Dr. Ashni Singh, Guyana’s Minister of Finance, during a visit to the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) headquarters in Barbados said the institution has distinguished itself in its service to the region and has proven to be a reliable and effective development partner. The visit to CDB headquarters comes just weeks before Guyana hosts the annual meeting of the Bank’s Board of Governors under the stewardship of Dr. Singh, the current chairman of the board.

“I remain convinced the CDB is the institution that is the best placed to help the region confront and overcome some of its long term challenges. The Bank’s considerable local and regional knowledge and its repository of expertise are of significant, if not unparalleled value,” Dr. Singh said.

Guyana, a founding member of CDB, will host the 44th meeting of the Board of Governors at the Guyana on May 28 and 29.

“We are looking forward to the Annual Meeting in Guyana, particularly as we focus on renewable energy and addressing climate change concerns in the interest of safeguarding the sustainable development of our Region. Guyana in many ways represents an important example of the effectiveness of the work and mission of the CDB,” Dr. Smith said.

The CDB has provided almost USD300 million to Guyana since 1970. Through the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) grants have also been allocated to community infrastructure and related services in water and sanitation, access roads and drainage, education and human resource development.

“We are pleased with the evidence of growth and development in Guyana, through the utilization of loans and grants from the CDB. We have seen the transformational effect of our projects over the years in the systematic reduction of poverty across the country, including in rural and remote locations,” Dr. Smith said.

The forty-fourth Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Board of Governors will take place in Georgetown, Guyana on May 28 and 29, 2014. The meeting will bring together leaders from the Bank’s 27 member countries to discuss the development needs of the Caribbean and the role of the CDB in addressing these challenges.

During the Meeting, the CDB will release its annual report which provides an overview of the Bank’s performance as well as insights into sector and economic development among its member countries. The Bank will also host seminars related to Agriculture and Climate Change, Public Private Partnerships in the Caribbean, Transitioning to a Green Economy and Mainstreaming Multidimensional Approach to Poverty Assessment.

The Annual Meeting will be preceded by the 2014 VYBZING Youth Forum from May 21-23, 2014 under the banner, ‘Youth Voices for Climate Change‘. Héla Cheikhrouhou, executive director of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), is the keynote speaker of the 15th William G. Demas Memorial Lecture at the Pegasus Hotel, in Georgetown, May 27, 2014.