GUYANESE have the option to invest locally, regionally, and internationally from stocks and bonds on the United States and local stock markets through the Guyana Americas Merchant Bank (GUYAM), a subsidiary of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), and Secure International Finance Corporation.
GUYAM was established in 1995, with the support of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), as Guyana’s first licensed merchant bank, serving both institutional and individual investors.
The bank’s Marketing Officer Moesha Marshall shared this information in a live broadcast where she explained that most people think they need a lot of money to invest, which is a myth. Investments can be made with $25,000 or less.
Calling for consumers to invest in companies they frequently support, Marshall said the bank has investment options for the Guyana Stock Exchange, with companies like Demerara Distillers Limited and Banks DIH.
“We have the GBTI mutual funds that we manage, that has a collection of local, international, regional stocks and bonds, and we also have the interactive brokers platform. So, it allows customers to be able to trade on the US stock market so you can buy some Apple shares, you can buy anything, and a lot of people now are into AI so you can buy some Nvidia stocks. You know, you can get into the US stock exchange,” she said.
For persons who want to invest for their children, there is a smart start programme. Because parents are always searching for ways to save money for their children’s education, or to give them a start, Marshall said the GBTI Mutual Funds is a basic option for the average investor to start with.
“We also have pension plans available for large companies…we currently manage Exxon Mobil’s Pension plan. So, we have something for companies, individuals, we have a whole suite of investment products for everybody,” she disclosed.
Alongside this, she revealed that the Guyana Americas Merchant Bank has licensed investment advisors, to give advice to customers, adding, “we have people that know what they’re talking about and can guide you.”
In giving words of encouragement to those who might be interested, Marshall said, “You can’t wait for your NIS alone to work for you, and you have to start thinking futuristically. My pension, what is it going to look like when I want to retire? So, all that comes into place when you come to an investment advisor. They sit down [and] ask what are your financial goals? At what age are you looking to invest or stop working? We even have an investment calculator on our website that shows you, if I invest X amount and I put let’s say five thousand every month for the next 20 years how much it’s estimated for you to get.”
To get started Marshall shared that all individuals need is their identification card, proof of address, their taxpayer identification number (TIN), and proof of income, and for the mutual funds and smart start, an initial deposit of $25,000 is needed.
“So, if you have the plastic driver’s license, well, everybody should by now, that covers your ID, your proof of address and your TIN,” Marshall stated.
She cautioned that this is investing in the long term. “It’s investing, it’s long term and you also have to be prepared to ride the tide of the market as well,” she said adding, “I wouldn’t lie and say, okay, it’s all great and bubbly, but the thing about investments, it’s long term and just like when the market goes down, it comes back up and our investment advisors are on top of it.”
Looking at regional investment options, Marshall said they have some Jamaican bonds that can be invested in. The Mutual Funds, she said, cover both regional and local, and it is managed by an Investment Manager. Persons are informed constantly on where their investment is going and how it is going.
The GUYAM Bank is located at GBTI’s High and Young Street, Kingston Georgetown branch and representatives can be contacted on WhatsApp via +592 640-1925 or telephone +592 223-5193. They are also available on all social platforms.
Visit https://guyambank.com/ to learn more.
