At luncheon for Brazilians…
PRIME Minister Samuel Hinds told a gathering Monday that “we are at the beginning of a great increase in trade and commerce as well as cultural links between Guyana and Brazil. He said, particularly, in  Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) and Roraima in Brazil.
Mr. Hinds was speaking at the specially arranged business luncheon for the visiting SEBRAE group of business persons, including the Leader and President, Mr. Almir Morais Sa and the Brazilian Embassy representative, Mr. Rodrigo Fonseca.
The function was organised by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), in conjunction with the Linden Interim Management Committee (IMC), Linden Chamber of Industry, Development and Commerce, Region Ten Tourism Association and Linden Enterprise Network (LEN).
Among those present were IMC Chairman, Mr. Orin Gordon; Linden Chamber of Industry, Development and Commerce, Mr. Basil Jailpal; Coordinator of the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN), Ms Valerie Sharpe-Adams and Guyana Office for Investment (GO-INVEST) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Geoff Da Silva,
Addressing the forum, in Egbert Benjamin Exhibition and Conference Centre at Mackenzie, Mr. Hinds said not many people know that there has been significant contact between Guyana and Brazil over the years.
But, particularly in our local Guyanese mining sector, the technology and equipment, since more than 50 years ago, have been coming daily from Brazil.
“And we have, maybe, 4,000 or 5,000 Brazilians in small and medium scale mining in Guyana. And, over the number of years, many of them have become good Guyanese citizens. Thinking back, maybe 20 years ago, in our own difficult time, we used to have a Brazilian market where our small traders went to, maybe, Boa Vista and bought a number of household items,” he mentioned.
Speaking of the Linden/Lethem road, which is of great importance to trade between Guyana and Brazil, the Prime Minister informed that, from around 2000, the Government has been spending between US$1M and US$1.5M, annually, to maintain and slowly improve it.
“…and we would continue that level of investment on the road from our own resources, so that the existing laterite route gets better each year,” he added, pointing out that, presently, about 25 tons of cargo can be safely transported on it.
Mr. Hinds said: “In two or three years time, we should be up to about 40 tons of cargo. With respect to asphalting the road, with the assistance of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), we have just begun a feasibility study, another feasibility study, which should be ready in about a year’s time.
“At the same time, we have been in discussions with the authorities from Brazil, towards arranging the financing for such a development,” he disclosed, stating that it is
estimated that, to asphalt the road and to put in steel and concrete bridges, including a bridge across the Essequibo River, would cost between US$250M and US$350M.
Mr. Hinds said, he thinks that, for the beginning, activities which will flow from Linden, being a conduit for goods going into and out of northern Brazil, would be sourced out.
He posited that, initially, Linden will be the most likely point to start as the first cargo quantities may be on the smaller side, up to about 6,000 tons but, out of Linden, it  could be arranged to take 10,000 tons.
Mr. Hinds speculated that, in the longer term when there are millions of tons of soya beans, then, perhaps, the Berbice River may be the route for shipping in and out of Brazil through Guyana.
He said he does look forward to steady growth of commercial and cultural relations between Guyana and Brazil.