(Jamaica Observer) An eight-person Jamaican “mini” trade mission is now in Guyana for a five-day series of briefings by public sector entities, as well as business-to-business meetings with private sector leaders there.
The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) is collaborating with its Guyana counterpart at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) to arrange meetings with potential business partners.
The Jamaican team, which will be led by JCC President Lloyd Distant Jr, will comprise representatives of enterprises engaged in the provision of ICT services, legal services (especially alternative dispute resolution), construction, training, back-office services, food retail, pharmaceuticals and skills certification.
As mission leader, Distant says the visit is timely to explore the scope for deepening business linkages — pointing to recent economic developments in Guyana such as the discovery of oil. He is emphasising that over the next several years Guyana is projected to be the fastest-growing economy in the entire hemisphere and one of the fastest-growing worldwide.
In addition, the mission leader is encouraging the local business community to look at Guyana not only as an export market for Jamaican goods and services, but also as a source for a range of goods as well as an investment location.
On Friday the mission members were briefed on key aspects of Guyana’s economy and culture by Guyana’s Honorary Consul to Jamaica Indera Persaud.
The Jamaican firms being represented on the mission include Business Works Collective, Jamaica International Arbitration Centre, Charles O’ Connor Consulting Network, Distant Enterprises, PA Benjamin, Reshi Roma Foods, tTech and Vertis Technology.
The mission members will return to Jamaica on Friday January 31.
For its part the GCCI is pointing to the regional interest, which continues to grow in Guyana, with the Jamaican trade mission, which aims to form business-to-business connections with local companies.
During their time in Guyana the Jamaican trade mission will be introduced to various local businesses with the help of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association, the Private Sector Commission, and other regional chambers of commerce.
