-President Ali says, underscores growing investor interest reflects confidence in country’s future
PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali recently said that Guyana has moved from being a country with untapped potential to one that is now attracting global attention, with investors and international stakeholders increasingly seeking opportunities in the country’s rapidly expanding economy.
Addressing members of the Guyanese diaspora in St Lucia on the sidelines of the 51st Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), President Ali said the level of interest Guyana is receiving internationally demonstrates that the country’s development trajectory has captured the attention of the world.
“The Guyana story is a story that is global now. Everyone now knows the Guyana story,” President Ali told the gathering.
He said during his engagements overseas, requests for meetings from investors and national stakeholders have become increasingly frequent, adding that the growing interest is driven by the opportunities being created through Guyana’s transformation.
“Coming here, the requests for meetings by investors, the requests for meetings by the national stakeholders, they are numerous, and there must be a reason why this is so,” the President said.
According to Dr Ali, the reason is clear as Guyana is experiencing a period of advancement that is creating opportunities not only for its citizens, but also for investors and countries across the region.
He said the pace of development taking place across Guyana has resulted in visible changes throughout the country, pointing to shifts in infrastructure, communities and the composition of the population.
“If you go on Regent Street, if you go in Berbice, if you go into Linden, you will notice not only a different Guyana from an infrastructure perspective, but you will also notice a different Guyana from language, you will notice a different Guyana from the look of people, you will notice a different Guyana from the composition of the population,” he said.
The President noted that the speed of development has also created new demands, particularly for labour, as the country’s current workforce is unable to meet all the requirements generated by expanding economic activity.
“Today we are an importer of workers,” he said.
Against this backdrop, Dr Ali explained that the scale of development requires additional capacity beyond Guyana’s natural labour force.
Further to this, President Ali said technology must therefore become a key partner in maintaining the country’s growth momentum, noting that government is pursuing digital transformation to improve efficiency and public service delivery.
The President said Guyana is also working to position itself as a world-class hub in several areas, including healthcare, energy, environmental services and food security.
In healthcare, he pointed to the improvements made through investments in regional hospitals, the push towards digital records and even telemedicine.
Meanwhile, he said the government’s investments are aimed at creating opportunities beyond Guyana’s borders, thus providing further benefits to citizens in the diaspora and the Caribbean region as a whole.
