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SUNDAY CHRONICLE May 7, 2017
President Granger poses with the Heads of Missions on the lawns of State House during their visit for the Heads of Missions Conference in April
the President said. The importance of encouraging investments was one of the core messages highlighted in April, at Guyana’s Heads of Missions Conference; a convention which brought together Guyana’s diplomatic representatives stationed in countries across the world. At the opening ceremony of that conference, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Carl Greenidge said that Guyana has the obligation to strengthen the work of its missions in the pursuit of economic diplomacy within which, includes attracting investments. “We will have to think in terms of expanding our representation in areas where this could lead to greater economic exchanges or examining existing relations to see whether they can yield greater investments and economic dividends. Also, in putting “economic diplomacy” at the service of traditional diplomatic methods, we will be looking to the Guyanese Diaspora as an area for investment and human skills,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said. The role of the foreign missions aside, Government has also continued in its foreign engagements to strengthen bilateral relationships and to increase the interest of foreign investors in Guyana. Most recently, President David Granger made his first official visit to the United Kingdom where several of his engagements promoted Guyana as a healthy destination for investors. Among those engagements was an Investment Seminar on Guyana hosted by the Caribbean Council. The event saw the attendance of several UK stakeholders, including oil companies and other agencies. At the Investment Seminar, President Granger said that the administration is working to improve Guyana’s reputation as an attractive investment destination, particularly with regard to the legal and regulatory environment that will ensure the ease of doing business for foreign companies investing in Guyana. The President also highlighted that Guyana has many advantages and opportunities which can augur well for its investment potential. ““We have the land, we have an intelligent English-speaking population, we have the resources, and I think people who are looking for something different; something unique, will come to Guyana,” the President said. Added to that, the President said that Guyana’s common law, parliamentary system and institutional infrastructure are similar to that of Western Europe and other parts of the Commonwealth, which would allow investors from those areas some ease in doing business. During an interview on the sidelines of that visit, the President said that Guyana’s future as an investment capital is promising, particularly given Government’s efforts to create a conducive environment for business and commerce. “I think now they are seeing greater transparency, they are seeing a respect for institutions, they are seeing the passage of legislations for anti-money laundering, they are seeing the arrest of former government servants who have been accused of committing offences. I think they feel that Guyana is a safer, cleaner destination for their investment and when people plan to come into a country, they would want to do reconnaissance, they would want to come and do feasibility studies and I think this is what has taken place now,” the President said. The theme of investment rang through the duration of the President’s visit and was reiterated during his meetings with the diaspora and staff of the Guyana High Commission in London.
The President highlighted that one of the main roles of foreign missions is to engage investors and other stakeholders and encourage them to invest in Guyana. Speaking to members of the diaspora, the President said that they can play a major role in plugging their own capital and knowledge into the economy of their homeland. ““What we need is investment and this is where
you, who have saved your money, can look at Guyana as a safe destination; we have Brazilian investors, we have Chinese investors, we have Canadian investors, we have Russian investors and, in our minds, we are confident that if Guyanese see that the door is open to them too, they will see their homeland, their Turn to page 17 ► motherland as a safe destination for