A LARGE delegation from neighbouring Brazil will be visiting Guyana next week to explore and discuss investment opportunities in the two countries. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Guyana Office for Investment (GO-INVEST), Mr. Geoffrey Da Silva made the announcement at a press conference last Thursday in the office of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Carmichael Street, Georgetown.
He said the visitors are expected here from March 21 to 26 to have discussions on possible avenues for trade and investment.
The group is being led by SEBRAE, a national organisation in Roraima State and will comprise Government officials, businessmen and businesswomen, individuals from the tourism sector, particularly, the hotel industry, SUFRAMA, and Roraima State Media.
Da Silva said his office is working with the Private Sector to expand trade and investment between Guyana and Brazil.
“A lot of work has been done over many years and now we are getting to a stage where things are starting to really take off,” he observed.
Da Silva said: “Next, we have a delegation of over 50 Brazilian businesses coming from Boa Vista to Guyana and we are coordinating that with the PSC and the other Private Sector organizations.”
He said many persons are coming from the tourism sector of that State, including representatives of the major hotels there and a number of companies are looking for building materials. They want to source cement, steel rods and other things out of the Guyana market and a few that are in general import/export kinds of business.
Da Silva said the Brazilians are also looking at areas like entertainment and, although the focus may be on tourism and manufacturing, other areas are being looked at to build links.
PSC Executive Director, Mr. Roubinder Rambarran, said they plan to take full advantage of the situation and look at all the opportunities that exist.
Business sessions
He said the PSC has planned some business sessions with the various sectors and will conduct a seminar on Tuesday at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
Rambarran said presentations will be made at that forum by representatives of the Brazilians, the Guyana Government and the Private Sector.
He said the participants will then break into various Private Sector clusters and view a mini trade exposition showcasing the big companies and their offerings.
“It will inform the delegation a lot and, also, we plan to take them to some of these companies that are already doing business and some that have potential to do business with Brazil,” Rambarran informed.
“We are going to look at what kind of new trade activities we can embark on and, probably, build on those existing ones,” he said, noting that supplying Brazil with construction materials is a very large area on which the Private Sector can capitalise.
Rambarran added that the Private Sector is working towards getting more Guyanese products into Brazil and, together with GO-INVEST, is looking at embarking on a reciprocal visit for a similar purpose, later this year.
He said that trip can be considered timely, given the openings that now exist for travel between Guyana and Brazil across the Takutu River Bridge.
In a release from the PSC, the Brazilians six days stay will include meetings in Lethem and Linden to have a direct look and evaluation of the roadway between the two destinations and the wharf and waterway access.
The release said the seminar will highlight trade and export capacity in both countries; how they will benefit from the intended partnership; showcase Guyanese products from the various sectors and facilitate one on one meetings and visits to various businesses, particularly in the manufacturing, tourism, commerce and agricultural sectors.
It said there would be an open day for the visitors to enjoy the sights and sounds of Guyana.
Coordinating the activities, from the Public Sector side, is the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and GO-INVEST and, from the Private Sector side, the PSC, Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GM&SA).