28 American companies to visit Guyana

Executives representing some 28 companies and three chambers of commerce from the United States of America are expected here next month to engage the local business community and relevant stakeholders.

According to a press release from the organisers, the upcoming trade and investment mission to Guyana is slated to run from May 10 to 14 – the same time when the country would be hosting its trade and investment fair, GuyExpo 2016.

The American team has said it is impressed with the programme of meetings and activities being arranged, and its members are excited about viewing the products and services that would be on display at the Sophia Complex during GuyExpo.

According to the release, the 30-plus strong team of business representatives of US companies will participate in a series of briefings by Government, the private sector and US Embassy officials; will undertake visits to the operations of local companies, and engage in one-on-one meetings with Government agencies and private companies.

The mission is being mounted by the Caricom Outreach Program of Outreach Aid to the Americas, Inc. (OAA) and the newly established Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) Inc.

The entities that would be on the mission are involved in a range of sectors, and their interests in Guyana cover agriculture and agri-business, including shrimp farming; electronics assembly; telecommunications; light manufacturing; and infrastructure, including road and railway construction (BOOT model).

The visiting team members are also involved in tourism and real estate development, including housing development; transportation and logistics; the sourcing of Guyanese products for export, particularly seafood; and the supply of raw materials, equipment and other products to Guyana.

According to the release, the mission plans to open its formal programme on Wednesday, May, 11th, with briefings by the United States Embassy to be followed by meetings with the Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, and a team from the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest).

The mission will visit Parika for lunch that day, to be hosted by the Chairman of Ming’s Products and Services, Stanley Ming, who will present his Guyana 2030 Plan.

The mission is also expected to visit the CARICOM Secretariat that day for a briefing on arrangements in place for intra-regional and international trade.

On Thursday, May, 12th, the mission will receive an overview of the Guyana economy from Finance Minister Winston Jordan, and have engagement with Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin.

The mission is also expected to engage Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo that day.

The release details that visits are planned to a number of companies, including Global Seafood Distributors and the new Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (GPC), which will host a lunch in honour of the mission.

Members of the mission will also attend the opening of GuyExpo 2016.

“I am really excited about this mission, and look forward to learning more about the business opportunities that Guyana has to offer. Even more exciting is that we get to view, at a single event, many of the companies operating in Guyana, and hopefully will be able to speak with those whose operations fit our interests,” said Gary Arkin, president of Premiere Stoneworks, LLC of Delray Beach, Florida.

Another member of the mission, Michael Devin Young, Executive Director of the Belize-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida, said: “The programme is a very impressive one, and demonstrates that Guyana is serious about business. I also find it a very novel idea to include a courtesy call on the Leader of the Opposition. In the Caribbean especially, it is good to know the thinking of the opposition on business issues.”

Peter Yu, president of US1America, Inc., a leading member of the Taiwan Business Association of Florida, says he and other members of the association are particularly interested in the advantages Guyana can offer in the area of electronic assembly and light manufacturing, not only for the local market, but for preferential access to international markets under special trade agreements.

“I am glad that there will be meetings with the necessary officials and with CARICOM, to learn more about these agreements and what percentage of the value of products must be local in order to qualify,” he said.

Chairman of the board of directors of the GACC, Oscar Spencer, said the organization views the visit as the first step in a process that hopefully would lead to mutually beneficial business relationships. A retired senior official at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Spencer stressed that job creation is key to Guyana’s economic and social development, and “investment and trade are critical to the job creation process.”

“The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Business and GO-Invest, as well as the Honorary Consul in Florida, has been quite helpful, as have some companies, such as Surinam Airways and the Ramada Princess Hotel.

“A number of Government ministers and agencies, I am assured, will be available for one-on-one meetings with those businesses (that are) interested in the tourism, agri-business, public infrastructure, mining and other specific sectors,” Chairman of the mission, Wesley Kirton, noted.

Kirton noted the unique interest of medical marijuana by a local company, which, it was noted, can have legal implications but can also result in significant job creation and revenue earning for this country.