-Building a Competitive Hub for Production, Energy, Logistics and Trade
By Peter R. Ramsaroop, Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer and PPP/C Member of Parliament
HIS Excellency President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s Vision 2030 is being delivered through an implementation plan in which energy, infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, technology, tourism and human capital reinforce each other.
Our government has built an integrated development platform rather than isolated sectors: lower-cost energy supports production; infrastructure connects producers to markets; digital systems improve efficiency; and investment converts national assets into productive and export capacity. By 2030, the objective is to position Guyana as a net exporter of energy, food, climate and environmental services, health and educational services.
INVESTOR CONFIDENCE AND THE EXPANDING SCALE OF INVESTMENT
Over the past six years, approximately 189 new, expansionary and mixed investment projects and agreements were facilitated, representing approximately G$1.06 trillion in private economic investment, based on our investment facilitation data.
Foreign direct investment accounted for approximately 73 per cent of recorded investment, demonstrating strong international confidence in Guyana. At the same time, local investors accounted for approximately 20 per cent of investment but generated about 49 per cent of the associated employment. That is particularly important because it demonstrates that Guyanese businesses are not spectators in the transformation of our economy; they are investing, expanding and creating jobs alongside international investors.
It is important to distinguish GO-Invest-facilitated investment from Guyana’s total foreign direct investment. Not all FDI entering Guyana is facilitated or recorded through GO-Invest.
Bank of Guyana balance-of-payments data captures FDI across the wider economy, including major oil and gas investments. The Bank reported gross FDI inflows of approximately US$10.40 billion in 2024 and US$8.43 billion in 2025, largely associated with the oil and gas sector. Based on data presented by the Bank, net direct investment was approximately US$3.50 billion in 2024 and US$5.37 billion in 2025. These national figures demonstrate that GO-Invest’s project data represents an important segment of the investment landscape but should not be interpreted as the total FDI entering Guyana.
Another powerful indicator is private-sector credit. It increased from approximately G$259.8 billion in 2020 to G$531.8 billion at the end of 2025—more than doubling in five years.
The next phase of our government’s implementation agenda is to attract larger productive investments, expand joint ventures, deepen value-added production, strengthen technology transfer and significantly increase export-oriented investment.
We have moved beyond simply attracting foreign capital and have positioned Guyana as a competitive platform for local, regional and international investment.
AGRICULTURE, AGRO-PROCESSING AND REGIONAL FOOD SECURITY
Guyana’s agricultural strategy, under our government’s broader development agenda, is fundamentally an investment and production strategy.
Investment is therefore being directed into corn and soy, livestock, aquaculture, large-scale farming, agro-processing, cold storage, logistics, packaging and value-added food production.
The next stage is especially important. Our government’s objective is not simply to export more primary agricultural commodities, but to attract investment in processing operations so that more of the value chain—from production to processing, packaging, storage and distribution—takes place in Guyana.
ENERGY AS THE FOUNDATION FOR INDUSTRIAL COMPETITIVENESS
Energy is one of the most important components of Guyana’s investment competitiveness.
Since 2020, more than 186 MW of additional generating capacity has been added. But the transformational project is the 300 MW Gas-to-Energy development at Wales, with first power targeted by the end of 2026.
Our government’s objective is to reduce electricity costs by approximately 50%. That is not simply an energy-sector achievement; it has potentially significant implications for the entire investment environment.
Energy is a major input cost for manufacturing, agro-processing, cold storage, ICT, hospitality and virtually every productive industry. Reducing that cost can fundamentally change the economics of investing and producing in Guyana.
From an investment perspective, therefore, energy is the foundation for the next phase of industrialisation.
As reliable energy expands and costs decline, Guyana becomes increasingly competitive as a location for manufacturing, agro-processing, industrial production, technology and export-oriented investment.
Under the Vision 2030 implementation plan, we are converting greater energy security into stronger investment competitiveness, industrial capacity and export growth.
TOURISM AS A GROWING INVESTMENT ECOSYSTEM
Tourism has moved from being primarily a destination story to becoming a significant investment opportunity.
That capital has supported an unprecedented expansion in hotel and hospitality capacity, with international brands including Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Best Western and Four Points by Sheraton establishing or advancing a presence in Guyana, alongside additional local, resort and convention developments.
There are opportunities in eco-tourism, aviation, transportation, entertainment, restaurants, conference facilities, destination experiences, technology platforms, tour operations and hospitality supply chains.
GUYANA AS A GATEWAY BETWEEN THE CARIBBEAN AND SOUTH AMERICA
Geography is one of Guyana’s greatest underutilised economic assets, and the Vision 2030 implementation plan is designed to convert that geography into commercial value through stronger connectivity.
That creates an entirely new investment ecosystem around ports, warehousing, trucking, cold storage, distribution, manufacturing, agro-processing and logistics services.
We are transforming Guyana from being viewed primarily as a market of just over one million people into an investment platform connected to a much larger regional and global marketplace.
The President has outlined an integrated economic corridor linking the Guyana–Brazil connection with ports, road and potential rail connectivity, fibre optics, energy, free zones and natural resources—building Guyana’s role as a gateway to larger markets.
GO-INVEST: FROM INVESTMENT FACILITATION TO EXPORT GROWTH
GO-Invest’s Export and Trade Department is an important part of that strategy. Over a four-year period, the agency helped approximately 137 Guyanese companies enter export markets and connected 112 businesses with overseas buyers.
The same results are visible across agro-processing, tourism, manufacturing, logistics and exports: local companies are expanding, international brands are establishing operations, partnerships are growing and Guyana is connecting more deeply to global markets.
International interest is also moving into strategic sectors. In 2026, senior United States officials publicly identified Guyana’s bauxite and wider mineral resources as areas for investment and cooperation, with a clear emphasis on value-added processing. That interest is particularly significant at a time when the U.S. Department of War is committing substantial capital to secure critical-mineral supply chains. Guyana’s established bauxite base, improving energy platform and plans for downstream processing place the country directly within that global investment conversation.
The strongest evidence of Guyana’s investment proposition is no longer what we say can happen, but what investors and Guyanese companies are already doing. Demerara Distillers Limited is a strong example. DDL has continued to expand and diversify beyond its traditional beverage business, including its move into fresh milk production in Guyana.
This is precisely the type of investment our government has worked to stimulate: using local capital, agriculture, technology and processing capacity to produce at home what we have historically imported.
As domestic milk production expands, it can significantly reduce Guyana’s dairy import bill, retain more value within our economy, support local agriculture and create an entirely new domestic supply chain. DDL’s expansion into St. Kitts and Nevis tells another part of the story: Guyanese companies are increasingly investing outward, expanding their brands and establishing a commercial presence in international markets.
RESULTS ARE ALREADY VISIBLE
The investment opportunities that will be available by 2030 and beyond are endless. These include agriculture and agro-processing, energy, manufacturing, logistics, tourism, ICT and technology, value-added natural-resource industries and export-oriented production.
For investors, the proposition is clear: invest in Guyana, partner with Guyanese businesses, build productive capacity here and use Guyana’s expanding infrastructure and geographic position to access larger markets.
Under Vision 2030, Guyana has positioned itself not simply as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, but as a competitive investment hub—a centre for production, processing, energy, logistics, technology and trade connecting South America, the Caribbean and global markets.
This reflects the President’s central economic proposition: Guyana is not pursuing one-dimensional growth. Our Government is using the opportunities created by oil and gas to build infrastructure, energy systems, human capital and new growth poles that strengthen the non-oil economy. The objective is a diversified and globally competitive economy in which food, energy, climate services, technology, health, education, logistics and production become mutually reinforcing sources of long-term growth.
WHERE DO WE FIT?
As citizens and businesses, when we listen to His Excellency outline what the next few years will bring—from cheaper and more reliable energy to a deepwater port, an alumina plant, a refinery, a fertilizer plant and other transformative investments—the question we must ask ourselves is no longer whether Guyana is changing. The question is: where do we fit, and how do we get involved?
Every major investment creates opportunities beyond itself. A deepwater port creates logistics, warehousing, transportation and export opportunities. Cheaper energy strengthens manufacturing and agro-processing. An alumina plant, refinery and fertilizer plant create demand for services, skills, suppliers, supporting industries and employment.
Our government has spent six years building the foundation and has positioned Guyana for this next phase. Guyanese must now participate—as entrepreneurs, investors, suppliers, exporters, skilled workers and partners.
We cannot allow ourselves to be left behind. We must ask where we fit, prepare, build partnerships and grab the opportunities before us. Guyana’s transformation is underway. More Guyanese must not simply watch it happen but actively participate and benefit.
