Guyana’s Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud has recently met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Export Development of Grenada, Joseph Andall, to discuss enhanced bilateral cooperation between the two countries in several areas.
Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and Grenada’s Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development Minister, Joseph Andall
During the engagement between these two regional officials, held in St George’s, Grenada,
Foreign Secretary Persaud lauded the Guyana-Grenada relations, and highlighted the need for enhanced collaboration in regional integration efforts within the Caribbean Community (Caricom).
He also addressed Grenada’s support for President Dr Irfaan Ali’s regional food security agenda, which would see countries within Caricom aiming to reduce their food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025. President Ali is currently leading the Caribbean’s food security drive.
The issues faced by Guyanese living in Grenada were also discussed in the meeting.
During his visit to this Caribbean island-state, the Foreign Secretary met with members of the Guyanese diaspora, some of whom had migrated from Guyana since the 1970s and 1980s. Grenada has a small Guyanese population which has been contributing to the services and education sectors of that country.
At the meeting, Persaud also emphasised the opportunities and developments currently ongoing in Guyana, as well as the benefits and importance of the collective diaspora. The Foreign Secretary used the opportunity to encourage the Guyanese Diaspora to return home and take advantage of the abundance of opportunities available, so that they, too, can contribute to the country’s development.
Back in July, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell – a lawyer-turned-politician, who was elected to office in June – had said that the island nation is looking to learn from Guyana’s experience in the development of its own oil and gas sector. Grenada is currently pursuing exploration activities in the hopes of striking oil to propel its development.
Drawing inspiration from Guyana’s rapid development of its petroleum industry, PM Mitchell told the News Room during an interview in July that he is confident of his country’s oil and gas potential. Moreover, the Grenadian Head of State had also expressed interest in collaborating with Guyana in a number of other areas.
“I spent a lot of time discussing with President Ali some of the major areas I think we can cooperate on… As you know, he is very keen on food security, agriculture, and agro-processing; that is one area that we are very keen on in Grenada, and that is a natural area for us to cooperate on,” the Prime Minister told the Guyanese news agency.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary lobbying for the return of the Guyanese Diaspora is a repeat of calls being made by President Ali to ensure that nationals play an integral role in Guyana’s rapidly advancing and unprecedented developmental trajectory.
