–says outgoing Canadian HC

OUTGOING Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Pierre Giroux, has said that the increase in technical and economic cooperation between Guyana and Canada is proof of the strong relationship that the two countries share.
Mr Giroux made the observation during a farewell courtesy call on President David Granger at State House on Monday.
“In the last two years, what we have really developed is more economic cooperation. Canadian companies are investing and interested in your markets,” Mr Giroux said, adding:
“We also have good political dialogue, and we have good technical cooperation in which technical assistance is actually supporting activities in this country.
“So if I do an assessment, I would say it’s been a very successful two years.”
Speaking on the level of interest that Canadian companies have shown in the local extractive sector, the Canadian High Commissioner, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of the Presidency, noted that even the decline in the price of gold has not deterred investors; that in fact, Canadian investment in the mining sector has increased considerably in the last two years.
“We now have several other companies, [which] are now doing exploration beyond gold, so the traditional investment of Guyana in the extractive sector has been reinforced,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Granger spoke highly of Canada’s relationship with the region as a whole, and noted that given the size of the Guyanese Diaspora in Canada, there is much more scope for deeper engagement and cooperation.
He also expressed his Administration’s gratitude to the High Commissioner for the work he has undertaken in Guyana during his tour of duty here, and asked him to convey to his successor that the Government of Guyana is ready and willing to continue the work of strengthening relations between the two nations.
High Commissioner Giroux, who also served as Canadian High Commissioner to Suriname, and is Canada’s Representative to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), presented his Letters of Credence to President Granger in August 2015.
He is scheduled to depart Guyana on Friday, and his successor slated to arrive in September.