Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh has urged government and World Bank teams to focus on delivering projects, saying the priority is to turn financing already secured into benefits for citizens.

Singh made the call on Friday during a joint Government of Guyana–World Bank Group portfolio performance review at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

“We have mobilized resources and we have earmarked them for project interventions but the big issue now is delivery,” he said.

He urged participants to use the review to accelerate procurement, design and implementation.

The all-day meeting brought together senior government officials, project implementation teams and World Bank representatives to assess progress, identify obstacles and agree on steps to improve delivery.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the review covered active projects and those being prepared, including initiatives involving energy-efficient buildings, coastal adaptation and resilience, transport corridors and One Health.

Singh said he had encouraged the World Bank to use its International Development Association, which provides concessional financing, to help Guyana access resources for such projects.

Acting World Bank Group Country Manager for Guyana and Suriname, Juan Carlos Alvarez, said the review should identify potential bottlenecks and practical solutions so intended beneficiaries receive the benefits.

He also stressed that the initiatives are government projects financed by the World Bank, rather than projects belonging to the institution.

“It is in both of our interests to ensure that they are implemented effectively,” Alvarez said.

The review’s agenda included assessing project outputs, documenting lessons learned and agreeing on a shared set of actions to accelerate implementation across sectors.

Acting World Bank Group Country Manager for Guyana and Suriname Juan Carlos Alvarez