President David Granger wrapped up what was described by organisers as a successful  three-day visit to Toronto on Sunday during which he made repeated calls for Guyanese living in Canada to return and invest their skills and capital to help move this South American country forward.
The President also received investment proposals from a group of businessmen who are willing to start up small businesses in the hinterland and other parts of Guyana. President Granger was accompanied by First Lady Sandra Granger and Minister of Social Cohesion Amna Ally. During his stay in Toronto the President met with members of the organising committee that planned the visit on Friday evening, delivered the keynote address to over 700 supporters at a dinner and dance in his and the First Lady’s honour Saturday night, addressed business leaders and professionals at a brunch and spoke to local media at press conference on Sunday at the Riverstone Golf Club in Brampton, a Greater Toronto Area suburb. Throughout the visit whenever he spoke President Granger assured the audience that his new government is working hard to improve and strengthen the security sector internally and on the external front is aggressive in its use of the appropriate diplomatic channels to settle once and for all at the International Court Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s territory.
“We are pursuing all the diplomatic channels to have this matter settled once and for all at the International Court so don’t be afraid to return and invest in Guyana,”  he told over 200 businessmen and professionals during the brunch. The President was passionate in addressing Venezuela’s claim explaining the origins of the dispute between Britain and Venezuela and the eventual 1899 Arbitral Award that defined Guyana’s current boundaries.
“We have the Chinese investing in forestry, the Russians in bauxite, the Brazilians in gold so why is it you Guyanese in the diaspora can’t work with me,” he asked to loud applause. President Granger said Guyana needs like yesterday engineers, financers, information technology specialists, educators and other skilled professionals to return and invest and help develop the country’s almost non-existent infrastructure in the hinterland.
He repeatedly also boasted of the huge  eco-tourism potential in Guyana’s hinterland waiting to be exploited and he said he would prefer Guyanese in the diaspora work with him to develop a world class eco-tourism product. Other areas he addressed included the country’s high suicide rate, plans for a diaspora conference before the end of the first quarter next year and the establishment of a Diaspora Unit in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guyana’s 50th Anniversary celebrations next year, new appointments to the Foreign Service,  health and transportation services and the green restoration of Guyana.
This is the second time this year the President touched down in Toronto. Back in April he visited while campaigning for the May 11 elections as Opposition Leader. Then the mood was hopeful that he would succeed in leading the coalition to victory. This time around people were simply overjoyed to see him back as President and he reminded those at the events that he is the President for all Guyanese and that he was engaging the Opposition Leader to work with him to achieve unity and a good life for all.
“The Opposition represents 49 per cent of the Guyanese population and the governing coalition 51 per cent and I’d be foolish not to engage the Opposition,” he said. During a break between the end of the press conference and the start of the brunch Sunday the President met with several business groups – in a format much like speeding dating – who presented proposals to invest in Guyana. Projects included information technology proposals to deliver internet to the hinterland, mini hydro systems mounted on barges using water flow in rivers to generate electricity, investment banking, carbon sequestering using the country’s vast forests and small tools manufacturing among others. The President promised to have the Minister of Business visit Toronto within the next few months to follow up with those who presented proposals with the aim of helping make as many of the projects as possible a reality.