Noticing the business opportunities afforded the diaspora as Guyana’s oil and gas sector continues to grow, a young Canadian-Guyanese has established his logistics company here and is welcoming businesses and investors to partner with him.
Warehouse Transport Group, Chief Executive Officer Ryan Burrowes, who was born and raised in Canada but holds dual citizenship because both of his parents are Guyanese, yesterday launched a Guyana subsidiary -Warehouse Transport Group Guyana Inc – and said that investing here was an easy decision. This is because he not only saw the potential for high returns from the growing economy but because he had been visiting since he was a child and is au fait with the business atmosphere here and believes it is his way of giving back.
Responding to a call made by Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, to the Canadian business community earlier this year when he was in Canada, Burrowes said he is confident that his operations here will thrive.
“I am proud to be here today, not just to announce that I plan to do business in Guyana but to explain why I wanted to, as I am often asked why do I have a Guyanese passport in addition to my Canadian one,” Burrowes told attendees at the launch of his company, which was held at the Hard Rock Café, MovieTowne Mall, East Coast Demerara.
He explained that his parents instilled in him Guyanese values, and fostered the appreciation for their home country, although they had migrated to Canada some 46 years ago.
Proud of his heritage, Burrowes pointed out that both his paternal and maternal grandfathers were hardworking Guyanese who he emulates today. They were Paul Edward (Eddie) Fredericks, Executive Director of the Sugar Producers Association back in 1966 and Thomas Burrowes, the first Guyanese director of the Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO).
Burrowes’ company that he built from scratch, being the sole employee to now earning nearly Cdn$16 million annually, is a third-party logistics (3PL) one that boasts of creating “customized, competitive supply chain solutions for customers around the world.”
He hopes to build a sister company here with even greater yields, even as he trains locals to also compete in the growing oil and gas sector so that they too can maximize on opportunities.
Burrowes is currently undertaking internal research and is looking for a plot of land to open a cold storage operation, which he said will be a 100-150 square foot facility. For that venture, it is expected that over Cdn$40 million will be invested.
The website for the Guyana branch invites investment here. It states, “With 10 billion barrels of oil and gas confirmed off the coast of Guyana, and strong supply chain links to some of the most accessible ports on the Eastern seaboard of North America, WTG Inc. and WTG Guyana Inc. are well-positioned joint venture partners, ideal for investors looking to develop growth-oriented initiatives in the oil and gas, global logistics and construction sectors.
“Experienced partners with on-the-ground networks in place and an entrepreneurial, get-things-done attitude – WTG is strategically located in Georgetown, Guyana and Eastern Canada. We are growing our project portfolio, and are actively seeking new partnerships,” it adds.
Of its approach, it says, “WTG Guyana plans to build a network of local partnerships that will facilitate knowledge transfer throughout each project, leaving the Guyanese energy sector more skilled and more resilient than it was before. We will go beyond the country’s requirements for local content and partnerships and will ensure that the people of Guyana benefit from all of our endeavours.”
Canadian High Commissioner Mark Berman also attended the event and said that in the year since he first met Burrowes, he is in awe of his “fearless demeanour and positive attitude” and lauded the Canadian Guyanese’s business drive and dedication in building his business to what it is today.
Burrowes’ business acumen, the Canadian envoy reasoned, is the “perfect example” of what he wants to see in Canadian companies and other persons from the diaspora in his country.
Warehouse Transport Group Guyana Inc’s office is located in Kitty, Georgetown.
