Go-Invest hosts Barbados Trade Mission at Guyana Business Seminar

February 12, 2018

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DPI, Guyana, Monday, February 12, 2018

Ten Barbadian graduates of the Barbados Invest and Development Corporation’s (BIDC) Export and Readiness Programme are attending a two-day business seminar, facilitated by the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), to explore trade and market opportunities in Guyana.

Owen Verwey, CEO of Go-Invest making a presentation at the Barbados Trade Mission to Guyana Business Seminar.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Go-Invest, Owen Verwey encouraged the investors to capitalise on the opportunity, since several local organisations and businesses will be engaging with them.

“Some (investors) have been calling me to come and explore some of the opportunities you have here to offer. But also, to explore the opportunities they may want to put to you as counter-proposals. They are many…some may be immediate and some may be more in the intermediate period,” Verwey said.

Senior Development Officer of BIDC, Beverley Alleyne commended GO-Invest for facilitating the mission and was optimistic that the event will enhance the trade and export relations between the two countries.

Department of Public Information (DPI) spoke with some of the investors who gave insight into their products.

Owner of IMORO Spa and Wellness Company, Portia Doyle said: “Our goal is to export regionally to Guyana and other Caribbean islands. We are a spa and wellness company…I look forward to working opportunities with companies, spas, resorts and individual persons with boutiques.”

Sweetheart’s Sandals owner, Toni Thorne said despite her handmade creations operation being just a year old in the export market, it is already well known in the regional and international markets like Trinidad, Jamaica, Canada and the United States of America.

Beverley Alleyne, Senior Business Development Officer, BIDC.

“It’s called sweetheart sandals and they are handmade sandals for women, very fashionable. I tend to use very interesting colours when it comes to the leather… I appreciate other people’s work and other people’s designs but I think there is space for everyone (in the Guyanese market).”

The group from Barbados are drawn from various sectors, which include garments and fashion, information technology services (particularly medical services), food and beverages, building and construction, media publishing and health and wellness to name a few.

BIDC collaborated with GO-Invest under a memorandum of understanding which speaks to the exploration of market opportunities and trade between Guyana and Barbados.

Over the past five years, Guyana has received on approximately US$23M in exports from Barbados yearly, with exports growing at seven percent since 2013.

Meanwhile, Guyana exports some US$13.7M to Barbados, with an export growth at approximately 44 percent over a five-year period.