Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips assured Guyanese living in New York recently of endless business opportunities available due to the country’s rapidly growing economy.
“The opportunities for investment in Guyana are boundless… You can be assured of an ever-improving business environment and a growing economy which will support business expansion”.
The Senior Government Official made these remarks at the Grace Christian Church in Brooklyn, New York, for the “Doing Business in Guyana Conference,” which was hosted by the Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce (GACC).
In his feature address, the Prime Minister explained that there is more to the country than just oil and gas. He highlighted that under the direction of President Irfaan Ali, the Government will look towards a multi-sectoral development approach.
In this regard, he encouraged investments in areas such as agriculture, tourism, health, and ICT.
EASE OF DOING BUSINESS
The Prime Minister told the conference that his Government acknowledges that there are challenges with regard to the ease of doing business, but that it has been working assiduously to implement measures aimed at finding resolutions.
Already, the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest) has been restructured to promptly facilitate the requests and applications of investors, while other agencies have also enhanced their systems.
PROTECTING INVESTMENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES
The Prime Minister said that the Government is aware that adequate measures must be put in place to protect investments and would continue to work on security. High on the agenda is to strengthen the capabilities of the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Revenue Authority. The Government also remains committed to working with the private sector to develop an anti-crime plan, aimed at better protecting the business community.
DIRECT INTERACTION
President of the GACC, Mr Wesley Kirton, said that the Doing Business in Guyana Conferences were aimed at facilitating direct interaction between the Government of Guyana and potential investors in the US.
He added that in some instances, misleading information was circulated about the investment climate of the country. He noted that by attending the conferences with such high-ranking delegations the Government has demonstrated that its desire is not only to correct any misinformation but to inspire confidence and to prove its commitment to the Guyanese diaspora.
