Latest update March 11th, 2025 10:55 AM
Fruits of our labour will soon be realized – GCCI
– touts relations with foreign counterparts
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (GCCI) is becoming more proactive. The Chamber is fostering relations with a number of chambers of commerce in the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and North America. According to GCCI’s Executive Director, Kirk Hollingsworth, the fruit of the chamber’s labour will soon be realized.
He spoke of these endeavours at GCCI’s most recent press conference.
“As a Chamber we are taking a different approach to development in Guyana. We see ourselves as a legitimate partner with government, in terms of the development paradigm of Guyana.”
Hollingsworth said that GCCI’s approach will not be just grandstanding and make positions known. However, he was keen to note that “we will at times make constructive criticism as any good partner would do with government”.
Hollingsworth said that the GCCI believes that the private sector has much to offer.
“There has been lots of talk about Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) not coming to Guyana and we will be doing our part to address that.”
In this regard, Hollingsworth told the media that GCCI is presently in talks with the Cuban Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He said that negotiations are aimed in the direction of having more structured business relations with Cubans.
“We are in talks about them coming to Guyana and doing some seminars about doing business with Cubans. We are seeing an increasing number of Cubans in the streets of Georgetown and we would like to collaborate to ensure that there is more structured participation by Cubans in Guyana.”
GCCI’s Executive Director, Kirk Hollingsworth
Further, Hollingsworth said that the GCCI is also in talks with Trinidad and Tobago’s Chamber of Commerce. He said that they are looking to have the Trinidadian Chamber host a trade mission from Guyana “to work with the Trinidadian companies across a range of sectors and see where there are synergies, so we can get Trinidadian companies ready to enter long term relationships with Guyanese companies.”
The Executive Director said that the relation with Belize’s Chamber of Commerce has already been made. Further, he said “we are talking to trade associations in Europe, Asia and the United States of America”.
Hollingsworth told the media that these partnering ventures are all part of GCCI’s efforts to collaborate with the government and ensure the development agenda and FDIs.
“What we are saying to overseas investors coming is, please do not see Guyana as just a quick win or a quick term objective. Look to come to Guyana, partner with local companies, and work for the long term benefit of Guyana and the investors here,” Hollingsworth emphasised.
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