A two day, Guyana investment conference opened today with the goal of maximising opportunities for investment here.
Over this period it is expected that stakeholders would cover a range of topics including but not limited to the challenges and opportunities to investing in Guyana, investment promotion and protection, corporate governance and security.
Experts in these fields are also expected to give presentations on pre-determined subjects centred on these topics.
Chairman of the conference, Canadian High Commissioner David Devine said he hopes the conference would be the catalyst to improve the local investment climate.
However, he noted that a simple promotion will not result in the level of investment but sound economic fundamentals would. Also present was Caribbean Development Bank President Dr William Warren Smith.
Dr. Smith spoke of Guyana’s progress in recent times including the seven year positive economic growth and poverty reduction.
However, he noted that there are still areas for improvement; citing the recent World Bank “Doing Business” survey that ranked Guyana 114/185 participants.
This number, the CDB president said was low for the Latin America and Caribbean region but added that that these kinds of publications are merely to be used as guides to better understand investors’ behaviour.
What is needed he said are open-minded policy makers to assess all the relevant factors and take appropriate correct measures in a timely way. [Delicia Fletcher]
