Guyana’s leader announces projects with Barbados that will benefit all

Barbados and Guyana have embarked on a slew of initiatives and projects that Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali has suggested will help twin the countries’ economies, including marketing the two as a single tourism product.

In revealing several ongoing and planned partnerships, Dr Ali said they were hoping to develop a “winning formula” for all involved.
He made the comments while delivering the feature address at the launch of this year’s Agrofest in Queen’s Park, The City.

While disclosing that more than 150 Guyanese and 55 companies were participating in this year’s festival, President Ali said that was just the start of what he expected to be a very fruitful relationship between the two countries.

“This is only the beginning, I assure you. This relationship will get stronger and better and create a win-win position for Guyana and Barbados,” he said to rapturous applause.

“….We want a holistic approach to this relationship and this development so that we create economic prosperity in every sector and in everything that we do together as one country, Guyana and Barbados.”

The Guyanese leader pointed out that the agriculture and tourism sectors, in particular, we’re in for a big boost.

“We are here to celebrate Agrofest with you. We are here to launch a number of initiatives. As I speak to you, young people from Barbados are in Guyana receiving training in the agricultural sector, shade house development, shade house management, and they will return here to build shade houses, and to manage shade houses, and to participate in the agricultural process.

“At the same time, our Minister of Tourism and your Minister of Tourism are discussing ways in which you can help us to train 6 000 young Guyanese in the hospitality sector. We don’t need to look beyond the region, we know the strength that you have in tourism and hospitality and we are working with you so that you can support us in building this sector as the need is growing in Guyana,” he said.

The President said Guyana was working to create a direct tourism link between northern Brazil and Barbados and had offered space to Barbados in Guyana’s Consulate Office in the inner state of Alima.

He also revealed plans to merge the two countries’ tourism products by marketing jointly as a singular brand.

“We are looking at creating a winning formula for both Guyana and Barbados; that is the objective. In all of this, we want to build prosperity, we want to build prosperity and improve livelihood options for every single family in Barbados and Guyana,” he maintained.

He said along with Guyana supporting Barbados’ Black Belly Sheep programme, it was providing 50 acres of land to be owned by young Barbadians.

Additionally, President Ali said plans were in the works to launch a Guyana-Barbados gold market, a housing programme and to drive capital formation between the two countries.

In her brief address, Prime Minister Mia Mottley said a shrimp and prawn farming project would also be established.

She gave the assurance that Guyana and Barbados had established a strong platform on which to grow.

“Whether it is in the area of agriculture and food security, whether it is in the area of housing, whether it is in the area of the logistics, whether it is in the area of the gold exchange, whatever it is, we have recognised that in this world you are not going to be able to succeed if we try on our own…and that is why regional unity is needed now more than ever, if we are to turn the corner and to move away from these multiple crises,” Mottley said. randybennett@barbadostoday.bb