Background

USAID‐GEP (Governance Enhancement Project) is a four year (2009‐2013) program that builds on previous USAID Democracy and Governance program with the aim of further consolidating democracy and governance in Guyana. This program is implemented by ARD and has the following main components:

• Rule of Law and Human Rights
• Good Governance
• Consensus Building and Political Processes
• Civil Society

GEP supports collaboration amongst Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), private sector entities and key stakeholders to promote consensus on issues of domestic, national and regional importance. ‘Law and Development’ is one such issue. Collaboration and consensus on important issues contribute towards the cultivation of an attitude of harmony and tolerance and begins the process of building wider consensus on multiple issues.

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) serves as the voice for businesses; promotes and protects the interests of members by fostering ethical practices in commerce, trade and services through advocacy, training, education and ensuring adherence to quality.

The Guyana Bar Association (GBA) is a non‐governmental organisation of Attorneys‐atlaw admitted to practice at law in Guyana. The GBA acts as the representative of the Bar and deals with all matters affecting the legal profession and to take such action thereon as may be deemed expedient to promote, preserve, regulate and protect the interests of the Bar.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) preserves, propagates and encourages the principles of private enterprise and production through personal and collective initiatives and endeavours and to bring together all sectoral, small businesses and large corporate organisations through planning, co‐ordinating and monitoring the various resources within the private sector with a view to improving the economic situation of Guyana and to encouraging members to implement practical programmes for such improvement.

The University of Guyana is the premier tertiary educational institution in Guyana. The Department of Law, within the Faculty of Social Sciences, offers an LLB Degree and provides the fundamental legal education training for the majority of Guyana’s newly trained legal practitioners.

All four (4) organisations (GCCI, GBA, PSC and UG – Dept of Law) play an important role in creating the right legal environment to foster development in Guyana.

Purpose of the Conference

1. To promote consensus on issues of national importance
2. To facilitate discussion and information sharing and provide a forum to address important issues concerning law and development in Guyana and the wider Caribbean region
3. To establish an interdisciplinary network of experts to further development in Guyana and the Caribbean
4. To identify areas for reform and develop agenda for further action necessary to create a legal environment that fosters development in Guyana

Approach

The GCCI, GBA, PSC and UG – Dept of Law (the Partners) will be equal partners in organising and convening a public forum on ‘Law and Development’ with the support of USAID‐GEP. The Partners will plan and organise the conference, identify the themes to be addressed in and presenters at the conference and decide on the format of and methodology to be applied at the conference.

The Partners will coordinate with the GEP Rule of Law Coordinator.

Specific tasks include ‐

1. Preparing budget for the conference
2. Developing a program for conference
3. Identifying and securing presenters for the conference
4. Identifying and reaching target audience for the conference
5. Identifying and coordinating preparation of venue and other incidentals for the conference
6. Developing PR materials for the conference
7. Preparing report on and executive summary of outcome of the conference
8. Identifying areas for possible future GEP collaboration based on program areas (see attached overview)

Proposed date: To be determined by the Partners, but not before June 21, 2010
Duration: To be determined by the PartnersBudget: To be determined by the Partners
Stakeholder contribution: To be determined by the Partners
Target audience: To be determined by the Partners

Governance Enhancement Project (GEP)

RULE OF LAW, HUMAN RIGHTS, MEDIATION

• Technical assistance for court case management information systems
• Courtbased and community use of mediation techniques
• Trafficking in persons

COMMUNITY DIALOGUE AND CONSENSUS BUILDING

• Regional and national for a on critical issues
• Community dialogue workshops on important local topics
• Support for Women and Gender Equality Commission

CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT

• Capacity building for CSO leaders in specific skill arenas
• Assist CSOs in engaging citizens in issues that affect them
• Strengthen CSO coordination

Local Governance

• Civic education campaign related to elections
• Offering specialized training to local officials
• Supporting local authorities and CSOs in collaborative efforts