Newly appointed Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) President, Daniel Best, is slated to arrive in Guyana tomorrow for a three-day visit.
During the visit, he will meet with President Dr Irfaan Ali, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, and other government officials for discussions.
Best, who was elected in December 2024 and recently commenced his tenure as the seventh President of the Bank, is scheduled to visit several locations and inspect various project sites across the country.
He is also expected to hold meetings with the finance minister and officials from the ministry regarding ongoing projects for which the bank has provided partnership assistance.
Minister Singh, while congratulating Best soon after his appointment, noted that the new president is well-equipped to lead the institution at this critical juncture.
“Guyana looks forward to working closely with Daniel as we tackle the pressing needs of our region and as we work together to improve the lives of all the people of the Caribbean,” the minister said.
The objective of the visit is to reaffirm the CDB’s commitment to Guyana and to explore opportunities for expanded partnership in pursuit of national development goals.
The visit also provides an opportunity for dialogue between the bank and the Government of Guyana on the country’s economic objectives and priorities, as well as how the CDB can continue to support these through its assistance and lending programs.
The bank has been partnering with Guyana on a number of projects, including educational facilities, the Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute in Port Mourant, Corentyne, and the Linden to Mabura Road, which is currently under construction.
Guyana is one of the founding members of the CDB, having joined in 1970, and the bank has been a leading partner in the country’s development for over half a century.
CDB funding in Guyana has supported social and economic infrastructure projects, including schools, water systems, and climate-resilient roads.
In 2020, the CDB, the region’s sole indigenous multilateral development finance institution based in Barbados, approved US$9.9 million for the construction of the modern Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute and US$190 million for upgrading 121 kilometers of roadway from Linden to Mabura Hill—the largest project in the bank’s history.
Best is a highly experienced and diverse leader who previously served as Senior Infrastructure and Development Advisor to the Office of the Prime Minister of Barbados. He was seconded from his role as Director of the Projects Department at the CDB.
With over 30 years of experience as a civil engineer, project management professional, and development banker, he is known for his ability to foster strong working relationships and lead teams to success.
Under his leadership, the CDB Projects Department has transformed the lives of approximately 1.6 million Caribbean people in the areas of education, access to resilient infrastructure, and the expansion of inclusive opportunities for women and girls.
The bank also highlighted that Best not only spearheaded the bank’s collaboration with other regional international financial institutions (IFIs), but also led the development of the bank’s first Sustainable Financing Framework, creating a window to mobilise private capital for regional development.
He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Durham and a Master of Science in Construction Engineering and Management from the University of the West Indies (St. Augustine). (DPI)
