President Dr Irfaan Ali has urged members of the diaspora to take advantage of investment and other opportunities offered in Budget 2026, as the country continues to experience unprecedented development across all sectors.
During a roundtable discussion that was streamed live following the presentation of Budget 2026 on Monday, the Head of State outlined how the Government’s fiscal plan for the year provides avenues for skilled diaspora professionals and investors to participate meaningfully in the country’s transformational journey.
For instance, he highlighted how Guyanese living overseas with certification in elderly care can return home and get Government support to open up thriving businesses in that field.
“You have many Guyanese over there who have worked all their life and they have the certification in elderly care. Here’s the opportunity to come here now. The Government will even co-invest with you. You have the opportunity now to have tax-free earning because we’re removing the corporate tax to build out those facilities: care for the elderly, children care facility, owning local hospitals, no corporate tax,” he explained.
Budget 2026 makes provision for the removal of corporate tax for companies that provide childcare and elderly care services, and it also provides $1.5 billion to support co-investment in child and elderly care facilities on the condition that companies benefiting from the support agree on a capped rate for these services.
Meanwhile, President Ali also pointed out that there are opportunities for persons not interested in returning home but who want to invest in impactful local projects.
“In Budget 2026, we are pointing to specific initiatives where you don’t need to come back now. You can invest in it and earn. The fertiliser plant, the gas bottling plant – we have the building out of consortiums. And when we increase that list of opportunities that will be added to local content, that’s another opportunity that is ahead of us,” he outlined.
Moreover, the President encouraged members of the diaspora who are interested in making investments in Guyana to stay abreast of the projects that are unfolding, emphasising the importance of forming consortiums.
“Take for example, we launched this project for hinterland airstrips to finance and build. You may have a group or consortium who can come and work with the local contractors to provide the financing and build the airport at the interest rate. Many persons in the diaspora will tell you they’re managing funds. Here’s an opportunity to deploy that management of whatever fund you’re managing with the local contractor. That’s open to the public. It’s a public expression of interest. Take another example, the Lethem development. If you have 500 persons in the diaspora who can come together in a consortium and raise the fund for that development of that new airport and everything around it that we’re going to put… Like the diaspora from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, you name it, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana… Many of their large transformative projects are driven by a consortium of the diaspora coming together, wanting to take the risk, and making a calculated decision that ‘this is a business; it will have risks, but we have to invest in that risk’. And that is where I think a lot of emphasis must be placed,” he emphasised.
Beyond investments, the Head of State explained that as Guyana continues to build out world-class healthcare and education sectors, the country is a prime destination for those seeking to return home to work, study, or seek medical care.
“…it’s the opportunities that are here, whether you’re a doctor, nurse. Yes, the salary might not be where you are over there, [but] quality of life has a value; the propensity to save has a value. And we know that it’s only going to get better,” President Ali posited.
On the issue of accommodation, however, he emphasised that the Government does not have the capacity to service the entirety of the diaspora’s housing requirements but noted that opportunities exist in the private sector.
“We can’t service all of the diaspora housing requirement from the Ministry of Housing. Just like they went overseas, they have to appreciate the fact that when you return home, you have to buy from the private sector. You may have to rent for the first six years. You can’t return and expect that you’re going to walk into a house. So, you may have to rent back to own. Just like you would have migrated and went through a phase of development,” he noted.
In his previous engagements with members of the diaspora, President Ali has always emphasised that the country is prepared to welcome Guyanese home. “Whether you decide to return permanently or whether you simply want to invest, mentor, share expertise or visit for a few months each year, we are ready for you,” he had expressed in September 2025 whilst addressing members of the diaspora in New York.
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