Construction, machinery high-potential investment opportunities – Guyana, UK businesses told

Machinery, construction, and other specialist sectors have emerged as high-potential areas for expanded investment from the United Kingdom, according to Chris Bennet, Managing Director of the Caribbean Council, a London-based membership organisation working to build beneficial relationships and two-way trade and investment between international companies and their Caribbean and Central American partners.

He made these remarks on Tuesday during the fifth British Trade Mission to Guyana, which brings together more than 18 participating British companies for a week of commercial exploration and public-private partnership building.
In his address to the gathering, Bennet underscored the rapid evolution of Guyana’s opportunity landscape, recalling his earliest engagements in the country, noting that during his first visit discussions centred primarily on mining, timber, and forestry opportunities, long before hydrocarbons dominated investment discourse. However, with first oil production commencing around 2020 and the inaugural UK-led trade delegation soon after, the country’s development intent became immediately clear.
He highlighted Guyana’s hands-on approach, characterised by visible infrastructure delivery, strong Government-private sector alignment, and national leadership set on accelerating development.
“It’s one thing to have the revenues and the opportunity from the oil, but it’s quite something else to actually make something happen with it. And I think that we can all see that that is what is happening. Things are getting done. And it’s a testament both to the private sector and to the Government that they are working closely together, they have a vision, they have leadership, and they are really delivering for the people of Guyana.

As I’ve been coming here on the last five years on this yearly cycle with the different trade delegations, and we come and the roads have been built, the bridges have been built, the hotels have been built, the oil gas to shore pipeline has been built, new hospitals have been built. It’s impressive,” he said with optimism.
Bennet linked the size of this year’s delegation to heightened investor confidence, enthusiasm about Guyana’s trajectory, and the recognition that the UK holds clear competitive advantages in specialist-skill transfer, advanced equipment deployment, and infrastructure-driven commerce.
With this in mind, he shared several specialist sectors open to investment in Guyana, which have the potential to boost partnership between the two nations.
“Because of the nature of what’s happening here in Guyana, we can see that there are specialist areas where perhaps the UK can bring specialist equipment, specialist skills, financing for some of the projects that you want to undertake. And we’ve brought a number of companies that are involved in the construction space or infrastructure space, companies including Reed Steel, Rainbow, ITT, Agreco, Ellipse and NSG. And you’ll find there’s a very helpful brochure talking about all of them, which is free to access at the end if you’re interested.”
“The other area of major success in Guyana has been through investment in people, through education and a meaningful local content law. And we’re bringing with us two companies from the education space, which can bring new global best-in-class training and educational opportunities for within the reach of ordinary Guyanese people to give them the skills and qualifications they need to operate in the economy of the future. And so those two companies are NCUK and Rosetta Stone,” he explained.
As British firms pursue expanded footholds, Bennet pointed to one critical marker of success already evident: 40 percent of UK companies currently operating in Guyana are not only thriving but have already secured local partners and established formal in-country operations, strengthening long-term commercial integration and investment permanence.
Bennet closed by reiterating that with direct shipping services now active and air routes connecting the UK and Guyana like never before, the partnership is closer than ever, and the environment for investment is blossoming.