No bribes or illegal dealings when doing business with US companies – Ambassador

As international partners increasingly seek business opportunities in Guyana, US Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot has highlighted the advantages of local firms partnering with American companies, noting that such partnerships promote strict standards of transparency, accountability and ethical business practices.
Speaking during a panel discussion hosted by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) on Tuesday, the diplomat acknowledged that the “competition here in Guyana is pretty intense”.
“That’s a good thing; that’s what you want. It means that you have a choice in partners, in international partners. It’s not just US companies coming here,” she noted.
However, according to the envoy, American companies stand out from their competitors in several key areas, particularly their commitment to ethical business practices, transparency and accountability. She noted that stringent US laws and regulations establish robust safeguards against bribery and other forms of illegal activity.
“There are private companies that have to answer to their customers, to their shareholders, and to US regulators. There are a lot of people that US companies have to answer to, so you know what you’re getting when you work with a US company. They’re competing on quality, and they’re holding themselves to a very high standard because they have to,” she explained.
“There are built-in checks and balances that everyone can see so that you are never taken by surprise. If you don’t know, it’s because you didn’t want to know or you didn’t pay attention. US companies are extremely transparent, and that is something that we are very proud of. We have incredibly stringent laws that do not allow US companies to, for example, take bribes or to be involved in anything nefarious like that. Everything is super clear when you’re dealing with a US company,” she added.
Ambassador Theriot also highlighted the strong relationship between Guyana and the United States, beyond commerce.
“We share a hemisphere, and so we share security issues, whether it be narco-trafficking, whether it be aggressive neighbours, whatever the case may be, a safer more prosperous Guyana is a good thing for the United States and vice versa…and a safer more prosperous Guyana and United States make supply chains more resilient,” the Ambassador expressed.
But even when it comes to commerce, she pointed out that the US is Guyana’s largest source of foreign direct investment.
“It isn’t like we’re a new country coming in, wanting to take advantage of Guyana’s transformation and newfound oil wealth; we have been with you for a long time. “We’re your largest source of FDI, and we’re your most important trading partner, and it’s not just because I say that; it’s because if you look at the numbers, it is indeed the case,” Ambassador Theriot highlighted.
In fact, she noted that apart from the big investors like ExxonMobil, thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises are exporting to Guyana daily.
Additionally, the US Ambassador noted that American companies not only bring capital to Guyana but also create employment opportunities and help upskill the local workforce.
“We don’t bring our own people for the most part. If we can find the skilled workers here, we always, always want that to be the option, and if we can’t, we are going to take them along with us; we are going to provide the skills and training,” she posited.