‘Think bigger, scale up production’ – Dr. Ramsaroop urges Region Nine businesses

Region Nine is positioned for massive development in the area of transport economics, and stakeholders there have been urged to prepare for the many opportunities and upscale production in various sectors. 

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop made the call at the opening of the 21st Rupununi Business and Investment Expo held over the weekend at the Tabatinga Sports Complex in Lethem.

He said Guyana’s transport hub is being upgraded in partnership with the private sector including ports and shorebases, and soon the private-sector-led deep-water harbour in Berbice will be announced shortly.

This will be a game changer in Guyana’s transport sector, creating endless trade opportunities for neighbouring countries including Brazil.

“There are thousands of containers that leave Northern Brazil every day through the Amazon River or trucking. Imagine turning those containers around through Guyana. Less than 24 hours through water,” Dr. Ramsaroop underscored.

Guyana is linked directly to Brazil through Lethem, which lies just on the edge of the border between the two countries. Cooperation could be enhanced even further by the creation of a road link from Georgetown to Lethem, paving the way for Guyana to become a transport-led economic route to the Atlantic Ocean for northern Brazil’s import and export of commodities.

With additional opportunities being created in several sectors, Dr. Ramsaroop reemphasised the need for upscaling production as President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali aims to push locally-made products, especially honey globally.

“We would help you with the packaging, labels, and find the distributor. You have to be ready to scale up…You have to get out of just thinking small…It goes back to how we market our products…How we can get our products to the wider market. So, my challenge to you today is as you listen to where our country is going, I want you to think bigger…Our president wants our product in every part of the world,” Dr. Ramsaroop stated.  

Also attending the expo were the Ministers of Amerindian Affairs and Labour, Pauline Sukhai and Joseph Hamilton, respectively.