President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali capped a busy schedule of engagements at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, with a direct message to Guyanese private sector leaders and diaspora members, declaring that Guyana is open for business.
The president said too that partnership is the vehicle that will drive potential business with Guyana forward.
The Guyana Night was one of several events the president addressed during Guyana’s high profile presence at OTC, where he said the country’s message was not simply about showcasing itself, but about presenting a global model it wants the world to adopt.
Speaking to a room of investors, business leaders, and diaspora members, President Ali once again laid out Guyana’s most expansive vision of broad economic diversification, where revenues from oil and gas are being reinvested across multiple sectors.
“The work that we have been doing as a collective has shown that Guyana is not only an investment destination but it’s a destination of confidence, a destination of trust, a destination of profitability, a destination of predictability, ” he said.
The president highlighted key investment opportunities across energy, agriculture, food security, tourism, digital infrastructure, and the orange economy.
These, he said, will allow Guyana to “future proof” its economy.
Among the initiatives, he outlined, are the development of hyperscale data centres, the construction of a deepwater port, gold mining operations that will each require 85 megawatts of power, and an upcoming state visit from the President of the Dominican Republic aimed at deeper regional economic integration.
On the cultural and entertainment front, President Ali pointed to investments in stadiums, a new airport terminal, an art centre and gallery, the Palmyra cultural market, and a push into motor racing and horse racing as part of a deliberate strategy to grow the orange economy and make Guyana a destination for major global events.
Central to all of it, he said, is partnership with the local private sector, with the diaspora, and with international investors.
“We believe that through partnership we can create win-win scenarios,” President Ali said. He made it clear however, that opportunities must also translate into ownership and meaningful participation for Guyanese.
The president also had a direct message for the diaspora, urging them to invest in Brand Guyana and resist the pull of criticism from the outside.
“Brand Guyana is larger, more important than any one of us,” he said, stating that. “That is what we want to succeed.”
The Guyanese head of state closed with a call for focus and urgency, reminding the gathering that while much has been achieved, the harder work lies ahead.