“This is your time” – Rodrigues to private investors on opportunity-rich Lethem

Tourism, Industry, and Commerce Minister Susan Rodirgues has expressed surprise by the lack of private investments heading to the township of Lethem in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Essequibo), highlighting the significant opportunities that exist there for successful business ventures.

“It baffles me why we don’t have more investment in Lethem. The transformation that will take place in Region Nine is unimaginable, and I’m surprised that more people are not flocking to Region Nine and making investments in Lethem in particular,” Rodrigues said on Tuesday during a panel discussion hosted by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA).
According to Rodrigues, significant opportunities exist in the township, which borders Brazil, and more investors ought to take advantage.
“This is your time to make your investments; investments will become more expensive in the future. This is the time to start,” she expressed.
“The more investments I see, the more they are going to benefit my tourism industry as well because we still have a lot of the population, for example, on a regular day, much less around Rodeo time and the time when we have events there. And that’s just for tourism. Still, we have a huge market there; Brazil is right there, with a huge opportunity for manufacturing and production,” the Minister added.
Once a remote frontier settlement, Lethem has now evolved into an emerging centre of trade, tourism, and opportunity, linking Guyana’s interior to the coast and, by extension, to global markets.

Investments & connectivity
In fact, the Government is rolling out major infrastructure, healthcare, housing, and economic investments in Lethem.
The planned development of a new regional airport, spanning some 2000 hectares, will further position Lethem as a pivotal gateway for tourism, trade, and regional connectivity. Once operational, this facility is expected to enhance export and import efficiency while opening the Rupununi and its environs to greater investment opportunities.
Additionally, a $181 million business incubator centre and agro-processing facility was recently commissioned in Lethem to drive entrepreneurship, manufacturing, and the growth of small businesses there.
Moreover, the construction is underway for a new Lethem Regional Hospital, to expand access to specialised healthcare services for the population, including residents of Brazil, who are already crossing the border to access healthcare services currently available in the township. The new hospital is planned to include two fully functioning operating theatres and a modern emergency department with a procedure room for minor surgeries. Its diagnostic services are expected to include digital X-ray, portable X-ray, a CT scanner and three ultrasound machines. The facility will also provide laboratory services, specialised outpatient clinics, pharmacy services and two dialysis chairs. Additional features announced for the facility include a digital health control room, paediatric unit, intensive care unit (ICU) and maternity wing.
These investments align with ongoing works to improve road connectivity between Guyana and Brazil to facilitate increased trade, passing through Lethem. Already, works on the first section of the project are nearing completion. Currently, this road network is being utilised by an estimated 50,000 travellers who transport goods from the coast to the inland regions of Guyana and even into neighbouring Brazil. The previous condition of this road had posed significant challenges for commuters and transport operators. Heavily laden lorries frequently toppled off the roadway, and deteriorated bridges required manual alignment of boards for crossings, often with unsafe outcomes. However, when completed into an all-weather road, this pertinent piece of infrastructure would significantly improve connectivity, reduce travel time and open up new commercial and trade opportunities, especially between Guyana and Brazil.
According to Rodrigues, the Government is committed to ensuring every area of Guyana is transformed.
“Prosperity must come to the home of every single Guyanese person, and oil and gas is not going to take us there, or at least, it’s not going to take us there alone. So, we are protecting fiercely these other sectors, our agricultural sector, our manufacturing sector, and our tourism sector, encouraging private investment in education and in healthcare, and improving the infrastructure landscape and improving connectivity, because we have to build a resilient economy,” she emphasised.