Canadian trade mission briefed on Guyana’s non-discriminatory policies, push to strengthen non-oil sectors 

The Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), in collaboration with the Canada–Guyana Chamber of Commerce, on Monday hosted a “Doing Business in Guyana” briefing for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Business Association (Canada) as part of its ongoing trade mission to Guyana.

The session was chaired by GO-Invest’s Senior Manager of Investment, Ms. Rehana Ragoobeer and featured a presentation by Senior Director of Investment, Mr. John Edghill, who outlined Guyana’s investment framework, non-discriminatory policies, and priority development sectors.

With a national budget of approximately US$7.5B and oil revenues of US$2.5B, emphasis was placed on strengthening non-oil sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, tourism, forestry, mining, and specialized services.

Key opportunities were highlighted in agro-processing, valued at approximately US$3B in regional demand and supported by recent tax incentives; housing and construction, with over 15,000 house lots allocated; the Gas-to-Energy project, expected to significantly reduce energy costs and double national generation capacity; and tourism, with projections of up to 3M visitors annually by 2030.

Presentations by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA); Ms. Tanisha Wright, Manager – Tax Advisory and Publication Unit, and Ms. Carolita Richman, Group Leader – Tax Advisory Unit, National Insurance Scheme (NIS); Mrs. Dianne Lewis-Baxter, Public Relations Officer, and Deeds and Commercial Registry; Ms. Chow-Glasglow, alongside private-sector partners GBTI, HLB R. Seebarran & Co., and EXCEL Guyana Inc., provided practical guidance on business registration, compliance, financing, workforce planning, and operational setup.

The session reinforced that Guyana is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation, compressing decades of infrastructure and economic development into a short timeframe.

Investors were encouraged to align with national priorities, partner with credible local institutions, and capitalise on a policy environment designed to support long-term, diversified, and sustainable investment.

The delegation is in Guyana from February 2–6, meeting with key stakeholders across priority sectors.