President Dr Irfaan Ali says that Guyana’s long-term economic development does not lie within the country’s borders alone, adding that the critical infrastructure being building out such as the various port and waterfront facilities across the country will serve as key links for regional integration.
The Head of State made these remarks on Thursday evening at the opening of GuyExpo 2026 – Guyana’s premier trade fair at the National Exhibition Centre, Sophia.
Under the theme “Creating Tomorrow’s Opportunities Through Today’s Investments”, the three-day event brings together businesses, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry stakeholders to showcase innovation, foster partnerships, and explore new opportunities for growth.
Delivering the feature address before declaring the event official opened, President Ali noted that his Government is pursuing a model that ensures economic value chains and value creation in the country. However, he noted that Guyana’s future demands a much larger vision.
“We cannot contemplate a future, given the current trajectory of our growth and economic expansion, to be confined to the borders of Guyana. That is why I say consistently that our market is not our population. Our market is far wider than our population,” he emphasised.
Highlighting Guyana’s strategic geographic position, Ali underscored the importance of understanding where the country fits in the international and regional hub of economic activity. He said understanding the advantage of the country’s geographic position is key to its long-term development, growth, and economic expansion.
According to the Guyanese leader, investments being made in building out the country’s infrastructure connectivity network are central to positioning Guyana as a regional hub. In fact, he cited the planned development of a deep-water port facility as one catalytic piece of investment that would centre the country as the perfect point for regional integration.
“It would position us in the centre of a massive economic and structural development at regional and international scale. This investment is linked to Brazil, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Venezuela, Colombia, the rest of the Caribbean, Panama, DR (Dominican Republic), and the US.”
“This port allows us to integrate our economic opportunities and our market opportunities with Brazil, Suriname, French Guiana, Venezuela, Colombia, and the Caribbean. And importantly, it positions Guyana now as part of the international logistics hub with Panama, DR, and the US. We are now central to the infrastructure discourse…of the region, of North America and of the Caribbean. That is what this one investment advances us to,” the President posited.
The Guyana Government is eyeing the construction of the deep-water port facility in Berbice, Region Six – a project that could be pegged between US$1 billion and US$2 billion.
American company Bechtel is conducting the feasibility study. However, the initial pre-front-end engineering and design work had hit a financing snag with the previous arrangements, but the Government has stepped in and has even brought on new international investors.
Just last month, President Ali assured that the feasibility study should be completed by December.
He told reporters on the side-lines of the Caribbean Shipping Association’s 56th Annual General Meeting and Conference in Georgetown that the US Export-Import (EXIM) Bank, the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) and the Qatar Investment Authority are among partners that have expressed interest in funding the project and are currently being engaged.
The Head of State said during Thursday’s address at the GuyExpo opening that the massive investment in the Berbice deep-water port is being supported by several smaller port and waterfront developments being pursued across the country.
These include the billions of dollars already being invested in the Demerara waterfront facilities.
Another important connection is the US$20 million Parika Modern Port and Waterfront Development Project, which is currently under construction. With a completion set for 2028, this project will transform the old Parika ferry stelling into an international port of entry and a major regional hub for tourism, agriculture, and shipping.
Moreover, other port developments have been planned for Port Kaituma in Region One, Bartica in Region Seven, and Supenaam in Region Two. These, according to President Ali, will be connected to the road network being built out that spans several regions across the country and will create a ring development with the Berbice deep-water port as the central point.
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