OVER the past two days, Dr Dan Ciuriak of the German firm, BKP Development Research and Consulting, has been conducting in-country consultations with stakeholders in both the public and private sectors.

The purpose of the meetings, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is to identify whatever concerns CARICOM [Caribbean Community] countries may have with regard to doing business with Central South American countries under free-trade arrangements.

While here, the ministry said, Dr Ciuriak met with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Business, Go-Invest [Guyana Office for Investment], the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), Banks DIH Limited, Sterling Products Limited (SPL), and the Edward Beharry Group of Companies, among other public and private sector entities.

BKP is an economic research and consulting firm owned and managed by five partners, and with a core staff of about 30 experts. The company was established in 2006 and is based in Munich and Berlin, with associates in Canada, Ethiopia, Ghana and the Netherlands.

Dr Ciuriak specialises in international trade, finance and development; has wide-ranging experience in the analysis and formulation of public policy, development of legislation, economic analysis in support of litigation (both private and state-to-state), and training and technical assistance in applied trade analysis and modelling.