US ambassador lambasts administrative bottlenecks, corruption

Publisher, korir, africanpress@getmail.no

<Story by Tansa Musa

YAOUNDE, May 17 – United States ambassador to Cameroon, Janet E. Garvey, in a strongly worded statement on Friday in Yaounde, lambasted bottlenecks and corruption in the administration which she said were hampering the development of the country’s mineral resources which are key to economic growth.

       “Despite the fact that Cameroon boasts world-class mineral riches, as I talk to you today, Cameroon has effectively no industrial mining,” said Garvey. “There are promising, ground-breaking, foreign mining projects in the works but they have faced incredible hurdles in getting off the ground.”

       The ambassador was speaking at a convention signing ceremony to award US$1.3 million U.S. Trade and Development Agency grants to Cameroon to promote the development of the power sector in the country.

       She reminded that in a speech to his cabinet last March 7, President Paul Biya said the government needed to do more, and to do so urgently, to bring about the economic development needed to create jobs, raise incomes, improve standards of living and to meet the expectations of the Cameroonian people.

       But there are some members of government who do more of talking than acting, thereby impeding business and economic development. Projects in the mining sector ought to be fast-tracked to ensure that opportunities are not lost and that Cameroon receives its just compensation. 

       For this to happen, there must also be a clear determination. But this is not the case as the sector is symptomatic of the kinds of bottlenecks American as well as Cameroon businesses face in the country.

       “Cameroon competes for  investment globally and investors are deterred when government decisions are not made in a timely manner and free of corruption. Unless this is changed I fear that Cameroon’s aspirations for economic development will be severely hindered,” ambassador Garvey stated.

       “Cameroon is a country rich in potential, but potential does not create jobs, potential does not raise incomes, and potential does not creat economic development. The time is long overdue to stop talking about Cameroon’s potential. It is now time for action, to turn that potential into reality, to create jobs, to raise incomes, to launch economic development and to end poverty in Cameroon.”

        She urged authorities in the Central African country to make the right decisions to improve the investment climate and move urgently to boost economic development, which are critical to increase economic cooperation between the two states and for the future of the country.(END)

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