WHENEVER I visit Caribbean islands, it is a habit of mine to visit the supermarkets looking for evidence of Guyanese products and to assess the potential of our good being sold in the islands. As a patriot, I also like to purchase Guyanese products . Our products are loved wherever they are found but they are not everywhere in significant amounts. St. Martin has a lot of products including fish, but most of the other smaller islands do not show much evidence of Guyanese goods. There is huge market potential for Guyanese products in Aruba which currently has few items from Guyana in the stores. So naturally, I was thrilled when I read in your paper that a group of visiting businessmen from Aruba have checked out prospects and made arrangements with local businessmen to package and export Guyanese produce and fish to Aruba.  Our businessmen will prosper once they can export good quality products to the Dutch island.
I visited Aruba annually for the last decade.  I love the place and whenever I was there, I interacted with Guyanese and other West Indians to learn about their lifestyle and customs on the island. Guyanese there are hard working, industrious and prosperous – a model community.  The standard of living is very high – comparable to the US – but cost of living is much higher than the US.  Guyanese do not have easy access to Guyanese products which are mostly brought in by themselves or relatives or friends from New York (NY) Miami and the US and flights to and from Guyana are not easily accessible.  Vegetables, fruits and fish are quite expensive compared with the US and there seem to be a shortage – Aruba grows virtually nothing with all foods being imported.  The Guyanese population in Aruba alone will lap up the products.  So, it is pleasing to read that the businessmen are interested in our fruits (pineapples, mangoes are in heavy demand), vegetables and fish and other products in demand. There is a lot of money to make that will create jobs in Guyana and Aruba benefiting both economies.
Another product with good potential is Guyanese rum which is loved in the bars of Aruba. But it is too pricey as compared with local Aruban or other rum which is used for most mixed drinks. A lot of rum is used in Aruba – pools of rum. The same is true for St. Martin. The marketing agents for Guyanese rum need to study the market, packaging and prices to develop a strategy to sell their rum – which can earn them a lot of revenues.