The USAID country strategy with Guyana for 2009-2013 takes a look at democracy and governance.The document states that a January 2008 assessment of the governance environment in Guyana indicated that “The fundamental dysfunction of Guyana’s democracy – ethno-political mobilization – will be slow to change, but must be addressed if Guyana is to realise its great potential.According to the strategy paper, the USAID Democracy and Governance (DG) programme for the period 2009 to 2013 is designed to achieve the continued consolidation of democratic governance in Guyana.It added that it is also expected that by the end of the period key non-profit membership associations and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working in USAID’s three programme areas will be significantly strengthened and well on the way to institutional sustainability.“At the same time, political parties will have become accustomed to coming together to discuss issues affecting the socioeconomic development of their country and to interacting regularly with the private sector and civil society organisations targeted, thus building consensus around key issues.”To facilitate that process, the document added, venues will have been created – whether physical sites or regular gatherings – as platforms on which to increase political integration and cross-sectoral cohesion.“Finally, it is expected that with local elections, the performance of Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and municipal governments will be improved, and citizens in key communities will be effective in exercising their civic rights and responsibilities.”It is also expected that civic education will produce greater tolerance and understanding and increase the likelihood of free,Soccer Jerseys China, fair and violence-free elections at the national level in 2011.“…It is anticipated that the systems and processes related to the rule of law and human rights (particularly Trafficking in Persons or TIP) will be improved through increased access to justice and an improvement in Guyana’s country ranking for TIP.”The results expected are linked to the interventions described in the US Guyana Mission’s FY2010 Strategic Plan for Governing Justly and Democratically, which calls for enhancing effective citizen participation and inclusion in the democratic process; promoting good governance and consensus-building; and supporting another free and fair national election in 2011, it said.The Plan notes that the long delayed local government elections, now scheduled for FY 2009, will provide the platform for US assistance for the establishment of local government institutions and systems that support greater autonomy of local government bodies in decision making and related areas.“Among the Objectives included in the Foreign Assistance Framework, the definition of the “Governing Justly and Democratically” Objective for Developing Countries such as Guyana is: “Support policies and programs that accelerate and strengthen public institutions and the creation of a more vibrant local government, civil society and media.”The relevant Agency-wide programme components included in the USAID/Guyana strategy for 2009-2013, as defined in the Foreign Assistance Framework, are: Rule of Law and Human Rights, Good Governance, Political Competition and Consensus Building, and Civil Society.“One of the assumptions underlying the DG component of the follow-on strategy is that local elections will take place in 2009. Because elections at the local level have not been held since 1992,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, it is assumed that the great majority of candidates elected to the six municipalities and 65 Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) around the country will be new to public office and will need training and orientation for the effective and efficient performance of their duties.”A related assumption,China Jerseys, it said,Wholesale World Cup Jerseys, is that local government constituents will need information and citizen education in order to exercise their rights and responsibilities in an appropriate manner vis-a-vis their municipalities and NDCs for the development of their communities.“It is also assumed that the national elections scheduled for 2011 will build on the positive experience of the 2006 elections.To help ensure that outcome,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, a cadre of impartial election observers will be required,cheap nfl jerseys china, and citizen education and information will be needed on the role of national and regional government and of Parliament.”