GCCI President calls for strengthened regional Private-Sector collaboration at Trinidad Energy Chamber event

– says non-tariff barriers, port congestion-related shipping delays for Guyanese
consumers must be addressed

President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Kathy Smith, addressed the Trinidad Energy Chamber’s Post-AGM Networking Session, where she encouraged closer regional cooperation within the Private Sector.
Smith delivered the keynote address at the event, held at the Hilton Hotel in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and also participated in a panel discussion alongside Dr Thackwray “Dax” Driver, President and CEO of the Energy Chamber of T&T; Mala Baliraj, Chairperson of the Energy Chamber of T&T; Gary Frost, Managing Director of Rig Bound; Sasha Addo, Managing Director of L&S Surveying Services; and Richard Thompson, Director of New Business Development at IRP Fire & Safety Ltd.

During her remarks, the GCCI President strongly advocated for the removal of non-tariff barriers affecting Guyanese exporters seeking to access the Trinidadian market. She further highlighted the urgent need to resolve port congestion in Trinidad, which has resulted in shipment delays to Guyana.
Addressing the Trinidadian private sector, Smith stated, “We are neighbours, we are partners, and increasingly, we are part of the same energy story – one that is transforming the face of our economies, our businesses, and our people.”
She highlighted Guyana’s transformative development over the last several years as a result of the emergence of its oil and gas sector and the opportunities this has created for businesses.
Smith also noted the GCCI’s role in supporting Guyanese companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, to enter the sector’s supply chain.
“When Caribbean businesses connect and collaborate, we all rise together. Trinidad and Tobago has long been the energy capital of the Caribbean. You have the expertise, the infrastructure, and the experience that the region can learn from,” she said.
“In Guyana, we’ve already seen the benefits of Trinidadian investment – your companies bring speed, technical knowledge, and a wealth of experience that strengthens our ecosystem. But partnership must be a two-way street. As we grow our own capacity, Guyanese firms are also looking outward – for opportunities to supply, to service, and to partner right here in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Smith underscored that the region is at a pivotal moment – one where strategic action can build resilient, diversified economies; strengthen manufacturing, agriculture, technology, and human capital; and ensure shared prosperity for all Caribbean citizens.
“The Caribbean’s strength has always been its people – resourceful, resilient, and ready to rise. The oil beneath our seas is valuable, yes – but the real resource lies in the partnerships we build, the trust we forge, and the opportunities we create for each other,” she emphasised.
The GCCI and the Trinidad Energy Chamber committed to establishing a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at advancing private-sector collaboration between both countries.