…at opening of GBTI corporate office
Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh said that the new corporate office of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) signals several important truths of the progress of the Guyanese economy and the stability that has been achieved, adding “sometimes we need occasional reminders.” “Firstly, that Guyanese companies can grow from the most modest beginnings to the largest and most diverse of conglomerates, producing world class goods and world class quality services,” the Minister said, speaking at the dedication ceremony on Saturday night.
He said GBTI is part of a group which had very humble beginnings, built on the efforts of a single individual trading initially in just a few commodities.
“Today this conglomerate manufactures a wide variety of products, including services, financial services and insurance services, and represents in Guyana major international brands, with subsidiaries and branches throughout the length and breadth of the country and in the region. Its products can be seen on shelves in Trinidad, Suriname and North America, particularly where we have large concentrations of our Diaspora,” he said.
He said these are achievements whose celebrations must not be confined only to the group. “They are achievements of which we must be proud as a country,” he said.  He said in addition to the pride derived of these achievements of the Guyanese company, there are also important lessons to be had from this Guyanese success story. “I believe that this group provides much to be emulated by entrepreneurs in every sector,” he said.
He said the commissioning signals yet another project that testifies to growth and development not only in the financial sector, but in the economy as a whole. The Minister said that many of the changes take a while to manifest themselves. He said the success of the group did not happen overnight, but over a sustained period of more than 60 years.
He lauded such willingness to be bold and to take risks for the good of the country, as demonstrated by the Beharry Group.
He said  this is not to say that it is not possible to catalyze more rapid growth. “And even we in the Government have demonstrated that out of our own resoluteness, as it relates to policy continuity and stability, and ensuring that our country make steady progress, we have not hesitated to seek out ways in which we can catalyze opportunities that we know are possible, and that we know the whole country would like to see us realize,” he said.
He said that it is for this reason that Guyana has articulated the Low Carbon Development Strategy, with the advocacy of President Bharrat Jagdeo. He called it revolutionary, bold and innovative.
He said the Government has not and will not shy away from the boldness, creativity and innovation required to achieve the results desired.
The Minister said the exchange rate of the country has been strikingly stable over the past ten years. He said that the exchange rate appreciated by almost 1 percent. He said that the growth and stability achieved is representative of the aggregation of effort across the economy.