Part of why the United Kingdom (UK) is so strong in the defence of Guyana’s territorial integrity is because it wants to guarantee business confidence in Guyana remains, the British Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories David Rutley said on Monday.
And according to him, UK businesses have not been deterred from doing business in Guyana despite recent aggressions from Venezuela.
“My understanding is that long-standing businesses that have been based in Guyana have been absolutely steadfast and there is still interest from businesses to come here as well,” Rutley told the News Room when asked about the impact of Venezuela’s aggressions on UK business interest during an engagement on Monday.
“And it is important for us to show people that there is strong international support for Guyana to continue to push investment interest,” he added.
Earlier in December, following declarations from Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali made it clear that Guyana is resolving the border controversy through a process backed by international law and the international community and as such, citizens nor those who invest here have anything to fear.
Before the interview, Mr. Rutley met President Dr. Irfaan Ali, members of the Guyanese government and private sector players.
The discussions focused on the continuation and expansion of the relationship between the UK and Guyana, especially in areas of sustainable and economic development and security, a release from Guyana’s Office of the President said.
Mr. Rutley explained that there is significant business interest here and that interest has been growing steadily over the past several years.
“I think there are real opportunities,” he said.
Agriculture technology, sustainable food production and increasing trade generally are some of the key opportunities UK businesses are eyeing, according to the minister.
Earlier this year, British High Commissioner to Guyana Jane Miller said 25% of the trade in the Caribbean occurs between Guyana and the UK. Last year, the exchange of goods and services between the two countries amounted to approximately £1.2 billion.
