British Chamber to strengthen bilateral ties between Guyana, UK

A British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) has been established here to strengthen existing trade relations and bilateral cooperation, as well as facilitate commercial business opportunities between Guyana and the United Kingdom (UK).

British-born Guyanese businessman and Chief Executive Officer of Guysons K+B Industries Inc., Faizal Khan made the announcement during a press conference at the Marriott Hotel on Thursday morning.

Khan is also the Chairperson of the BritCham Guyana Steering Group.

“BritCham Guyana has been a brainchild and an ambition for many people for a number of years. There’s been a lot of brainstorming around it for quite a while. And today, we’re very happy to announce that the entity is established,” he said.

Alongside the promotion and facilitation of bilateral trade and commerce, BritCham Guyana will foster an open networking environment where companies can engage and discuss issues impacting their businesses and UK-Guyana trade.

“I think when we all came together at the High Commissioner’s residence and talked about the ease of business here in Guyana and helping British business get in. We felt there’s an opportunity to support and make that process easier,” Khan explained.

He noted that BritCham will serve as a forum for discussion and exchange of topics and issues related to business in both Guyana and the UK.

It will support the British High Commission and other UK Government departments and their advocacy work.

BritCham Guyana will be officially launched in London, England, and Aberdeen, Scotland.

The chamber will act as a support for other chambers of commerce that exist in the countries, they operate in.

Currently, BritCham Guyana has close to 30 member companies, with some 50 verbal commitments.

“BritCham Guyana offers an opportunity to bring together a rich and diverse network of UK investors, exports, and services with strong governance, world-class standards and experience that complement the ambitions of Guyana’s business community through long-term and sustainable partnerships,” British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, said in a written endorsement issued by BritCham.

Guyana is the UK’s largest trade partner in the Caribbean. In 2021, the country accounted for 21.6 per cent of all the UK’s trade with the Caribbean and, to date, there has been a 45.9 per cent increase in trade between the two nations for 2022.

The move to establish the new business chamber comes on the heels of the announcement of visa-free travel to the UK, a direct British Airways flight from the end of March, and the signing of a partnership arrangement by Guyana’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Hugh Todd and His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, Jonathan Knott, CMG in November 2022.

The chamber will provide further information in due course regarding membership opportunities, governance, and upcoming events. Companies or individuals interested in joining the chamber should visit britchamgy.com to download an application form and submit the completed form via email to admin@britchamgy.com.

They can also reach out to Faizal Khan at the BritCham Guyana Steering Group via +592-708-9989.