Guyana and Kuwait yesterday commenced a second round of negotiations aimed at effecting an agreement  between the two countries for the avoidance of double taxation.
Heading the Guyana delegation at the deliberations which took place in the main conference room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Mr John Isaacs. Kuwait’s five-member team, one female included, was headed by Mr Abdulaziz S. Al-Sallal, Controller of International Liability with the Ministry of Finance Tax Liability & Planning Department in Kuwait.
Guyana established diplomatic ties with Kuwait in 1975, and according Isaacs in welcoming remarks , the negotiations would not only augur well for the continued deliberations between the two countries, but for the development of the people, the expansion of bilateral provision programmes, and for further promoting mutual economic relations between the two countries.
The agreement that Guyana and Kuwait are now seeking to concretise is already in effect between Guyana and the United Kingdom, Canada and CARICOM.
In October 2005, in Georgetown, Guyana and Kuwait, after lengthy negotiations lasting four days, initialled a double taxation agreement.
The two had also  reached agreement on most of the provisions; and according to Isaacs, the return of the Kuwait delegation for further talks is testimony to that country’s commitment to further strengthening the bilateral ties which already exist between the two countries .
The Guyana delegation head expressed optimism that at the conclusion of the talks, agreement on the outstanding articles would be met.
He reiterated  that with a double taxation agreement in place, no resident of Guyana or Kuwait will be asked to pay the same taxes twice or monies or remuneration which attract taxation in either countries.
M r  Al-Sallal, on his first visit to Guyana, speaking briefly, expressed his delegation’s appreciation for the warm welcome they received , adding that they too anticipate fruitful conclusion to the talks.
“I am sure by finalising this treaty of double taxation with the final signature of the investment treaty which was signed last January in Kuwait, we hope that those two agreements would help…tax payers, investors to have a proper environment for investment,” Al-Sallall stated.
Asked by media operatives to comment on the outstanding issues, Isaacs explained that there were a couple of “contentious” articles in the agreement on which officials needed to seek clarification from  Kuwait.
On January 18 last, President Bharrat Jagdeo concluded a two-day visit to Kuwait where he held official talks with Kuwaiti President Amir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
The visit saw Guyana signing agreements aimed at encouraging bilateral investments and bolstering cultural ties, as well as an agreement on the promotion and protection of investments that will lay a framework to facilitate and increase the investments of entrepreneurs in the respective countries.
Today, the Government and people of Kuwait are observing their national day and tomorrow they will be celebration Liberation Day.