Latest update January 13th, 2025 1:43 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Dubai Expo

Oct 24, 2021 Editorial

Kaieteur News – Aladdin had his magic carpet ride. Guyana’s President Ali went to Dubai and took a whole lot of people along for a ride. And what a ride it was in the buffeting sands of a place carved out of the desert.
World Expo 2020 was the stage and President Ali took to the stage, like one of those old-time door-to-door salesman. He is getting better as a salesman, like a duck taking to water, all sales pitch in a torrent of gushing words that delight listening ears and captivate hearts. Come to Guyana and invest, we have everything to give, and we don’t demand much of those who come to take more than they give. Those are heavenly hymns, and there was no better, no more thrillingly competing, commercial than Guyana in Dubai at the Expo.
We question is, why President Ali thinks, he and his people, that Guyana needs to be sold to anyone. We have oil and in the billions of barrels, with more to come, and that alone sells itself. Look at all those American and European and Chinese companies and investors falling over themselves to rush to Guyana. Those that hurry here to latch on to as big a piece of this country’s rich, sweet action as they can get, compliments of weak, unwise political leaders, who have also earned a reputation for doing dirty business, and under a thick blanket of secrecy.
That is Guyana’s own Expo, now well known to the world, and President Ali didn’t have to travel all the way to Dubai to deliver that slick sales job. The President spoke of Guyana as a hub, just like the CJIA has been identified by Guyanese politicians as a hub. Each time, Guyanese leaders mention hub, Guyanese always end up getting shafted.
It is a record of how governments conduct the business of this country. He could have spared himself the trip and devoted himself to being truly transparent on how this nation’s oil wealth is being managed. He could have spared Guyanese taxpayers the heavy expense of his bloated entourage on a junket to sell what does not need to be sold, because it sells itself.
This country has opportunities all over: upstream, downstream, midstream and, sometimes, where there is no stream at all. Talk of technology and we need it. Speak of expertise and we are desperately short of it. Mention money, and banks line up to lend us since we have prime collateral: oil wealth, other natural resources wealth, agricultural wealth to be tapped, and infrastructure wealth to be built.
We need healthcare, daycare, and elder care. We need a brand-new capital city, ports and a real airport. Regarding the latter, we have not a white elephant, but a dinosaur that is already a museum piece. We have to get above the floodwaters and out of our shoes, which means projects and business waiting for the taking.
When putting a kind face on the visit, Guyana’s President could be regarded as an open-ended invitation: Come and do business with us, as we have red carpets ready to make the process smooth; there are these rich upsides to investing and having a footprint in Guyana. When looked at critically, it is as if the President is begging for people to come here and set up shop, as though we are some charity case looking for a handout. Nothing could be more remote from the facts that are of today’s Guyana.
Those who don’t know about Guyana need not bother to come, for they haven’t done their homework and will lose out. Those that have to be enticed to come here and invest are going to look upon it as making unwanted solicitations best left alone. We must not look this desperate, not when we are overflowing with wealth.
For sure, we are open to reciprocally beneficial partnerships, and if there are those from the investing world who have to trek to the glittering metropolis of Dubai to learn about Guyana’s prospects, then they may not be the best partners. The go-getters are already here: Trinidad, China, America, Europe, and elsewhere. A Guyana does not go to Dubai. Those going to Dubai come to us.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 10th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Kennard Memorial Turf Club releases Race dates for 2025

Kennard Memorial Turf Club releases Race dates for 2025

Jan 13, 2025

Kaieteur Sports – The prestigious Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) situated at Bush Lot Farm Corentyne Berbice has released its racing dates for the year 2025. The club which is one of the...
Read More
Region Six Education Department Renews Golf Initiative with Guyana Golf Association

Region Six Education Department Renews Golf...

Jan 13, 2025

Savory, Persaud show class ahead of Regional C/ships with fifties

Savory, Persaud show class ahead of Regional...

Jan 12, 2025

Spectators experience and playing standards high on the agenda says Minister Ramson

Spectators experience and playing standards high...

Jan 12, 2025

Archery Guyana’s 2024 Senior Barebow Open Officially Declared Open

Archery Guyana’s 2024 Senior Barebow Open...

Jan 12, 2025

Body of Chinese national who fell from new Demerara River bridge recovered

Body of Chinese national who fell from new...

Jan 11, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]