Local businesses eye investment opportunities at BritCham Guyana’s launch in London

Some 40 Guyanese businesses are slated to attend the official launch of the British Chamber of Commerce Guyana (BritCham Guyana) in Central London on September 11.

These companies are hoping that their attendance will allow them to tap into untouched areas in the United Kingdom market, especially as it relates to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and agriculture.
Among them are Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company (GTT), Gafoors, Farfan and Mendes, Nextech, Caribbean Travel Specialists, and Giftland Group.
BritCham already has a presence in Guyana following its launch here in 2023, but the new office in London promises to foster an open networking environment wherein companies can engage and discuss issues impacting their businesses and UK-Guyana trade.
As a result, the launch event promises to be an engaging and insightful occasion, bringing together key stakeholders from government, industry, and academia to explore opportunities for trade, investment, and partnership between the UK and Guyana.
During a brief press conference on Tuesday, Chief Investment Officer and Head of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop highlighted that BritCham Guyana would provide its members with increased access to, and knowledge of, each market; investment opportunities; expert and technical skills; advisory services; a wide range of industry, policy, and regulatory insights across sectors; and competitive pricing
This he believes has the potential to further deepen bilateral trade and investment between the United Kingdom and Guyana.
“What we are looking for from the British is knowledge in the ICT sector. We believe that with Artificial Intelligence coming in place, Guyana could be a data center hub and we are going to have gas to do high power. We are looking more rapidly into the manufacturing sector as the gas comes to shore and energy cost goes down which country best to be speaking to like Great Britian and England as a whole,” Dr. Ramsaroop said.
“What we hope this event will bring is partnership and that’s why we are ensuring that our local businesses get a chance to go up and be there and be ready to partner with a British company to exercise their investment opportunities in Guyana,” he added.
BritCham Guyana is an independent non-profit chamber that works closely with the British High Commission in Georgetown and with Government departments in the UK to support advocacy work in both countries.
As a result, attendees can expect thought-provoking discussions, networking opportunities, and firsthand insights into the economic landscape of Guyana and its potential for British businesses.
Topics of discussion would include opportunities in energy, infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, and other key industries that are driving Guyana’s economic development.
British High Commissioner to Guyana Jane Miller said companies in the United Kingdom have already signaled interest in exploring Guyana’s market, with few disclosing plans to bring technological innovation here.
“The UK is one of the greatest innovation hubs in the world whether you are looking at all kinds of technology from IT to Science and research. So, UK and Guyana we see this being a great opportunity particularly this event to see how we can grow and promote the Guyana market in the UK. BritCham has already been a great opportunity for networking, it enables businesses to get to know one another, seek opportunities and also helps one another in terms of navigating business environments,” she revealed.
Guyana is the UK’s largest trading partner in the Caribbean, in fact, total trade in goods and services between the UK and Guyana has reached an impressive £1.6 billion in the four quarters leading up to the end of 2023.
According to reports from its Department of Business and Trade, a substantial increase of 312.5 per cent or £1.2 billion in current prices was recorded compared to the same period in 2022.