Sarney Is Here Road, debt rescheduling may be on the Agenda

PRESIDENT of Brazil Jose Sarney arrived here yesterday on an official visit expected to deepen ties between the two countries.

He was scheduled to open official talks with President Desmond Hoyte yesterday afternoon and sources here said Brazil’s long standing interest in a road through Guyana to access the Caribbean was widely expected to be featured on the agenda.

Guidelines for bilateral co-operation were established here last September when the Brazilian Minister of External Relations Roberto De Abreu Sodre visited.

On that visit, the two countries signed the Working Programme of Georgetown which is now being implemented.

According to Brazilian sources, “important” steps have been taken in fields including health, energy, agriculture, mining and education.

Energy has also become a high priority area in bilateral cooperation and Brazilian experts are currently here examining the electricity situation to determine the most effective kind of co-operation Brazil could offer.

Officials in Sodre’s delegation last year disclosed that Brazil was prepared to reschedule Guyana’s then existing $15.4 m (US) debt and offer a new $10m (US) line of credit to this country.

The Brazilians have however, linked utilisation of the new credit line to restructuring of the current Guyana debts and some sources expect announcements on the debt rescheduling and credit line by the time the Sarney visit ends today.

Information from the Brazilians before the visit, expected it “will certainly contribute to further strengthen the ties of friendship, understanding and co-operation between the two countries.”

President Sarney was due to meet local businessmen at a working breakfast today and address the National Assembly.

He and Mr. Hoyte were also due to sign a joint communique this morning before departure this afternoon.

To mark the visit the internationallyacclaimed Brazilian ‘Trio tapajos’ musicians will perform at the Pegasus Hotel tonight and at the National Cultural Centre tomorrow afternoon.

The Brazilian Embassy here and the Department of Culture have also planned a kite-flying extravaganza featuring Brazilian kites from 5p.m. today and tomorrow on the Georgetown Seawall.