Diaspora should invest in Guyana – Granger

President David Granger on Sunday afternoon while addressing Buxtonians urged the Guyanese Diaspora to invest in their homeland.

The gas station that opened in Buxton on Sunday
The gas station that opened in Buxton on Sunday

The call was made as villagers gathered for the grand opening of the Wilson’s Gas Station, located on Buxton Public Road, East Coast Demerara.
The multipurpose service station was built by Morris Wilson, an overseas-based Guyanese, who did not put his country of birth on the backburner but seeks to provide employment for 70 Guyanese, mainly Buxtonians.
Supplied with fuel from the Guyana Oil Company, which is partnering with the owner, the gas station will also house a Churches Chicken outlet, a GTT branch, a Western Union outlet, a Minimart and a medical centre which will employ two doctors.
President Granger applauded this while noting that villages such as Buxton are what nurtured modern Guyana and as such, its development is one which brings great happiness.
He called on the Guyanese Diaspora to invest in their country of origin in order to uplift and move the country forward.
The Head of State further encouraged innovations by Guyanese and urged that they trust in local entrepreneurship since this is needed, “in order for us to move away from those jobs that are available to our Guyanese youths such as going into the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) as the only resort”.
Granger further called for infrastructure to be built in communities that will attract investors to Guyana: “We need more infrastructure in communities countrywide as this will no doubt attract investors to our land.”
The Head of State added that Guyanese especially those that are abroad should think of putting down industries in our communities: “They must think of investing in communities such as these and they should put down industries here.”
Additionally, President Granger once again made the call for Guyanese to rely on local produce not only in Guyana but abroad in support of local farmers and businesses.  In closing the President said: “It is time to make Buxton great again.”
Meanwhile addressing the gathering, the owner of the service station said that he is delighted to have been able to contribute in the way he did to his country even though he has moved aboard.
He pledged his support and willingness to continue to further invest in ways in which he could.
Following the addresses, First Lady Sandra Granger, assisted by a grandchild of Wilson, cut the ribbon, thus opening the service centre.
Also in attendance were former Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green, General Secretary of GTUC, Lincoln Lewis and Director of Sports, Christopher Jones.