President Ali pushes to eliminate artificial trade barriers hindering commerce

– pushes for expansive bilateral relationship with T&T

Guyana is signalling a more expansive and strategically grounded approach to its bilateral relationship with Trinidad and Tobago, positioning trade, food security, and regional integration alongside energy cooperation as important pillars of engagement between the two nations.

While energy remains a critical component of discussions between the two CARICOM nations, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has made it clear that Guyana’s development trajectory has historically delivered significant economic opportunities to Trinidad and Tobago, well before oil and gas discovery.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in St Kitts and Nevis, the president reminded that the twin island has been one of Guyana’s strongest trading partners for decades.

Trinidadian distributors have long maintained a solid presence in the local market, while contractors there played key roles in some of Guyana’s most transformative infrastructure projects.

He noted that companies such as Dipcon Engineering and Ceran Brothers were involved in major national undertakings long before Guyana’s petroleum sector emerged.

From the onset of oil and gas production, Trinidad’s private sector again benefitted substantially, participating freely in Guyana’s expanding energy ecosystem without restrictive barriers.

The relationship must not be narrowly defined by hydrocarbons, the head of state emphasised.

“There is a position that the bilateral meeting must only focus on energy,” the president indicated, adding that while energy security remains important for the region, Guyana’s priorities extend further.

Food security, expanded market access, and smoother trade flows are now high on the agenda.

“I believe that the time has come for those barriers, the artificial barriers to be removed and the bureaucracy to be removed so that we can facilitate trade in a more efficient way and we can facilitate the movement of goods in a more efficient way,” the president underscored.

He also highlighted that deeper integration must be guided by constant evaluation and strategic decision-making that safeguards national interests while advancing regional economic viability.

“Wherever and however, we can integrate for the benefit of the region and benefit of our countries, we will do that,” he affirmed, noting that such integration must ultimately serve the people of both nations.

Guyana, he pointed out, has consistently maintained an open investment climate within CARICOM, welcoming private sector participation from across the region on equal footing with local investors.