Guyana and Poland to develop stronger ties

Georgetown, Guyana -- June 26, 2007 -- Prime Minister Samuel Hinds met Ministers of the Government of Poland who are in Guyana to negotiate with government and CARICOM officials on strengthening ties between the Caribbean region and Poland.

The visiting delegation comprised Minister of Culture and National Heritage Krzysztof Olendzki, Minister of Finance Adam Peziol, Minister of Polish Parliament Piotr Krzywicki and representative of the Polish Tourism Organisation Rafal Hykawy.

Minister Olendzki noted that the Polish government is fully aware of the Caribbean region and its history and is now working towards an assistance package.

This package, he noted, includes extending the Polish scholarship programme to Guyana which began in the early 1990s and promoting tourism and culture.
Regarding the latter, Olendzki noted that his government intends to extend a culture, tourism and heritage management programme to students from the Caribbean including Guyana.

The programme which will be offered in Krakow, the historic capital of Poland, will include a one-month internship component. Scholarships are also offered in medicine and engineering.

He noted that invitations will also be extended to representatives of the tourism industry in Guyana and the Caribbean to participate in tourism fairs which are held twice yearly in Poland.

Olendzki is optimistic that this cooperation will further develop Guyana and the Caribbean’s tourism potential, and will increase the likelihood of people from Central Europe travelling to the region.

The Polish Government is at present in the process of bidding to host an internationally recognised exhibition in Wroclaw that will be held in 2012. The exhibition will be named Wroclaw 2012 and will be held under the theme “The culture of leisure in world economies.” Morocco and South Korea are the other two countries opting to host the event.

Olendzki believes that the exhibition will provide the desired economic assistance for Caribbean countries since they will have an opportunity to present aspects of the Caribbean culture to over 12 million people.
“We are sure that Caribbean participation will increase tourism from Central Europe to the Caribbean and will have a profound influence on Guyana and other Caribbean countries,” Olendzki said.

Poland’s support to Guyana and the Caribbean stems from its national programme of assistance to developing countries in which Poland provided 100 M Euros last year. Olendzki disclosed that the Polish government intends to triple its budgetary support next year.

Poland is an active partner in the establishment of programmes to support African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Member States and is the sixth largest European Union (EU) member.

Source: gina.gov.gy