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Published: 2004

Total Pages: 73

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Guyana continues to make progress in laying the foundation for poverty reduction, but at a very slow pace. Critical issues remain unresolved. The political situation remains problematic, with the two main parties divided along ethnic lines. The most recent mechanism to facilitate a constructive working arrangement between the two parties has broken down and is unlikely to be revived in its current form. Much then depends on the ability of parliament and other institutions to work effectively, which will require that they be strengthened considerably. The Government has scheduled local elections for September 2004, but it is yet to be seen if these can be carried out peacefully, and with the cooperation of the opposition. As the economy remains dependent on certain primary products-bauxite, sugar and rice-which, with the exception of sugar, provide a limited potential for future growth, there is need to diversify the economy to create jobs in other sectors. Establishing an environment for sustained growth remains the main challenge for the Government in the future. Linked with this is the continued need to improve the rule o f law, transparency, and governance in order to provide an efficient and transparent framework within which the private sector can operate. The progress report provides a revised policy matrix that focuses on key issues and updates the matrix in the original PRSP. However, given the downward revision of the overall macroeconomic and expenditure framework,