-to strengthen trade relations
TRINIDAD and Tobago’s Minister of Trade and Industry Mr. Steven Cadiz has expressed his country’s desire to forge closer trading relations with Guyana, particularly in the areas of agriculture, as the Twin Island Republic is focused on moving away from an oil and gas dependent economy. He was at the time delivering remarks at the International Building Expo 2 at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.   
Minister Cadiz’s words were met with great approval by President Bharrat Jagdeo who said that steering away from oil and gas is absolutely essential, particularly at this time, given the prominence of global issues that the environment has taken.
“Carbon and carbon externalities will play an increasing role in any future national development and if countries that have done well but have highly carbonised economies do not make the change now then they run the possibility of losing significant welfare in the future because of a lack of foresight,” President Jagdeo said.
He explained that the Caribbean will be vital to Guyana’s prosperity, even though the country is opening up more and more to the vast, unexplored opportunities of trade and investment to the South.
“We want the Caribbean to do well, we want the region to prosper, because if the region prospers, we too, will have greater opportunities,” the Guyanese Head of State said.
Turning his attention to the building expo, Minister Cadiz said that the theme, ‘Bridging the Gap-transforming Guyana’ is very appropriate given the transformation that Guyana has embarked on towards economic growth, development and prosperity for all Guyanese.
“The success of this venture lives in the forging of strategic alliances with other trading partners in the Caribbean and beyond in catalyzing growth and development in public and private investments in the construction industry,” he posited.
He explained that the current economic climate that exists now requires the creation of an enabling environment for business to develop and flourish. The efforts by governments in the region to create a synergistic relationship with the private sector to diversify the economy, to provide infrastructure and more opportunities for affordable home-ownership in construction and trade, show responsiveness to the needs of the people, he said.
Cadiz noted too, that Guyana and Trinidad could build on training opportunities and processing Guyanese agricultural products with their technology and increasing investments with manufacturing and service companies.
President Jagdeo said that, “this is not a competition or a race to the top; this is about partnership working across the region, realizing that we have a common patrimony and that we have huge opportunities in a region.”
To this end, the two countries will be re-establishing the Trinidad and Tobago-Guyana Joint Commission to deal with all trade issues as they seek to strengthen the trading links.