Guyanesetomakeup85to90percent ofworkforceatRoyalInternational
––luxuryhotelonscheduletoopenearlynextyear
LOCATEDatTrackJW, MandelaAvenue,Georgetown,theRoyalInternationalHotelisexpectedcomparableanywherein Guyana.
Oneofthemanymisconceptionsaboutthislavish establishmentisthatitisan Asianentity.
AccordingtoChartered AccountantTerrenceJas-
karan,justaround85to90 percentofthepersonsthat willbeemployedbythehotel willbeGuyanese. Speakingonbehalfof
(CEO)ofRoyalInternationalJasonWang,Jaskaran explainedtotheGuyana Chroniclethatcontraryto whatisbeingperceived,most ofthebusinessesthereare Guyanese-owned.
The254-roomhotelis slatedforanearly2025openalreadyinplaceandisbeing wellreceivedbythepublic. Itwillhavefourrestaurants: theRoyalRestaurant,the RoyalLoungeRestaurant andpoolside,theLoveand LatteCafewhichisslatedfor openingsoon,andahotpot, alongwiththeSpaceGym andaGamingLounge.
Jaskaranmentionedthat whilethehotelisgearedfor thisofficialopening,there havebeensome‘staged’ openingsasmorestoresand businessesopenattheestablishment.
Heremarkedthatitis, “Anall-in-oneexperience. So,whenpeoplecomeinto thecountry,it’snotjustgivingthemaplacetostay.It’s givingthemaplacetostay withoptionsaswell;things todoinanenvironmentthat
issafe,andthattheydon’t havetotravelfar.
“Theycancomeforentertainment.Theycancome forfood.Theycanbringtheir kids.Thereisalsoagaming facility,akid-friendlygamingfacility,akidzoneas well.”
Jaskarannotedthatthe conceptofthehotelwas birthedbyWang,andhe remindedthatinafewinterviews,theCEOhadstated thatonhisarrivalinGuyana,
somethingherecognisedthat wasmissingwasaworldclasshotelthatencompassed anall-in-oneexperience (placestoshop,eatandgym facility)underoneroof.
Althoughconstruction forthishotelcommenced in2011,thereweresome setbacksintermsofworkers andgettingmaterials,among
Itwasstatedthatthe
ApreviewofwhatistocomewhentheRoyalInternationalHotelopensitsdoorsinearly2025(DelanoWilliamsphotos)
Seepage5
Carefulplanningdrivingsustainable developmentofGuyana’seconomy
WITHtheemergence ofthenation’sbooming oilandgassector,the GovernmentofGuyana continuestoprioritise thecountry’snaturalresources.
Sheddinglightonthe majorstridesthecountry’s naturalresourcesandagriculturalsectorhavemade, PresidentDrIrfaanAli, inarecentaddressedthe nationoutlinedthenation’s agriculturaldevelopment andthegovernment’splan tosustainablydevelopthe naturalresources.
ofournaturalassetsas weplanacomprehensive strategyinhowwesustainablydevelopandtargetour naturalassetsinadiversioureconomy,”President Alisaid.
AccordingtothemidyearreportsharedbyPresidentAli,thegovernment’s countlessinvestmentscontinuetohavefar-reaching impactsontheminingand agriculturalsectors.
lookforthesectorisvery positivefortheremainder oftheyear,withgrowth nowprojectedat41.3per centforthefullyear,” PresidentAlisaid.
Asoneofthecountry’s majorrevenueareas,gold mininghasbeenrevitalised intheyearsandmonths; resultinginapositiveimpactonthesector,asthe Presidentstated,“Thegold industryalsohadacontractionof10.3percentin
People’sProgressiveParty/ Civic(PPP/C)hasemofthecountry’snatural resourcesalongsidethe oilandgasindustry.Over thepastthreeandahalf years,thegovernmenthas workedtirelesslytoensure thecontinueddevelopment ofthesector.Amongthe majorinvestmentsinthis areaisthemineralmappingexercisebyAmerican companyGlobalVenture Consulting.
Emphasisingtheimportanceofthisandsimilarventuresmadebythe government,PresidentAli
craftingacomprehensive planforthesustainability ofGuyana’snaturalassets.
“Thisstudywillgive usabetterunderstanding
Inprovidingabreakdownofthereport,he sharedthatthecountryhas experiencedexponential theyear,andhisadministrationisworkingtoensure thatGuyanacontinueson thisupwardtrajectory.
Addressingthemining sector,theHeadofState sharedthattherehasbeen amorethan60percent boost.
“Intheextractivesector,miningandquarrying sectorsareestimatedto havegrownby64.3per year,drivenbygrowthin thepetroleumandother miningindustries.
“Thebauxiteindustry has[sic]somechallenges which[sic]contractedby 20percent.However,with thelargestproducerexpectingtoimproveoutput inthesecondhalf,theout-
ThePresidentfurther elaborated,stating,“The otherminingandquarryingareas,whichcomprise sand,stone,diamond,and manganese,areestimated tohavegrownby45.5 theyear,drivenbygreater activityintheconstruction sector.Thisindustryisnow projectedtogrowby24.7 percentin2024.”
Shiftinghisfocustoagriculture,thericeindustry hasseenamajoreconomic development,withmore than15percentgrowthin massiveboostoverjusta fewmonthsislargelyowed tothevariousinnovative policiesputinplacebythe GovernmentofGuyana. AstheHeadofStateexplained.
“Wehadtremendous growthinthericeindustry;thericeindustrygrew
byanestimated17.9per year.Andthisgrowthisas adirectresultoftheimpetuswehaveplacedinthe industry,theinvestmentin drainageandirrigation.”
Thesugarindustryhas beenaprecedentedboom torevitalisethesectorcontinuetobeseen.
AsPresidentAlishared, “Inthefirsthalfofthis year,notonlydidwehave theissueofthedrought theperiodofregrowth, theperiodofhavingnew productionreadyforthe factories.”
Hefurtheraddedthat, “Wearehopingandprojectingthatinthissecond
crop,therewillbeanenormousbouncebackfrom halfoftheyear.”
Tacklingthepoultry andlivestocksectors,the Presidentsharedthatthe investmentwillcontinue inthesectors,advancing personnel,knowledge,and theuseoftechnology.
Ashestated,“Thelarge poultryinvestorsandfarms inthecountryarenow investingintechnology, especiallygiventhefact thatthedemandforpoultry isgrowingatanexponentialrate.”
Hethenwentontostate that,“Theforestrysector isestimatedtohavegrown half.Theforestrysectoris onceagainvibrant.Com-
munityforestryassociationsandorganisations areoncemorerevitalising themselves,expanding, reinvesting,andretooling.”
Hefurtheraddedthat, “Thefishingindustryis alsoestimatedtohaveexpandedby27.7percentin andwearegoingtocontinuetoseegreaterexpansion inthisindustry.”
PresidentAli’saddress andreportshowcasethe government’scommitment tosustainabledevelopment acrossallnaturalresource sectors.
Bybalancinggrowth intraditionalindustries withtheemergingoiland gassector,Guyanaaims resilienteconomy.
$28.9Bexpendedonagricultural
OFthe$97.6billionallocatedtotheMinistryofAgriculturein2024,some$28.9 billionwasspentondevelopingGuyana’sexpanding agriculturalsectorduring
Thisisaccordingtothe mid-yearreportreleasedrecentlybytheSeniorMinister
DrAshniSingh.
ing.Theyareacollaboration
Estates.
whencomparedtothesame operationalcosts.
lionwasspenttoaccelerate
ciency. Theseeffortsarepart ofGuyana’scommitment toreducingtheCaribbean Community’s(CARICOM) US$5billionfood-import billby25percentby2025. (ExtractedfromtheMinistryofAgriculture)
Guyaneseshieldedfromfullbrunt ofglobaleconomicconditions
THEeffectsofglobalinflationhavesignificantly yetthepeopleofGuyana
TheHeadoftheStateina livebroadcaststatementsaid thatdespitebeingchallenged bytheshocksbroughtonby theCOVID-19pandemic, thepressuresfromrising transportationcostsandrisingcostsinthemovement ofgoodsandservices,the governmentofGuyanahas remainedresilientinitsresponse.
“WehadtheRussia Ukrainewar,whichresulted inrisingcostsofenergy, grains,transportation,then wehavenowthewarin theMiddleEast,whichhas exacerbatedthesituation evenworse.Outsideofall ofthis,wehadlongperiods ofdroughtandexcessive rainfallinsomeregions, whichledtoshortenedcrop time,limitedproductionand shortagesinfoodsupply risingenergycosts,rising transportationcosts,rising productioncosts,andallof themresultedanetimpact ofglobalincreaseofglobal
Theshocks,hereminded -
ingarecentarticlebyglobal 179countries,withcountries suchastheUnitedStatesand theUnitedKingdom,record40-yearhighin2022.
Unlikethosecountries, Guyana,thepresidentnoted, hasbeen‘importing’those risingcosts.
“Weareimportingthat asthegovernmentverysuccessfullyis[establish]measuresthatweputinplaceto andrisingcosts,sothatthe
Furtherexaminingthe outthat,asaconsequential effectoftheserisingcosts andinflation,international foodpricesrosesharplyin 2021and2022.
Duetotherapidincrease inpriceindicesformeat, dairyproducts,cereal,vegetableoil,andsugar,therewas anincreaseinthecostofenergy,transportationcosts,increaseinrawmaterialcosts, whichresultedinarapidrise inthefoodsupply.Global fuelpriceshavealsoacceleratedsince2021.
“Sothisistheglobalenvironmentinwhichweare operatinginwhichweare partofandwhenyoulookat comparedtoallofthesere-
FurtherprovidingstatisGuyanahasseenalowerfood inflationpercentagewhen comparedtoothercountries intheregion,andthis,he highlightedwasnotbyaccident.
“Thiswasbyadeliberate setofmeasures,implementedbytheGovernmentof Guyanatoboostproduction, supporttothepoultrysector, thesupporttofarmers,fertiliser,etc.Theexpansionof production,theinvestment ininfrastructuretoincrease production,thebuildingout ofarobustagriculturepro-
ment’simposedburdensome taxesandreduceddisposableatedthatthegovernment’s deliberatepoliciesandprogrammesareaimedatboostingproduction,supporting farmers,andcushioningthe effectsofinflationonthe population.
noted,removedthetaxation onmachineryandequipment usedbyfarmersandtheagriculturalsector.Thissawadvancementsmechanisation, increasedproductivityand reducecostsofproduction.
“Weestablishabroiler breederfacilitysothatwe canhavemoreinsteadof
Guyanesetomakeup 85to90percent...
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eggs.We’renowdeveloping thecapacityandcapabilitytoproduceourhatching highlightingoneofthemany measuresthegovernment adoptedtoaddresstherising costoffood.
therhighlightedthatthe governmenthasseen$12.2 billionincreaseofcreditto thesector.
“Wesaw[increased] credittotheagriculturesectorandthisisthefactsbecauseofallthepoliciesall themeasuresthatweputin place,themonetarypolicy thatweputinplace…thatis
Thatispeoplerespondingtothepolicy.
TheRoyalInternational Hotel,inadditiontoprovidingGuyanesewithemploymentacrossallsectors, isfocusedonproviding qualityaccommodationto allwhopassthroughtheir doors.
WithGuyana’srising tourismandhospitalitysector,theneedforfacilities withadequateaccommodationgrowsdaily.
Jaskaranunderscored thatthereisnotjustaneed foraccommodation,but ratheritmustbeworld-class
accommodation. Workinghandinhand withaccommodation,isthe hotel’slocation,towhich hepointedout,“we’rein theheartofGeorgetown accesstotheEastCoast,the EastBank,Georgetown.So, it’soneofthefewplaces thatis[sic]locatedcentrallyinGeorgetownwhere youcanaccess[the]East Bank,[the]EastCoast,and
“Wedon’thavethisconcept inGuyana.Wedon’thave aboutiquehotel.Wehave placeswhereyoustayand
sleep,andthengenerally yougoout,yougosomeit’sanewconcept.You’re cominghereandyouhave mentionedthatthemall whichwillbeknownas theRoyalOrchidMall,is expectedtobeopencompletelybySeptember2025. themallwillhaveafood court,aswellastwotheatresthatareintheprocess ofbeingconstructed.
Henotedaswellthata
PresidentDr.IrfaanAli
Greaterinterlinkages,newlands, massiveopportunitiescreated
–asPresidentAliopens$15.1BSchoonordtoCranefour-lanehighway
CREATINGanavenue forgreaterinterlinks acrossthecountry,the newSchoonordtoCrane four-lanehighwayinRegionThree(Essequibo Islands-WestDemerara) wasonrecentlycommissionedbyPresidentDr. IrfaanAli.
Inhisfeatureaddress atthecommissioningceremony,theHeadofState highlightedhowthemodernthroughwaywillfurther positionGuyanaasamajor transportationandlogistics hub.
Thenewhighway, whichfeaturesthreeroundabouts–11reinforcedconcreteboxculverts,36prestressedbridges,androad signageandmarkings,will seeimprovedtransportationacrossRegionsTwo (Pomeroon-Supenaaam), Three,Four(Demerara-Mahaica)andSeven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
“Thishighwayisthe thatwillgotoParika.And thehighwaythatwillgoto DelConte,thatwillopen upthousandsuponthousandsofacresoflandfor housing;foragriculture. AndwehavealreadystartedworkontheSandHill alignment;andtheSand Hillalignmentwillbefrom rightoppositeBartica,”Dr. Alisaid.
This“carefullyarticulatedvision”,hesaid,will seethecoastalregionsbeingstrategicallylinkedto thehinterlandandmining regions.
Hepointedoutthat notonlyisRegionThree crucialtothislink,but it’salreadyonthecuspof massivetransformation, withthegovernmentexecutingseveralmodern infrastructuralprojectsto unlocknewopportunities forresidents.
project.
Atthecentreofthe modernisationplansarethe over’DemeraraHarbour Bridge,whichwillstretch fromNandyPark,onthe EastBankofDemerara (EBD),toLaGrange,on theWestBankDemerara, andtheconstructionof theWalesgas-to-energy
“Thenewphaseofdevelopmentwillseeabout 30,000houselotsinthe WestBankareaalone;this isatypeoftransformation.Theskillandspeed ofthetransformationis enormous,anditisbeing donewithacarefulplan,” PresidentAliadded.
Meanwhile,Housing andWaterMinisterCollin Croal,inhisremarks,noted thatthecommissioningof thenewhighwaywould immediatelybringforwarddevelopment,reduce
traveltimes,andopennew opportunitiesforentrepreneurship.
“Inthefouryearssince wetookoffice,wehave investedheavilyinthis region;fromtheupgrading andconstructionofroads toincreasinghousingdevelopmenttoimproving healthcarefacilities,access toutilities,includingwater. Wehaveensuredthatthese investmentscanpositively impactthepeopleofRegionThree,bycreating jobsandincreasingcommercialactivitywithinthe
region,”MinisterCroal said,adding:“Itisanew dawnforRegionThree.”
TheHousingandWater’sMinistry’sCentral HousingandPlanningAuthority(CH&PA)spearheadedthemassiveproject tothetuneof$15.1billion.
And,Ministerwithin theMinistryofHousing andWaterSusanRodrigues disclosedthattheproject wasexecutedbyateam ofyoungengineersand professionalstrainedunder PresidentAli’sleadership whilehewastheHousing
andWaterMinister.
“I’mveryproudof thisproject,especiallybecauseitisanother four-laneconcretehighwaythatwasexecuted throughtheMinistry ofHousingandWater, andCentralHousing andPlanningAuthority, donebyateamofyoung people,youngengineers, clerkofworks,architects, surveyors;youngmen andwomenwhohave beenpushedtotheirlimits,”MinisterRodrigues said.
Guyanaeyesdeepwaterportto boosttrade,economicgrowth –asgovernmentevaluatesproposals
GUYANA’Sgovernmentistaking -
DuringapressconferenceDrJagdeo sharedupdatesontheinitiative,highlightingtheimportanceofselectingamodel thatsupportslarge-scaleinternational tradeandintegrateswithbroaderregional developmentstrategies.
Previously,PresidentDr.IrfaanAli hadrevealedthatthenewdeepwaterport couldbebuiltatNewAmsterdam,inRegionSix(EastBerbice-Corentyne)which willopennewavenuesforinternational trade,particularlywithBrazil,Guyana’s southernneighbourduetotheroadlink toLethem,RegionNine(UpperTakutuUpperEssequibo).
Jagdeo,however,explainedthatthe governmentwascurrentlyevaluating severalproposalsforthedeepwaterport, whichaimstoaccommodatethelargest vesselsintheworld.
-
AccordingtoJagdeo,bydevelopinga portthatcanhandlelargevessels,Guyana aimstobecomeacentralplayerinregionaltrade,facilitatingthemovementof goodsbetweenSouthAmericaandglobal marketslikethePanamaCanal.
“Webelievethebestmodelshould be…goingoutrightintothedeep,that wouldallowthelargestvesselsinthe worldtocomehere…Thatwouldbe,in thelongrun,themostsustainablething todobecauseyou’davoidalotofthe dredgingcostsandeverythingelse,Jagdeoexplained.
GivenGuyana’sstrategicgeographical locationonSouthAmerica’sedgeand withitsstrategicintegrationwithBrazil, combinedwiththeport’scapacitytohantomakeGuyanaamajorgrowthhub,increasingitsattractivenessasadestination fortradeandinvestment.
Thedeepwaterportisexpectedto forGuyaneseexports,makingthemmore competitiveontheglobalmarket.Itwill alsolowerthecostofimportedgoods, benefittingconsumersandbusinesses alike.
“Aportofthatnaturewillseriously makeourgoodsthatweexport,whatever weexport,morecompetitive.Thecosts offreightoutofGuyanaareenormous, includingourbauxite.Andifwecanship bulk,thebigshipscancomein,youcan cutthecostoffreightbymaybe60per yourproductmoregloballycompetitive,”
Jagdeonoted.
Moreover,Jagdeohighlightedthat theportwouldbeacriticalinfrastructurepieceforfutureeconomicgrowth, supportingnotjusttradebutalsoother sectorslikeagriculture,manufacturing, andservices.
Notableprojects,suchasthefull pavingoftheLinden-LethemRoad,are intendedtoenhanceconnectivityand facilitatethemovementofagricultural andmineralproductsbetweenBraziland Guyana.
Asthegovernmentcontinuestoevaluateproposals,thefocusremainsonselectingamodelthatmaximiseslong-term
“It’sanintegratedproject.Partof therevenuestreamtomakethisproject sustainablehastobetheintegrationwith Brazilandthebusinessinandoutof Brazil,becauseonitsown,wemaynot beabletogenerateenoughofarevenue streamtopaybackthecapitalcostsandto
giveadecentrateofreturntotheequity investor,”Jagdeosaid.
IncollaborationwithCARICOM counterpartsBarbadosandTrinidadand Tobago,Guyanaisactivelypursuinga ferryservicetofacilitatecargoandpassengertransport.
TheCaribbeanDevelopmentBank (CDB)issupportingthisinitiative,emphasisingitscommitmenttoimproving foodsecurity,andfosteringregional co-operation.
PresidentAlihadpreviouslyrevealed ongoingdiscussionsforaspecialised ferryservicewithAruba,cateringspecificallytothetransportationofagricultural produce.
HighlightingGuyana’spotentialas amajortransporthub,heenvisionsthe countrybecomingthegatewaybetween SouthAmericaandtheworld,unlocking vastopportunitiesforinvestmentsand trade.
ThePresidentstressedtheneedfor structuredmechanismstoharnessthe potentialofinter-regionaltradeamongthe Caribbean,SouthAmerica,andAfrica.
TheHeadofStatehadunderscored theimportanceofbuildingtransportation linksviaseaandairtoachievegreater integration.
reaffirmedduringatrilateralmeeting amongPresidentAli,BrazilianPresident LuizInácio‘Lula’daSilvaandSurinamesePresident,ChandrikapersadSantokhi.
Guyanaovercomesexternalhurdles tocontinueastronomicalgrowth
DESPITEpersistentrepercussionsofthe globalpoly-crisis,lingeringpublichealth challenges,theever-presentrealitiesof climatechangeandexposuretonatural disasters,andthedomesticpass-through ofglobaleconomicrealitiesandpolicies whichcontinuedtoweighontheeconomiclandscapewithinwhichGuyanaoperates,thecountry’seconomycontinuesto recordstronggrowth.
ThiswashighlightedonSaturdayby
–Therevisedfull-yearforecastfor realGDPgrowthin2024isnow42.3per centoveralland11.8percentfornon-oil realGDP.
SECTORALPERFORMANCE–AGRICULTURE,FORESTRYAND FISHING
Thisindustryisnowprojectedtogrow by24.7percentin2024.
MANUFACTURING,SERVICES ANDCONSTRUCTION
Realestatemortgagesexpandedby9 percentto$140.2billion,drivenbyincreasesinmortgagesgrantedforprivate dwellingsandindustrialandcommercial properties.
INFLATION
haveexpandedby27.7percentinthe percentfortheentireyear.
EXTRACTIVEINDUSTRIES
This,inturn,meansmoreeconomic opportunitiesforallGuyanese,”hefurthersaid,positingthat‘Aswenavigate thesecondhalfof2024,ourgovernment fullimplementationofBudget2024,with theconstantaimofimprovingthelivesof everysingleGuyanesefamilyandevery singleGuyaneseperson,”theSeniorFinanceMinisterfurthernoted.
Guyanatobecomeexporter ofcookinggas
GUYANA’Seconomyissaidtohavea neweconomicplayerwiththeintroductionofcookinggasasanexportafter completionoftheWalesgas-to-shore project,accordingtoVicePresidentDr BharratJagdeoduringarecentpress conference.
InrelationtotheWalesgas-to-shore project,theVicePresidenthighlighted thatitwillcontributetoGuyana’sexport ofcookinggas.
“Whenthegas-to-energyprojectis completed,wewillbecomeanexporter ofcookinggas;nowweimportallofour cookinggas,”hesaid.
TheVicePresidentemphasisedthe project’sfar-reachingimpacts,particularly onelectricitycosts,statingthat,“Theprice willplummetandthecostofelectricity willbecomemorestable.Thepricewill
becutby50percent,sothatthepriceof people’selectricitywillgodown.”
Theconsiderabledeclineinenergy expendituresisprojectedtobringadvantagestohouseholdsandbusinessesacross Guyana.
Inthepreviousyear,theVicePresident theeconomicadvantagesassociatedwith theWalesgas-to-shoreproject.Itwasdisclosedthatthesaleofcookinggasalone inGuyanahasthepotentialtogeneratean annualincomerangingfrom$70million to$100million.
“Ifyoulookatthecookinggas,wewill get,fromdryingthegas,andcreatinglean gas,wewillbeabletosellbackandgetthe money,”Jagdeoexplained.
Thisrevenuestreamisinadditionto theexpectedsavingsonfuelimports,re-
––FulcrumLNGselectedtoconstructvital infrastructureforWalesgas-to-shoreproject
manufacturingsector.
Inadditiontotheseadvancements, FulcrumLNG,anoilandgascompany, revealedonWednesdaythatithasbeen chosenbytheGovernmentofGuyanato
andoperationofessentialgasinfrastrucgas-monetisationsolutionsandfacilitate theadvancementofupstreamgasdevelopmentsinGuyana.
JesusBronchalo,CEOofFulcrum LNG,expressedenthusiasmaboutthe project,sharingthat,“Wearehonouredto beselectedtoundertakethisstrategicenergyinfrastructureproject.Thisopportunity alignsperfectlywithourmissiontodeliver innovative,reliable,andsustainableenergy solutionstodevelopgasresources.”
TheFulcrumLNGprojectwillinvolvethedevelopmentofstate-of-the-art gas-processingandmodular,scalablefacilitiestoproduceLNGandNGLs/LPGs forbothdomesticuseandforexportto regionalandglobalmarkets.
Thisinfrastructureisdesignedtoprovideupstreamdeveloperswithadditional optionsformonetisingtheirgasresources, potentiallyincreasingtheeconomicviabilityofcurrentandfuturegasdiscoveriesin theGuyanabasin.
Thegas-to-shoreprojectunderscorescientlydevelopingitsgasresources.
Thesedevelopmentsarepoisedto transformGuyana’snaturalgassector,lycontributetothecountry’seconomic growth.
Guyana’sdigitisationpushtoincrease comfort,security,economicgrowth
GUYANAismakingsignificantstrides
Dr.Jagdeorecently,highlightedthatthe governmentwasmovingclosertoimplementingitsdigitisationstrategy,whichwillseethe streamliningofseveralprocessestobemore
Withthehighestlevelofbiometricsand technology,thegovernment,henoted,wasin
telligenceneededtotrackcriminalactivities.
personnelcanbedeployedwherenecessary. hesaid.
Adigitaldatabasewillalsobeestablished births,deaths,marriagerecords,criminal
healthrecordsystem.
Latelastyear,HealthMinister,Dr.Frank Anthony,hadrevealedthatthegovernment theprovisionofacomprehensiveelectronic healthrecordssystemhere.
said,willallowforpre-screeningofpassen-
mediatelythatrecordgoestoagovernment
Dr.Jagdeosaid.
AccordingtoDr.Jagdeo,thisnewsystem illegalimmigrants.
‘Boundlessopportunities’
–inauguralInt’lBusinessConferencetobringmajorplayers‘facetoface’, provideplatformforregionalinvestments,strongerpartnerships
needforGuyaneseandSurinamesecompa-
“Foralotofbigcompaniesaroundthe world,theyseeGuyanaasasmallcountry; theyseeSurinameasasmallcountry.Both havefantasticpotential.
ThisisaccordingtotheChairmanof ActionInvestCaribbeanDr.VishnuDoerga, who,duringanexclusiveinterviewwiththe GuyanaChronicle,notedthattheinaugural IBC,slatedforOctober,willbetheidealplatformtofacilitatefurtherregionalinvestments, andstrengthenpartnerships.
Theconference,whichwillbringtogether keyplayersfromthebusinesscommunities inGuyanaandSuriname,isslatedtobeheld attheMarriottHotelfromOctober15to17.
“TheInternationalBusinessConference wasreallydevelopedoutofthemissionsthat theSuriname-GuyanaChamberwouldhave hostedinthepastyear.Wewouldhavedone severalmissionsfromSurinametoGuyana andGuyanatoSuriname,”Dr.Doergarelated.
Dr.Doerga,whoisalsotheChairmanof theSuriname-GuyanaChamberofCommerce (SGCC),furtheremphasisedtheimportance ofpreservingnaturalresources,andpromotingrenewablesources,whilehighlightingthe
“Guyanaisalreadymovingforwardwith turningthatpotentialintoproductivityand incomeforthecountry.Butwhentheysee thesetwocountrieswithmassiveopportunity,itbecomesveryinterestingtothemtodo somethingacrossbothcountries,”henoted.
Currently,Guyana’sbusinesslandscape hasbeenabuzz,asmanymajorforumsand expositionshavebeenheld,andseveralare intheplanningstages.
Dr.Doerganotedthatwhilemanybusinesseswouldhaveparticipatedintheforegoingevents,theIBCprovidesaunique opportunitywherebusinessescanbepaired withpartnersandinvestors.
Henotedthattheconference’sagenda issetupinsuchwaythatkeyplayerscould scheduletheirownmeetingswithinvestors orqueriesaddressed.
“Thisistheinformationpeoplearereally askingusforallthetime.Wewillmapout whatthehighpriorityopportunitiesarein Guyana,especiallyinmanufacturingand
agro-processing,becausethey(investors) havealotofcapital.Theyhavemanpower, buttheywanttoknow,well,whatcanbedone inGuyana,andwewanttobeabletopresent thoseopportunitiestobothsides;Guyanese andinternationalcompanies,”Dr.Doerga explained.
Theconferencewillbeco-hostedbythe SGCC,andtheGuyanaManufacturingand ServicesAssociation(GMSA).
Dr.Doerganotedthatwhilethereismuch talkofoilandgasinbothcountries,there areopportunitiesinotherindustries,andthe manufacturingsectorwillbeamongthekey topicsofdiscussion,withparticularfocuson sustainability.
“Icansaythat80percentoftheoil-and gassupplychaininGuyanaisalreadybuilt. Peoplealreadyhavetheircontracts;their easiestthingforanewentranttonowenter Guyana’soil-and-gassupplychain.However, there’ssomuchopportunityeverywhereelse intheeconomy,andIthinkthatwillbethe biggestoutcome;toactuallyputourmanufacturersorfarmersorconstructioncompaniesin contactwiththecompaniesthatarelookingto supportthem;arelookingtojoinventure,are lookingtodevelopthingsonahigherscale,” hestated.
ChairmanofActionInvest CaribbeanDr.VishnuDoerga
IthasbeensaidthattheIBCwillfocuson streamliningtheeaseofdoingbusinessand facilitatinginvestmentsbetweeninternationalbusinessesandGuyanaandSurinamein keysectorsincluding,energy,infrastructure, supportservices.
TheIBCisexpectingover100speakers, andmorethan500delegates,withinexcess of15conferencesessions.
Addedtothis,severalMemorandaof Understanding(MoUs)weresignedafterthe launchoftheconferencelastmonth.