The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) along with representatives from three Government institutions will be travelling to Aberdeen, Scotland next month to engage businesses and various organizations in the major UK petroleum industry.
The announcement was made on Thursday afternoon at a press conference held by the GCCI and British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn at the Chamber’s office on Waterloo Street, Georgetown.
GCCI’s President, Deodat Indar said the aim is to form lasting partnerships which will “shorten the learning curve and allow local companies who are fledgeling to some extent when it comes to the oil and gas industry, to become part of the suppliers’ network of the oil and gas industry.”
The trade visit will run from November 25 – 29.
The visit will include nine businesses and representatives from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), the University of Guyana and other government agencies.
Meetings are expected to be held with the UK’s oil and gas association, Energy Industries Council and the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce.
“We believe that once institutions trust each other, the members from those institutions will trust each other and they will work easier with each other,” Indar added.
He noted that the Chamber is also hoping to sign several agreements during the visit.
The visit will be led by Head of the Petroleum sub-committee of the GCCI, Nicholas Boyer who told the media that the expectation is to grow the UK-Guyana trade.
“You either get cross-investment or technology transfer… but we need to build that bridge,” Boyer said.
Other companies interested in the mission are encouraged to join.
A representative from Aberdeen, Francis Kiernan welcomed the visit. He noted that the intention is to “reconnect both diplomatic and businesses.”
“We also intend to connect the industry here with the oil and gas authority which is the regulator which will allow the Department of Energy (in Guyana) to see firsthand from a friendly state…what the arrangements need to be in terms of regulating the industry offshore,” he said.
British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn pointed out that as a result of the visit, collaborations can be formed in areas other than oil and gas.
He pointed to the UK’s city success in building its petroleum industry while expanding infrastructure and agriculture so it is not dependent on one economic activity.
“Aberdeen has not turned into a one-industry town,” he said –something which is feared by some in Guyana as all efforts are focused on the development of the oil and gas industry.
The High Commissioner also disclosed that a UK trade mission will be visiting Guyana in January 2019 to foster more partnerships here.
