–after President Granger calls for stronger integration of region

By Ravin Singh in Grenada
ONE of the pillars of regional development remains intra-regional trade which provides an opportunity for overseas nationals to freely invest in their home-country – a move Grenadian-based Guyanese are seemingly interested in.

This was observed on Tuesday evening when President David Granger met with Guyanese residing in the sister Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country of Grenada. The meeting, which was attended by more than one hundred Guyanese, was held at Mount Cinnamon.
The Guyanese Head-of-State arrived to resounding rounds of applause at the location which is neatly tucked away near the Grand Anse beach. He was accompanied by Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge and Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings-Williams.

Despite not being able to address the gathering openly, Minister Williams’ one-on-one interaction with the Guyanese natives proved helpful in encouraging those citizens to continue to support Guyana in its developmental efforts. Minister Greenidge on the other hand, was able to provide an overview of economic, social and cultural realities which exist in Guyana. He was keen to note that while Guyana is not where it should have been, due to mismanagement and corruption under the previous administration, the coalition government is working to eliminate same and strengthen democratic organs.

He added too that Guyana’s oil find signals a path to further development not only in terms of infrastructure and institutions, but for Guyanese who will benefit from the proceeds of this highly valued resource. But it was President David Granger, whose speech was punctuated with Guyanese jargons, who stole the spotlight for the evening. The Guyanese leader, who had earlier addressed regional Heads of Government, reminded the diaspora of how important regional integration is in the Caribbean. He explained that shared cultures and values in the Caribbean were shaped by a common historical past and common interest, and this is why Guyanese can move to different parts of the region to live and still feel at home.

The President noted too that regional migration provides an opportunity for nationals to equip themselves with the tools necessary to contribute to the development of their home-country, particularly through investment. “When you travel overseas; some of you improve your education, some of you improve your employment and you could invest back home…” he said.

He then plugged investments for Guyana and encouraged the diaspora to invest in the country since it has unmatched potential. “We can produce everything that the Caribbean needs but we need investment. We need people who are prepared to come back and invest” the President told the attendees, many of whom responded positively to his call.

Further, he explained that because of the vastness of the country, the education sector has been severely constrained. However, he was keen to note that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can be a means through which the quality and standard of education in Guyana can be improved.
As such, he encouraged the diaspora to help ensure that Guyana’s children are part of the technological revolution.