The government, on occasion, has unilaterally imposed wage increases. Guyana adheres to the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention, protecting worker rights.  The public sector has a minimum monthly wage of approximately $350 while the private sector minimum wage is slightly lower at $300.																																		12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs						    																						The DFC is responsible for providing and facilitating the financing of private development projects in lower- and middle-income countries. A U.S. government delegation led by the DFC visited Guyana to discuss investment opportunities in Guyana in October 2020. The DFC remains interested in financing projects in Guyana with special interest on climate financing.The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) offers insurance and financing to support U.S. firms exporting to Guyana.  EXIM signed an MOU for USD 2 Billion with President Ali in July 2022. EXIM is actively involved in Guyana for the financing of energy and infrastructure projects pending approvals. Furthermore, several private entities have projects before EXIM for consideration.																																		13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics						    																						Table 2: Key Macroeconomic Data, U.S. FDI in Host Country/EconomyHost Country Statistical source*USG or international statistical sourceUSG or International Source of Data:BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherEconomic DataYearAmountYearAmountHost Country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (USD)N/AN/A2022$15.36 billionwww.worldbank.org/en/countryForeign Direct InvestmentHost Country Statistical source*USG or international statistical sourceUSG or international Source of data:BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherU.S. FDI in partner country (USD, stock positions)N/AN/A2015$178 millionBEA data available athttps://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/Host country’s FDI in the United States ($M USD, stock positions)N/AN/AN/AN/ABEA data available athttps://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/Total inbound stock of FDI as % host GDPN/AN/A2022117.6%UNCTAD data available athttps://unctad.org/topic/investment/world-investment-reportTable 3: Sources and Destination of FDI Data not available.																																		14. Contact for More Information						    																						Thomas SeegerEconomic and Commercial OfficerRichard LeoEconomic and Commercial SpecialistEmbassy of the United States of America100 Duke and Young Streets, KingstonGeorgetown, GuyanaTelephone: + (592) 225-4900-9 Ext. 4220 and Ext. 4213Fax: + (592) 225-8597Email:  commercegeorgetown@state.gov  https://gy.usembassy.gov																										    							View report by:																				Albania											Algeria											Andorra											Angola											Antigua and Barbuda											Argentina											Armenia											Australia											Austria											Azerbaijan											The Bahamas											Bahrain											Bangladesh											Barbados											Belarus											Belgium											Belize											Benin											Bolivia											Bosnia and Herzegovina											Botswana											Brazil											Brunei											Bulgaria											Burkina Faso											Burma											Burundi											Cabo Verde											Cambodia											Cameroon											Canada											Chile											China											Colombia											Costa Rica											Côte d’Ivoire											Croatia											Cyprus											Czechia											Democratic Republic of the Congo											Denmark											Djibouti											Dominica											Dominican Republic											Ecuador											Egypt											El Salvador											Equatorial Guinea											Eritrea											Estonia											Eswatini											Ethiopia											Fiji											Finland											France and Monaco											Gabon											The Gambia											Georgia											Germany											Ghana											Greece											Grenada											Guatemala											Guinea											Guyana											Honduras											Haiti											Hong Kong											Hungary											Iceland											India											Indonesia											Iraq											Ireland											Israel											Italy											Jamaica											Japan											Jordan											Kazakhstan											Kenya											Kosovo											Kyrgyz Republic											Laos											Latvia											Lebanon											Lesotho											Liberia											Libya											Lithuania											Luxembourg											Macau											Madagascar											Malawi											Malaysia											Maldives											Mali											Malta											Marshall Islands											Mauritania											Mauritius											Mexico											Micronesia											Moldova											Mongolia											Montenegro											Morocco											Mozambique											Namibia											Nepal											Netherlands											New Zealand											Nicaragua											Niger											Nigeria											North Macedonia											Norway											Oman											Pakistan											Palau											Panama											Papua New Guinea											Paraguay											Peru											Philippines											Poland											Portugal											Qatar											Republic of the Congo											Romania											Rwanda											Saint Kitts and Nevis											Saint Lucia											Saint Vincent and the Grenadines											Samoa											Sao Tome and Principe											Saudi Arabia											Senegal											Serbia											Seychelles											Sierra Leone											Singapore											Slovakia											Slovenia											Somalia											South Africa											South Korea											South Sudan											Spain											Sri Lanka											Suriname											Sweden											Switzerland											Taiwan											Tajikistan											Tanzania											Thailand											Timor-Leste											Togo											Trinidad and Tobago											Tunisia											Türkiye											United Arab Emirates											Uganda											Ukraine											United Kingdom											Uruguay											Uzbekistan											Vietnam											West Bank and Gaza											Zambia											Zimbabwe															Build A Custom Report																						On This Page				search													>																										EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment																																							Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																						Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																						Business Facilitation																																																						Resources																																																						Outward Investment																																																			2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties																3. Legal Regime																																							Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																						Resources																																																						International Regulatory Considerations																																																						Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																						Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Resources																																																						Competition and Antitrust Laws																																																						Expropriation and Compensation																																																						Dispute Settlement																																																				ICSID Convention and New York Convention																																												Investor-State Dispute Settlement																																												International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts																																																																																				Bankruptcy Regulations																																																			4. Industrial Policies																																							Investment Incentives																																																						Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																						Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																			5. Protection of Property Rights																																							Real Property																																																						Intellectual Property Rights																																																			6. Financial Sector																																							Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																						Money and Banking System																																																						Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																				Foreign Exchange																																												Remittance Policies																																																																																				Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																			7. State-Owned Enterprises																																							Privatization Program																																																			8. Responsible Business Conduct																																							Additional Resources																																																						Climate Issues																																																			9. Corruption																																							Resources to Report Corruption																																																			10. Political and Security Environment																11. Labor Policies and Practices																12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs																13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics																14. Contact for More Information																						Tags																					Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs																								Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Guyana
- Press briefing with Todd D. Robinson, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd D.  Robinson, Assistant SecretaryBureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement AffairsMODERATOR:  Greetings to everyone from the U.S. Department of State’s Media Hub of the Americas in Miami, Florida.  I would like to welcome our participants who have dialed in from the United States and across the region.  This is an on-the-record press briefing with the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd D. Robinson. Assistant Secretary Robinson will discuss outcomes from Friday’s virtual ministerial to launch a Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats as well as next steps for the global coalition.  This coalition seeks to unite countries worldwide in a concerted effort to prevent the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs, identify emerging drug trends, and respond effectively to their public health impacts. As a reminder, today’s briefing is on the record.  And with that, I will turn it over to Assistant Secretary Robinson. ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you for joining this call today and for the opportunity to discuss the collective efforts we have undertaken to confront the important issue of synthetic drugs. Last Friday, as you know, Secretary Blinken hosted a virtual ministerial to launch a Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats.  Nearly 100 countries and international organizations participated in the launch, underscoring the shared concern about this public health and national security threat.  The coalition aims to unite countries worldwide in a concerted effort to combat the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs.  Together, we hope to strengthen efforts to prevent the production and trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs, identify emerging synthetic drug trends and use patterns, and promote efforts to respond effectively to the public health impacts they impose. Participants at the ministerial underscored the importance of sharing data and increasing efforts to mitigate the health impact of synthetic drug use.  As you all already know, synthetic drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine pose a grave risk to the health and security of our citizens here in the United States.  The consequences of these drugs are devastating as evidenced by the alarming statistics. In 2022, the CDC estimated that nearly 110,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses.  Recognizing the gravity of this situation, the Biden administration is fully committed to preventing drug use and minimizing its negative impact.  We understand the importance of connecting individuals to treatment and supporting the more than 20 million Americans in recovery.  President Biden’s National Drug Control Strategy has allocated a substantial $24 billion dollars in this fiscal year to strengthen drug-related public health interventions.  These measures not only safeguard the health of our citizens, but also exemplify our dedication at home as we look to other nations to also take action. It is vital to note that these dangers are not limited to the United States.  More countries than ever are facing an increasing threat from synthetic drugs like tramadol, Captagon, MDMA, and Ketamine.  Criminals are constantly innovating to create new synthetic drugs, adjusting formulas to avoid international controls and domestic regulations, and creating new demand.   One staggering number to note:  Over the past decade, more than 1,100 new synthetic drugs were detected and reported by the United Nations.  Through the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, we are harnessing international cooperation and shared knowledge to tackle this crisis head on.  By working together, we can more effectively disrupt the illicit synthetic drug supply chains, enhance our ability to identify and respond to emerging threats, and protect the lives and well-being of our own citizens and of people around the world. The United States has already been working with partners like Mexico, Canada, and other countries to drive urgent global action to disrupt the synthetic drug trade from beginning to end.  We are engaging with countries such as India to strengthen our partnerships on securing pharmaceutical and chemical supply chains to prevent criminal diversion of dual-use precursor chemicals, and we remain committed to engaging with the PRC to address the threat illicit synthetic drugs pose to our countries.  The Department of State also works within the UN, the Organization of American States, the G7, G20, and other organizations to improve the abilities of our countries to detect and disrupt the illicit manufacturing, diversion, and trafficking of precursor chemicals and finished drugs.   We have more important work to do, so in closing, let me express my gratitude to our international partners who have already joined us in this crucial endeavor.  The fight against synthetic drugs requires a global response, and we are confident that our collective efforts will yield significant results.  Together, we can create a safer and healthier future for our citizens and generations to come.   Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.   MODERATOR:  Thank you so much, Assistant Secretary.  We will now begin the question-and-answer portion of today’s briefing.  For those on the English line asking questions, please limit yourself to one question related to the topic of today’s briefing.  If you submitted your question in advance, I have incorporated the question into the queue.  Our first question today we received from Daniel – from Jim Carson of La Jornada in Mexico:  “What specific will be new out of this declaration?  Are you setting up a FinCEN-type structure to share information, do evaluations, and a secretariat, or is it simply a reiteration of past commitments without any specific additional actions?”   ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Great question.  The first thing I would say is we are – we are building on what we have done in the past and what has been done by other countries in the past.  The coalition is intended to be an inclusive forum for sharing best practices and identifying areas for collaboration to improve the global response to public health and security threats posed by synthetic drugs.  We ask that countries commit to working collaboratively with other coalition member countries at both political and technical levels to develop a joint framework for addressing synthetic drugs and develop actions in line with that framework.  Thanks.   MODERATOR:  Thank you.  We received a question from journalist Fernando Morales from Red Salvadoreña de Medios in El Salvador: “El Salvador is a corridor for the transit of synthetic drugs like fentanyl.  How is work being done to prevent the trafficking of these narcotics?”   ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  I’m sorry.  Could you say that again?  MODERATOR:  Absolutely, Assistant Secretary.  “El Salvador is a corridor for the transit of synthetic drugs like fentanyl.  How is work being done to prevent the trafficking of these narcotics?&#8221; ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Great question.  As our correspondent will note, the United States Government on several different levels is working with members of the civilian security forces in El Salvador and throughout the region – El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras – on things like investigations, going after the trafficking networks.  We have experts on the ground from DEA and the Department of Justice.   We also work on training.  As the correspondent will note, there is an International Law Enforcement Academy hosted by the Government of El Salvador where we can do training for police and prosecutors in the region on different techniques and modernized techniques for going after these networks.  So those are ways that we are – those are ways that we are trying to get after these – shut down these corridors.   MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  The next question will go to Jesús Esquivel from Proceso Magazine in Mexico.  Jesús, please unmute yourself.   QUESTION:  Hello.  Can you hear me?   MODERATOR:  Yes.  Please ask your question.  &#8212;    QUESTION:  Okay.  Yes.  Under Secretary, there has always been the accusations that the Mexican cartels are responsible for all the synthetic drugs in the United States, but as you probably know, the domestic cartels in the U.S. are also responsible for the distributions and sale of these drugs.   My question to you is:  What exactly or when exactly the U.S. Government for the first time is going to be exposing the domestic cartels in this problem and in the United States?  And also, if you think the accusations as – members of the U.S. Congress made to Mexico and threats that they probably going to invade Mexico to stop the drug trafficking, it will help in this global coalition in the case of – specifically of Mexico to cooperate with the U.S. Government?   ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you, Jesús.  Both good questions.  Look, first of all, I would – I would not exactly support the premise of your question.  We have never said that all of the fentanyl or synthetic opioids that are coming to the United States are coming from Mexico.  We know that this is a global – a global effort by cartels from different regions around the world, including criminals in the United States.  I don’t think the FBI or the Department of Justice or our local law enforcement authorities have been shy about exposing the criminal networks in the United States that are trafficking in these drugs.  I think they will continue to publicly expose them when available.  So that’s thing number one. Thing number two, we have – the United States has an excellent relationship with our counterparts in Mexico.  We are both working very close to go after the networks in Mexico, to increase our cooperation on both sides of our southwest border, your northern border.  And we are working together internationally to share our experiences with working together with other countries around the world.  I’m very proud of our relationship with our Mexican counterparts, and we’re going to continue to call on them as they call on us to work together to do more to stop – to stop this global trafficking of synthetic drugs. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary Robison.  The next question will go to Adyr Corral from El Sol de Mexico.  Adyr, please unmute yourself.  Go ahead.  Adyr, can you hear us?   Okay, unfortunately we’re going to have to move on.  I see we have a submitted question in our Q&amp;A from Brendan O’Boyle from Reuters in Mexico City: “Thank you, Ambassador.  Within the coalition, where is there concern about fentanyl’s short-term spread geographically?  In Mexico, some experts have sounded alarm about fentanyl spreading in drug supply domestically, though data is scarce.  Have coalition partners in Mexico recognized domestic spread?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  I’m sorry, can you repeat that question again? MODERATOR:  Sure, sir.  “Thank you, Ambassador.  Within the coalition, where is there concern about fentanyl’s short-term spread geographically?  In Mexico, some experts have sounded the alarm about fentanyl spreading in the drug supply domestically, though data is scarce.  Have coalition partners in Mexico recognized domestic spread?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  The short answer is I believe the Government of Mexico has recognized the short-term spread of synthetic opioids.  We are – and – but there’s a very good relationship between our Office of National Drug Control Policy and the secretary for Health in Mexico.  They are working very closely together on campaigns to raise awareness about synthetic opioids and what can be done to avoid falling into – into that addiction.  So we feel like we have a burgeoning story to tell, a better story to tell as we go forward on our cooperation on the messaging against the domestic – in Mexico, the domestic spread of the – and growth of the use of synthetic opioids. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  I’m told we’ve resolved the microphone issues with Adyr Corral, so we’ll go back to Adyr Corral from El Sol de Mexico.  Please unmute yourself. QUESTION:  Hi.  You can hear me? ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Yes. MODERATOR:  We can hear you. QUESTION:  Ah, thank you very much.  Sorry for the problems.  I would like to ask the assistant secretary for a comment on the initiative to designate the fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction in Congress.  How about that, Assistant Secretary? ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you, great question.  We have currently – the Department of Justice, DEA, FBI, Department of State – we feel like we have the authorities necessary to go after the networks that are trafficking in these drugs.  At the moment, we don’t see that classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction will give us any more authority than we already have to try to stop its trafficking.  So we feel pretty comfortable that we’re in a good place in terms of having the tools necessary to go after the drug and to go after the networks that are trafficking the drugs.  QUESTION:  Thank you very much.  MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  The next question was submitted in advance from Juan Silva from W Radio in Colombia:  “How do you assess the current situation in Colombia in terms of the fight against drugs?”  ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, as the correspondent, as Juan will know, we have a very long, very strong, very deep relationship with Colombia and Colombia’s security forces that has developed over a number of years.  We feel like we are – we have developed into great partners.  Colombia has become a net exporter of security globally, and that is in large part due to the very strong relationship that has developed with the United States.   Today we continue in that effort.  There are areas where we are hoping to start working – new areas where we are starting to – we want to begin working with the Petro government, and we are in constant conversation with Petro and his team to figure out how we can best help them bring greater security and safety to communities in Colombia, and by doing so, help shut down the networks that are trafficking drugs north to the United States.  Thanks.  MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.   Our next question we received from Eduard Ribas from EFE:  “What responsibility does China have on the trafficking of fentanyl precursors?  How can this coalition be successful without Chinese participation?”  ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, I would say the – we know good things happen when China is involved in conversations like this.  You will recall in 2019 the Chinese Government scheduled fentanyl and made it much harder to get out of the country directly and be shipped directly to other countries.  And when they did that, the trafficking of fentanyl itself in the United States from China went to almost zero.  So we think that there’s a lot more that can be done by the PRC in terms of greater monitoring and labeling and information-sharing on the precursor chemicals that are leaving the PRC, and they – we invited them to join the coalition.  We expect at some point that they will take us up on our invitation because they want to be responsible, a responsible country in this effort.  And we all know that they play – that there are companies in China that play an important role in the distribution of the precursor chemicals that go into making these drugs.  Over.  MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  We have time for about two more questions.  One was submitted in advance from a journalist in Guyana regarding CARICOM, Denis Chabrol from Demarara Waves Online News:  “How badly are Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations affected by synthetic drugs?”  ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you.  Again, this is a – that’s a great question.  I would say although we haven’t seen significant production in the Caribbean, it’s important to note that criminal chemists can easily synthesize fentanyl almost anywhere.  The Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats will provide a foundation for developing and implementing effective, practical solutions to prevent the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs.  It will help detect emerging drug threats, and we hope it will help respond to the – to their public health impacts.  Over. MODERATOR:  Thank you.  I see in the chat the journalist had added:  “What do we expect from CARICOM and what assistance the U.S. can provide?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, actually, I would turn it around.  The question should be:  What more can CARICOM countries do?  And I think, again, when we talk about things like exchanging information, when we talk about things like making sure that they are getting access, making sure their communities are getting access to the antidotes for overdoses, making sure that they are reporting to the international organizations that are collecting information that everybody else can use – those are the things that that we would hope we could get from countries that are involved in the global coalition.  And the United States and the international community will continue to help with training and equipping those police forces and prosecutors that are working on this issue.  Over. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  We had a question from Martin Villena from Andina News Agency in Peru:  “Concerning the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, does its launch also mean strengthening even more relations with countries such as Peru and Colombia, which face the issue and the related problems concerning cocaine productions in their territories?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, we’re always working to strengthening – strengthening the relationship with our good friends in Peru and Colombia.  But in fact, again, we will – what the establishment of this coalition is looking to do is to have our friends from Peru and Colombia share their experiences with other countries around the world and help other countries who don’t have the expertise that our countries do, help them address the issues in their countries.  We have great relationships with our partners in Peru and Colombia; I don’t expect that will change.  But we will – in the establishment of this coalition, we will be asking them to do more to help on a global level.  Over.   MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  We received a question from Carrie Kahn with NPR:  “How do proposals from some Republicans in the United States urging military intervention to stop fentanyl trafficking in Mexico affect your plans to enlist global partners?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, I would say we’re going to let Congress – the Senate and the House – develop and debate their own ideas.  We are going to – I am focused on working with our civilian security partners globally, making sure that they have the training, the equipment, the strategies; making sure they have access to the expertise necessary to focus on what is our responsibility, which is providing civilian security to our communities, both in the United States and around and world. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  I believe we’ve gone through all the questions that we had today, so that will conclude today’s briefing.  I wanted to thank you for joining us today, as well as all of the journalists on the line for their questions.  If you have any follow-up questions about today’s briefing, you may contact the Miami Media Hub at MiamiHub@state.gov.  An English recording and transcript will be available for this briefing, as well as transcripts in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.  Thank you so much and have a good day. ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thanks.  Thanks, everybody. 
- Secretary Blinken Travels to Guyana Office of the SpokespersonSecretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Georgetown, Guyana on July 6 to meet with President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Foreign Minister Hugh Todd, and key members of the cabinet to discuss priority bilateral issues including food and energy security, decarbonization, climate resilience, forests, Atlantic cooperation, regional migration, and building local capacity.  Secretary Blinken will also meet with members of civil society, government, and the private sector to discuss environmental protection.  Bureau of Energy Resources Assistant Secretary Geoffrey Pyatt will accompany the Secretary to discuss energy security and decarbonization of energy production, and Guyana’s plans to finance economic development through further development of its energy sector.Energy and EnvironmentWhile Guyana rapidly develops its oil and gas sector to fuel its economy, it also remains committed to mitigating its climate impact through forest conservation, reducing its carbon emissions intensity by moving away from heavy fuel oils, and making new investments in renewable energy.  American companies are partnering in this effort, and the United States aims to become Guyana’s partner of choice on energy security and energy transition.Guyana’s contributions to regional energy security include producing over 400,000 barrels of oil offshore per day.  The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Guyanese Ministry of Natural Resources partner with civil society on environmental oversight, including that of Guyana’s rainforest.The United States partners with Guyana to achieve shared clean energy goals, most notably maintaining their status as a carbon sink, thanks to the critical role of their forests.  The United States also supports Guyana’s ambitious plans to develop infrastructure and implement energy reforms.Economy, Development, and Food SecurityPresident Ali’s administration has advanced an ambitious development agenda focusing on re-organizing the oil and gas sector, liberalizing the telecommunications industry, and completing infrastructure projects.As the Caribbean experiences the highest spike in food prices in a generation, Guyana has led on advancing food security in the region, including through its role as co-chair of the U.S.-Caribbean High-Level Action Committee for Food Security.To further support this urgent need, we are announcing that the U.S. government will launch a new food security program in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean region, designed in collaboration with Caribbean governments, with $5.3 million in food security assistance.  These funds will address food security challenges by promoting sustainable agricultural practices; increasing farmer knowledge; formalizing smallholder market access by building Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) capacity; and improving the region’s access to locally produced food.Security CooperationLater this July, the Guyana Defense Force will host TRADEWINDS, a U.S. Southern Command regional exercise focused on security in the Caribbean. Additionally, the Ali administration continues to work to improve security in Guyana, collaborating with the U.S. government to ensure Guyanese law enforcement receives training to modernize Guyana&#8217;s police force and security sector.  International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Georgetown has been instrumental in nominating Guyana Police Force members for the International Law Enforcement Academy, where participants learn effective techniques to combat money laundering, human trafficking, border interdiction, and financial crimes.Humanitarian Assistance Guyana endorsed the Los Angeles Declaration for Migration and Protection and hosts approximately 20,000 Venezuelan migrants.  In FY 2022, UN agencies and NGOs assisted vulnerable migrants and host communities in Guyana with more than $3.5 million in funding from the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.  This funding supports English language education, humanitarian assistance, and access to health care, especially in remote areas of Guyana.