Guyana’s private sector ‘behind’ on tech solutions; Jamaican firms could help – Ramsaroop

Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer, believes the local private sector has been slow to adopt technology solutions, and as such, foreign partners may be well-positioned to provide much-needed support.

Ramsaroop, who heads the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), made the remarks during an information exchange event hosted at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown, for a visiting Jamaican export and investment business mission.

At the event, he outlined the government’s plans to transform Guyana through various digital ventures. Information and Communication Technology (ICT), he noted, is one sector that requires “large partners.”

However, he pointed to wider opportunities beyond the public sector.

“What’s missing is a lot of our private sector companies are behind on the technology side… so don’t just look for work in the government sector,” the Chief Investment Officer told the visiting delegation.

There is already at least one firm offering tech solutions locally. DynamIQ, a joint venture between Guyana’s ENet and the Caribbean’s Memory Bank Computers, was launched last year to provide tailored solutions to clients’ technology needs.

Meanwhile, Ramsaroop also said that Guyana is on track to become more competitive in the manufacturing sector, particularly as electricity costs are expected to decrease with the implementation of the new Wales Gas-to-Energy project. He urged the visiting business leaders to explore opportunities in that and other sectors.

The Jamaican delegation—now on its fourth such visit in recent years—is in Guyana to explore investment prospects. Jamaica’s Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Aubyn Hill, is leading the mission.

Minister Hill said the companies represented span a wide range of sectors, including ICT, manufacturing, education, law, construction, and healthcare. He added that all are eager to invest in Guyana.

In making the case for Jamaican-Guyanese business partnerships, Hill also highlighted his country’s economic stability in contrast to some other Caribbean nations. He suggested that Jamaica is a sound and reliable business partner for Guyana.