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  • Part One: Your First International Customer Starts With a Different Mindset

    Part One: Your First International Customer Starts With a Different Mindset

    How to Build a US Dollar Business from Guyana

    There has never been a better time to become an entrepreneur in Guyana, but there has also never been a more dangerous time to misunderstand what entrepreneurship actually means. Too many people believe starting a business requires resigning from their jobs, borrowing money from a bank, renting an office and hoping customers appear before the bills come due. That approach has discouraged countless talented Guyanese from ever trying. It has also caused many businesses to fail long before they had an opportunity to succeed.

    I want to suggest a completely different approach. Keep your job. Continue earning your salary, paying your mortgage, supporting your family and meeting your financial obligations. Then begin building a second source of income during the evenings and weekends. Think of entrepreneurship not as replacing your employment, but as strengthening your family’s financial future one customer at a time. A second income can help you complete your home, purchase land, save for your children’s education, prepare for retirement or simply make life in Guyana more affordable. The goal is not to become wealthy overnight. The goal is to create financial options that did not exist before.

    This series is based on a simple belief that I have repeated many times over the years. One of Guyana’s greatest economic challenges is not a lack of talent. It is the size of our market. We are a nation of fewer than one million people, which means every entrepreneur is competing for the same relatively small group of customers. Even as our economy expands because of oil, that fundamental reality does not change. A business can offer an excellent product, work hard and still struggle because there simply are not enough customers to support rapid growth. For decades, many talented Guyanese concluded that the only solution was to migrate. Today, technology offers another option.

    Artificial intelligence, cloud computing and remote work have fundamentally changed the relationship between geography and opportunity. A teacher in New Amsterdam can tutor students in Toronto. An accountant in Georgetown can provide bookkeeping services to a company in Florida. A graphic designer in Linden can produce marketing materials for businesses throughout the Caribbean. A researcher in Lethem can prepare reports for consultants in London. These are no longer unusual stories. They are becoming ordinary business transactions in the digital economy. The opportunity before us is not simply to use artificial intelligence. It is to use artificial intelligence to build businesses that earn foreign currency while operating from Guyana.

    The first step is to change the way we think about income. Most of us were educated to prepare for one career and one employer. We were encouraged to find a stable position, perform well and gradually increase our salary over time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that path, but it should no longer be the only path. The internet now allows ordinary professionals to develop multiple income streams without leaving their communities. A teacher can teach during the day and tutor students online in the evening. A public servant can offer bookkeeping services on weekends. A marketing professional can manage social media for overseas businesses after work. Entrepreneurship no longer has to replace employment. It can complement it.

    The second step is to recognize that your market is no longer defined by Guyana’s borders. One of the greatest mistakes entrepreneurs make is designing businesses around the customers they can see instead of the customers they can reach. The internet has made the world accessible to anyone with useful skills and reliable connectivity. That does not mean every business can become global overnight, but it does mean that knowledge has become one of Guyana’s most valuable potential exports. We have traditionally exported rice, sugar, timber, gold and now oil. In the coming decades, we must also learn to export expertise, creativity, research, education, software, consulting and professional services.

    Before deciding what business to start, spend time identifying the skills you already possess. Many people underestimate their abilities because those skills have become routine. Teachers know how to explain difficult concepts, organize information and communicate with parents. Administrative assistants understand scheduling, customer service and document management. Accountants understand financial records. Engineers solve technical problems. Marketing professionals know how to persuade customers. Every profession develops transferable skills that can become the foundation of a business. The objective is not to start from zero. It is to recognize that you already possess assets that someone else may be willing to purchase.

    Once you understand your strengths, begin thinking differently about the services you provide. Customers rarely purchase a profession. They purchase a solution. A teacher is not selling lessons. A teacher is helping students pass examinations and improve confidence. A graphic designer is not selling graphics. That designer is helping businesses attract customers. A bookkeeper is not selling spreadsheets. They are helping business owners understand their finances and make better decisions. Entrepreneurs who define themselves by their profession often struggle to grow. Entrepreneurs who define themselves by the problems they solve become much easier to understand and much easier to hire.

    As you begin refining those skills, remember that education does not stop when formal schooling ends. Degrees, diplomas and certificates remain valuable, but they are only one part of lifelong learning. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world became experts by combining formal education with continuous practice. Volunteer to help a church improve its website. Offer to manage social media for a community organization. Assist a small business owner with bookkeeping. Help a nonprofit organize data. Every project becomes experience, and every successful project becomes part of your portfolio. At the same time, take advantage of the enormous educational resources now available. YouTube contains thousands of hours of professional instruction. Online platforms such as Coursera and LinkedIn Learning offer affordable courses. Artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can explain concepts, critique your work, create practice exercises and help you improve much faster than previous generations ever imagined. The key is to remember that AI is your assistant, not your replacement. Clients are paying you because you know enough to recognize when the technology is wrong.

    Long before you secure your first customer, begin building a professional presence. Your digital identity is often the first impression potential clients will have of you. Create a professional email address using your own domain rather than a casual nickname. Develop a simple website that explains who you are, what problem you solve and how clients can contact you. Set up a LinkedIn profile, a Facebook business page and a WhatsApp Business account. Add a professional photograph, a short biography and examples of your work. If you have volunteered or completed sample projects, include those as well. A strong online presence communicates that you take your work seriously, even before you have accumulated years of experience.

    One habit separates successful entrepreneurs from those who constantly struggle. They never stop researching. Before launching a service, study businesses already operating in that space. Visit their websites, examine their pricing, read customer reviews, subscribe to their newsletters and observe how they communicate. Then use artificial intelligence to deepen your understanding. Ask it to compare competitors, identify industry trends, critique your proposed business model and suggest improvements to your marketing strategy. Entrepreneurs who stop learning quickly fall behind. Those who remain curious continue adapting as markets evolve.

    This first article is intended to change the way you think about entrepreneurship. Before you write a business plan, borrow money or purchase equipment, begin by changing your mindset. Keep your job, strengthen your skills, redefine the value you offer, build a professional presence and start thinking beyond Guyana’s borders. Those steps cost very little, yet they lay the foundation for a business that can eventually generate income from around the world.

    In Part Two, we will move from preparation to execution. We will discuss how to identify your first international customers, package your services, price them competitively and, perhaps most importantly for entrepreneurs in Guyana, examine the different ways to legally and efficiently accept payments in US dollars from overseas clients. That topic alone has discouraged many talented Guyanese from pursuing international business opportunities. It is time we remove that barrier and begin participating fully in the global digital economy.

  • How to Earn Your First US$1,000 From Guyana

    How to Earn Your First US$1,000 From Guyana

    For generations, Guyanese have believed that prosperity begins with a good job. Go to school, get hired, work hard, collect your salary, and if you’re fortunate, retire with a pension. For many families, that path provided stability. There is still dignity in honest employment, and our country will always need skilled teachers, nurses, engineers, police officers and public servants.

    But if we are honest with ourselves, that path alone is no longer enough.

    Thousands of educated young Guyanese are entering a rapidly growing economy, yet many still struggle to find opportunities that match their ambitions. Others dream of starting businesses but quickly discover that Guyana’s market is small, competition can be uneven, and too many opportunities seem tied to who you know rather than what you can do.

    I believe there is another path, one that has very little to do with politics, government contracts or waiting for someone to give you an opportunity.

    It begins with earning your first US$1,000. Not from a government ministry. Not from a large contractor. Not by migrating. From right here in Guyana.That first US$1,000 may come from a customer in New York, Toronto, London, Barbados or Trinidad. It may come from designing a website, tutoring a student, building an AI chatbot, managing social media, editing videos, keeping books for a small business or solving a problem for someone thousands of miles away.

    The amount itself is almost irrelevant. What matters is what it proves. It proves that your market is no longer limited to 800,000 people. It proves that someone who has never met you is willing to pay for your knowledge, your creativity or your skills. It proves that you do not have to wait for Guyana’s economy to become more competitive before you begin building wealth.

    For years I have written that one of Guyana’s biggest economic challenges is not a lack of talent. It is the size of our market. We have brilliant people. We have ambitious young entrepreneurs. We have an English-speaking population. We are now one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Yet thousands of businesses are still competing for the same relatively small customer base.

    That is why I continue to argue that Guyana must become an exporter, not only of oil, rice, sugar, gold and timber, but of knowledge, technology, education and professional services. The internet has made that possible in a way that simply did not exist twenty years ago.

    Earlier in my career, while working in the technology industry in corporate America, I watched young people teach themselves programming, networking and web development. Many had little formal education, yet they were earning salaries that would have seemed unimaginable to most Guyanese at the time. Long before artificial intelligence, I realized something that has stayed with me ever since: knowledge travels. Geography does not have to define opportunity.

    Today, that opportunity has become even greater. Artificial intelligence has reduced the cost of starting many businesses to almost nothing. One person with a laptop can now accomplish work that once required an entire office. Research that once took days can take minutes. Marketing materials that once required agencies can now be produced by individuals. Software can be built faster. Businesses around the world are actively looking for people who can help them become more productive.

    Meanwhile, Guyana has advantages that we rarely talk about. We speak English. We operate in a time zone that aligns closely with North America. We understand Western business culture. We have a large diaspora with business connections throughout the world. Those are not small advantages. They are competitive advantages.

    The challenge is that too many of us are still looking inward when we should be looking outward. Instead of asking, “Who in Guyana might buy my product?” we should increasingly be asking, “Who in the world has this problem, and how can I solve it?” That is the mindset that transforms a small market into a global one.

  • A Daughter of Linden, A Caribbean Trailblazer: Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards Honoured in New York

    A Daughter of Linden, A Caribbean Trailblazer: Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards Honoured in New York

    There are moments when an award is about much more than the person receiving it. The recent U.S. Congressional Award presented to Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards was one of those moments.

    The former Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana and current Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands accepted the honour with humility, dedicating it to her parents, teachers, family, friends and the people of Linden who helped shape her journey.

    “There is a proverb that says it takes a village to raise a child. You are the village, and I am that child,” she told the audience.

    For Guyanese everywhere, her story is a powerful reminder of what is possible.

    Justice Cummings-Edwards has spent decades breaking barriers. In 2017, she became Guyana’s first female Chancellor of the Judiciary, the highest judicial office in the country. Today, she continues to make Guyana proud as Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands, carrying our country’s reputation for excellence to another corner of the Caribbean.

    Her rise from Linden to the highest levels of the legal profession did not happen by chance. In her remarks, she quoted Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

    “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight…”

    Those words capture not only her journey, but also the journey of many Guyanese at home and abroad who have achieved greatness through sacrifice, education and perseverance.

    For the diaspora, her recognition carries special significance. At a time when Guyana is searching for examples of leadership, integrity and nation-building, Justice Cummings-Edwards reminds us that our greatest resource has always been our people.

    Her story is also a lesson for parents, teachers and communities. Great leaders are rarely built alone. They are nurtured by families that believe in them, teachers who challenge them and communities that encourage them to dream beyond their circumstances.

    In accepting the award, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards did not celebrate personal success. She celebrated collective success.

    And perhaps that is why her achievement resonates so deeply.

    A little girl from Linden became one of the Caribbean’s most respected jurists and now leads the judiciary of another nation. It is a story of excellence, service and gratitude, and one that every young Guyanese should hear.

  • Thank You, Alisha Koulen, Four Years of Building Dreams at STEMGuyana

    Thank You, Alisha Koulen, Four Years of Building Dreams at STEMGuyana

    by Karen Abrams
    STEMGuyana Director

    Some people arrive quietly, do their work with excellence, and then leave behind footprints so deep that an organization can never quite be the same again. Today, I write about one of those people.

    For the past four years, Alisha Koulen has served as Operations Manager of STEMGuyana. In that role, she managed the complex machinery that keeps a national organization moving. She oversaw STEM clubs, Learning Pods, camps, workshops, volunteers, partnerships, and the endless stream of details that accompany a mission determined to reach children in every corner of Guyana. Yet job titles often fail to capture what people truly contribute.

    Alisha mastered the part of the role that I liked the least. She mastered connecting with people.  She built relationships. She organized events. She welcomed visitors and supporters. She helped transform a small organization with ambitious dreams into a vast and growing global community of supporters, partners, donors, volunteers, and friends. Through her warmth, professionalism, and remarkable organizational ability, thousands of people came to know and believe in the work of STEMGuyana.

    Her own story makes these achievements even more extraordinary. Alisha was raised in Sophia and has spoken openly about growing up in difficult circumstances, including years without electricity and limited access to technology. She attended North Georgetown Primary and later Brickdam Secondary before pursuing an undergraduate degree in Biology, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, and eventually earning a Master’s degree in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development from the University of the West Indies. She became a teacher, a climate advocate, an international youth delegate at COP28, and one of Guyana’s leading young voices on education, technology, and climate action. 

    Now, another chapter awaits. Alisha will soon leave Guyana to pursue another master’s degree at Columbia University, one of the most prestigious institutions in the United States and indeed the world. I cannot think of a person more deserving of this opportunity.

    But behind every remarkable young woman, there is often an equally remarkable mother. I remember saying to Alisha one day, “You have the talent to achieve great things. I bet your mom is proud of you.” Without hesitation she smiled and replied: “My mom is so proud of me. She believes I can do anything.” I have never forgotten those words. What a gift it is for a child to move through the world carrying the unshakable belief that someone sees greatness within them. Her achievements reflect not only her own determination and hard work, but also a mother’s devotion, sacrifice, encouragement, and unwavering faith. Sometimes the most important inheritance we can give our children is not money, property, or privilege. Sometimes it is simply the conviction that they are capable of extraordinary things.

    If you take nothing else from Alisha’s story, understand this. Our young people are trying to overcome difficult odds. In Guyana, more than half of our students do not matriculate successfully. Thousands of our university graduates eventually leave our shores in search of greater opportunities. Too many women experience violence and abuse during their lifetimes. Too often, many young people come to believe that achievement is disconnected from merit and that hard work alone may not be enough.

    And yet, every once in a while, someone like Alisha emerges. A young woman from humble beginnings who refused to let circumstances define her future. A young woman who prepared herself relentlessly. A young woman who proved that talent exists everywhere and that excellence can emerge from every village, every neighborhood, and every circumstance. This is precisely why STEMGuyana exists. This is why we prepare young people for every eventuality. This is why we teach communication, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, and technological fluency.

    These skills, when developed early and paired with educational achievement, make our children globally competitive. They prepare them not simply to survive in a rapidly changing twenty-first-century Guyana, but to lead in it and, when necessary, to compete anywhere in the world. Alisha’s journey reminds us that our children are capable of far more than we sometimes imagine.

    Today, I ask you to join me in celebrating her. Celebrate her courage. Celebrate her discipline. Celebrate her achievements. Celebrate the mother who believed in her. Celebrate the teachers, mentors, and friends who encouraged her along the way. And most importantly, affirm success for her.

    As Alisha  prepares to embark upon this next chapter, we know that the financial burden of international education is substantial. Those who wish to support her journey are encouraged to reach out and contribute to her educational fund.

    At STEMGuyana, we often say that our mission is to prepare globally competitive young people. Today, one of our own is stepping onto the global stage. Alisha, thank you for your service, your leadership, your friendship, and your unwavering commitment to the children of Guyana. Thank you for helping to build an organization that will continue to shape lives long after your departure.

    We are sad to see you leave our daily work, but we are deeply happy to watch you go out into the world. Go boldly. Learn generously. Dream without limits. And remember that wherever life takes you, a little piece of STEMGuyana goes with you, just as a little piece of you will always remain with us.

    The children whose lives you touched are your legacy. The future you helped build is your monument. And the best chapters of your story are still waiting to be written.

     

  • Businessman Stanley Basdeo’s Story Raises Questions About Guyana’s Diaspora Promise

    Businessman Stanley Basdeo’s Story Raises Questions About Guyana’s Diaspora Promise

    Returning Home, Meeting Resistance

    By Diaspora Business Daily

    For years, Guyana’s leaders have urged members of the diaspora to return home, invest, and help build the country’s future. Government officials routinely speak of the country’s economic transformation, fueled by oil wealth and unprecedented growth, while calling on overseas Guyanese to bring their capital, expertise, and entrepreneurial spirit back to the land of their birth.

    Yet for businessman Stanley Basdeo, the reality of doing business in Guyana has been far more complicated.

    Basdeo, a Guyanese entrepreneur who returned with the intention of investing and creating opportunities, has publicly detailed a series of experiences that he says expose deep inefficiencies, excessive costs, bureaucratic hurdles, and allegations of corruption within several state agencies and entities involved in commerce and trade. His comments have resonated with many other business owners who, according to him, are often reluctant to speak publicly for fear of reprisals.

    According to Basdeo, the challenges include struggles of importing containers and vehicles. He described paying an $80,000 security bond related to a container transaction and says that despite complying with all requirements and timelines, his company has still not been refunded nearly a year later. He also recounted conversations with another businessman who allegedly paid $150,000 in additional charges after a truck became stuck while retrieving a container.

    The businessman also spoke of repeated difficulties with government agencies, including delays in processing vehicle registrations and transfers, misplaced documentation, and an inability to obtain timely responses from senior officials. He described the process as financially and emotionally draining for entrepreneurs trying to operate legally and transparently in Guyana.

    Most serious, however, are Basdeo’s allegations concerning corruption. He claims that during efforts to obtain a firearm licence, an individual allegedly demanded money from him and that corrupt practices are widely known but insufficiently addressed. He contends that people who raise concerns often face hostility rather than solutions.

    Basdeo’s name previously made national headlines after he publicly alleged that he had been solicited for a bribe, an incident that ultimately resulted in his arrest and sparked widespread debate over freedom of expression, whistleblowing, and the treatment of citizens who report alleged wrongdoing. The matter drew significant public attention and further intensified concerns about whether ordinary Guyanese and investors can safely raise allegations of misconduct without fear of repercussions.

    His latest remarks have struck a chord because they touch on an issue that extends well beyond one businessman.

    For decades, Guyana has suffered from one of the largest rates of outward migration in the Caribbean. Hundreds of thousands of Guyanese reside in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and elsewhere, many of them highly educated professionals and successful entrepreneurs. Successive governments have repeatedly appealed to this diaspora to return and contribute to national development.

    The country’s need for diaspora involvement has become even more pronounced during the oil era. Guyana faces shortages of skilled labour, experienced managers, investors, and technical professionals. Returning Guyanese possess precisely the kinds of expertise that the country needs to build competitive industries beyond oil, strengthen institutions, and develop sustainable businesses.

    However, economic growth alone is often not enough to attract and retain investment.

    Diaspora investors frequently cite concerns about bureaucracy, inconsistent regulations, high transaction costs, delays in government services, and fears of corruption. Many say they want predictable systems, efficient institutions, and confidence that they will be treated fairly regardless of political affiliation or social connections.

    Basdeo’s experience therefore raises a larger question: Can Guyana successfully encourage its sons and daughters to return home if the systems they encounter make doing business difficult and frustrating?

    The government’s vision of a prosperous and diversified economy depends heavily on private investment and entrepreneurship. But investors, whether local or from the diaspora, need more than patriotic appeals and glowing economic statistics. They need institutions that work efficiently, processes that are transparent, and confidence that grievances can be addressed without intimidation.

    As Guyana continues its historic economic expansion, the experiences shared by Stanley Basdeo serve as a reminder that development cannot be measured solely by towering buildings, large infrastructure projects, or impressive GDP growth figures. It must also be measured by whether ordinary citizens and returning Guyanese can navigate public institutions fairly, efficiently, and with dignity.

    The promise of “coming home to build Guyana” will ultimately succeed not only because the country has oil, but because the country creates an environment where those who return feel welcomed, protected, and empowered to contribute to its future.

    If you would like to upload an image for editing, please provide the file or describe the changes you want made, and I will assist you.

    I can also prepare this as a more investigative newspaper feature with quotes, background on Guyana’s diaspora policies, and data on migration and return investment trends.

  • The Wales Gas-to-Energy Project: Guyana’s Future Depends on Reliable and Affordable Energy

    The Wales Gas-to-Energy Project: Guyana’s Future Depends on Reliable and Affordable Energy

    By Diaspora Business Daily Editorial Board

    The controversies surrounding the Wales Gas-to-Energy (GTE) Project have become so loud that many Guyanese have almost forgotten why the project was conceived in the first place. There are legitimate concerns about procurement, financing arrangements, contractor disputes, delays and the government’s handling of public information. Questions surrounding the project deserve answers, and taxpayers have every right to demand transparency for what has become one of the largest and most expensive infrastructure undertakings in our nation’s history. However, while accountability and transparency are essential, it would be a grave mistake to lose sight of a fundamental reality: Guyana desperately needs this project to succeed.

    For decades, Guyanese citizens and businesses have endured some of the highest electricity costs in the Caribbean and South America. High electricity prices have acted as an invisible tax on every household and business in the country. Manufacturers spend enormous sums on energy, small businesses must purchase expensive backup generators, and many households continue to experience power interruptions and voltage fluctuations that damage appliances and disrupt daily life. Every product that is manufactured, refrigerated, processed or transported in Guyana carries an energy cost that is ultimately passed on to consumers. In a country where the cost of living remains a major concern, expensive electricity has quietly made life more difficult for ordinary people.

    The situation becomes even more troubling when one considers Guyana’s extraordinary economic transformation. The country is now one of the world’s fastest-growing economies because of its oil production, yet many citizens continue to live with infrastructure that does not reflect this newfound wealth. Economic growth statistics may impress international institutions and investors, but sustainable development cannot occur if businesses cannot rely on affordable and dependable electricity. No modern economy has successfully industrialised while operating on an unreliable and expensive energy system.

    The Wales Gas-to-Energy Project was designed to change that reality. The project involves transporting natural gas from the Stabroek Block through a pipeline to Wales, West Bank Demerara, where the gas will be processed and used to generate electricity. The project is expected to deliver approximately 300 megawatts of electricity and produce natural gas liquids, including cooking gas for domestic consumption. It also includes transmission lines and improvements to the national grid that will significantly expand Guyana’s electricity infrastructure and reliability.

    Government officials have repeatedly promised that the project will reduce electricity costs by approximately 50 percent. Such a reduction would be transformative for households and businesses alike. Lower electricity costs would reduce production expenses, improve the competitiveness of local industries and place more disposable income in the hands of ordinary Guyanese. The project was originally expected to be completed by the end of 2024. That deadline passed. The completion date was then shifted to 2025 and later to 2026. Current public statements suggest that initial power generation may begin toward the end of 2026, with the full combined-cycle facility expected to be completed by mid-2027. Meanwhile, the total cost of the project and its associated infrastructure has climbed to approximately US$2 billion.

    These delays are frustrating and expensive. Every month that passes without the project being operational means another month of high electricity costs, another month of lost economic opportunities and another month during which businesses must continue to absorb unnecessary energy expenses. Delays also postpone the benefits that government officials have promised to citizens, including lower electricity bills and improved reliability. Guyanese are therefore justified in demanding regular public updates and full transparency regarding the status of the project.

    However, despite these concerns, the strategic importance of the Gas-to-Energy Project cannot be overstated. Energy is the lifeblood of economic development. Factories cannot operate efficiently without reliable power. Data centres and technology companies require uninterrupted electricity. Agro-processing facilities, cold storage operations and manufacturing plants all depend upon affordable and dependable energy. Investors considering Guyana as a destination for their capital will assess not only our oil reserves and economic growth rates but also whether our infrastructure can support their operations.

    This is particularly important because Guyana’s future cannot rest solely on oil production. The country has repeatedly spoken about diversification into manufacturing, agro-processing, information technology, tourism and value-added industries. Those ambitions are admirable, but none of them will succeed if the underlying energy infrastructure remains weak and expensive. The dream of creating an industrial economy, attracting large manufacturing investments and building a technology sector capable of competing internationally depends upon reliable and affordable electricity.

    Countries that transformed themselves economically understood this principle. Singapore invested heavily in infrastructure and utilities. Estonia built a highly efficient and technologically advanced society on the foundation of dependable systems and strategic planning. The United Arab Emirates invested billions in world-class infrastructure that could support economic diversification beyond oil. These countries recognised that economic transformation requires more than natural resources. It requires the infrastructure that allows businesses and citizens to thrive.

    Guyana now stands at a similar crossroads. The Wales Gas-to-Energy Project may well determine whether our oil wealth becomes a platform for broad-based development or merely an era of impressive statistics accompanied by persistent structural weaknesses. If the project succeeds, it could unlock a new phase of industrial development and improve the quality of life for thousands of Guyanese families. If it fails or continues to be delayed indefinitely, the consequences could be severe. The country could remain trapped with some of the highest electricity costs in the region, limiting our competitiveness and reducing our ability to diversify our economy.

    The government must therefore treat the completion of this project as an urgent national priority. The project requires stronger oversight, greater transparency and clear communication with the public. Guyanese deserve to know what obstacles remain, how they are being addressed and when the project will finally deliver the benefits that have been promised. Political leaders must set aside defensiveness and focus on execution because the costs of failure will be borne not by politicians but by ordinary citizens and future generations.

    Guyana has an extraordinary opportunity before it. Oil revenues have provided resources that previous generations could scarcely imagine. But oil wealth alone does not guarantee prosperity. Sustainable prosperity is built on infrastructure, institutions and investments that improve productivity and create opportunities for citizens. Reliable and affordable electricity is one of the foundations upon which modern economies are built.

    The Wales Gas-to-Energy Project has become a symbol of both Guyana’s promise and its governance challenges. It is a project that must be completed, and completed successfully. The future competitiveness of our economy, the growth of our private sector and the aspirations of our people may very well depend upon it.

  • A Visit to the International Building Expo; Optimism, Opportunity and Questions About Guyana’s Future

    A Visit to the International Building Expo; Optimism, Opportunity and Questions About Guyana’s Future

    I spent some time at the International Building Expo 2026 this weekend, and I left both encouraged and thoughtful about the direction in which Guyana is heading.

    The event was exceptionally well attended. Families, young couples and prospective homeowners filled the booths, asking questions, collecting brochures and trying to determine whether home ownership might finally be within their reach. There was a genuine sense of excitement in the air. For many Guyanese, owning a home remains one of life’s most important aspirations, and the Expo offered hope that this dream may be becoming more attainable.

    The Central Housing and Planning Authority’s display of two and three-bedroom homes priced at approximately G$11 million and G$15 million was particularly impressive. The homes appeared spacious relative to their price points, the layouts were professionally designed and the building materials on display seemed to be of good quality. For many middle-income families, these models may represent realistic and attractive options.

    What struck me most, however, was the sheer number and variety of players already operating in Guyana’s housing and construction market. Every conceivable product and service, from roofing and windows to lighting, security systems, financing and interior design, was represented. Yet what became immediately apparent was that many of these suppliers and distributors are foreign-owned or backed by foreign capital.

    The exhibition did not leave me with the impression that building materials and related services remain an easy space for small and medium-sized local businesses to enter. The market already appears crowded and increasingly sophisticated, with established players commanding significant market share. Longstanding local companies such as Gafoors seem firmly entrenched, while new entrants are often large, well-capitalized foreign firms.

    The luxury developments displayed by Chinese companies may also offer a glimpse into Guyana’s future. The scale and ambition of these proposed condominium and gated-community projects suggest that major residential developments are on the horizon. Their designs and amenities are unlike anything previously seen in Guyana. It is evident that developers are planning for a growing segment of luxury consumers.

    The question, however, is who these consumers will be.

    Will these homes be purchased primarily by affluent Guyanese, returning members of the diaspora, expatriates working in the oil and gas industry or foreign investors seeking speculative opportunities? It remains to be seen whether these developments will translate into occupied communities or become investment assets sitting largely empty while awaiting appreciation.

    The broader question for Guyana is whether our housing boom will create wealth for ordinary citizens or whether it will increasingly cater to a small, affluent market that remains beyond the reach of most Guyanese families.

    One of the pleasant surprises of the Expo was the government’s service delivery component. I was able to collect my medical vouchers of G$2,000 and G$15,000 with absolutely no waiting. The service was efficient and professional. Having agencies such as the National Insurance Scheme, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Central Housing and Planning Authority and other ministries present to answer questions and provide services proved to be a highly effective approach.

    The organizers also deserve credit for creating an enjoyable atmosphere. The food court offered a wide variety of options, and there was something available for everyone.

    Overall, the International Building Expo 2026 was an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. More importantly, it provided a fascinating glimpse into the future that is rapidly taking shape in Guyana.

    That future appears to be one of cranes, condominiums and massive investment. It is also a future that will require us to ask difficult questions about ownership, participation and who ultimately benefits from our country’s remarkable transformation.

    The buildings are rising quickly. The challenge now is ensuring that ordinary Guyanese rise with them.

  • Chinese Developers Make Bold Entry into Guyana’s Luxury Housing Market

    Chinese Developers Make Bold Entry into Guyana’s Luxury Housing Market

    GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Chinese developers used the International Building Expo 2026 to unveil ambitious plans for large-scale condominium complexes and luxury residential communities that would dramatically reshape Guyana’s housing landscape. The projects, showcased through elaborate scale models and architectural renderings, feature designs and developments of a size and sophistication never before seen in Guyana.

    The displays quickly became some of the most talked-about exhibits at the Expo, with visitors gathering around detailed models of multi-story condominiums, mixed-use developments and gated luxury communities. The projects signal the arrival of Chinese investors into yet another major sector of Guyana’s rapidly expanding economy.

    The Chinese have already established themselves as dominant players in several key industries. Chinese companies have secured contracts to build all of Guyana’s new regional hospitals and have become major participants in infrastructure projects, including the new Demerara River Bridge. Their economic footprint also extends into supermarkets, gold mining, bauxite and the oil and gas sector through the participation of the Chinese state-owned company CNOOC in the Stabroek Block alongside ExxonMobil.

    Their move into large-scale residential development appears to be the next chapter in an expanding investment strategy that has accompanied Guyana’s unprecedented economic boom.

    There is little question that Chinese investment has helped accelerate Guyana’s development agenda. Chinese companies have brought access to capital, engineering expertise, technical skills and the capacity to execute large projects quickly. In a country facing housing shortages and enormous infrastructure demands, these investments are helping to deliver projects that might otherwise take years longer to complete.

    However, the growing presence of Chinese firms across multiple sectors also raises important questions about the long-term structure of Guyana’s economy. Economists have long observed that large foreign investors often move from one industry to another, using their scale, financing and supply chains to become dominant market players. Once established, they can make it difficult for local businesses to compete.

    The luxury housing developments unveiled at the Expo therefore represent both an opportunity and a challenge. They promise to bring world-class housing options and new investments to Guyana, but they also underscore the increasing influence of foreign capital in some of the country’s most profitable industries.

    As Guyana continues its transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, policymakers may eventually have to grapple with a difficult balancing act: welcoming the investment and expertise that foreign partners bring while ensuring that local entrepreneurs and businesses are not permanently crowded out of sectors that will generate enormous wealth in the decades ahead.

    The International Building Expo 2026, officially opened by President Irfaan Ali and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, continues through Sunday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, with hundreds of exhibitors showcasing the latest developments in housing, construction and investment opportunities.

  • SEVERAL OUTSTANDING GUYANESE TO BE HONORED AT GUYANA’S DIAMOND JUBILEE  INDEPENDENCE AWARDS DINNER IN QUEENS ON JULY 4, 2026

    SEVERAL OUTSTANDING GUYANESE TO BE HONORED AT GUYANA’S DIAMOND JUBILEE  INDEPENDENCE AWARDS DINNER IN QUEENS ON JULY 4, 2026

    BROOKLYN: Several outstanding Guyanese will receive US Congressional Awards when the curtains come down on the New York celebration of Guyana’s Diamond Jubilee Independence commemoration, at the Diamond Jubilee Independence Gala and Award Ceremony, on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at 8 p.m., at The Weldon B. Smith Theater, Edward Davis Center, 118-35 Farmers Blvd, St. Albans, Queens, NY 11412.
    The gala is being hosted by the Guyana Independence Celebration Committee New York, which hosted the historic Guyana Jubilee Independence parade and unity concert on June 7, which attracted over twenty thousand people. Committee Chairman, Rickford Burke, in a media statement Thursday, said “the organization postponed the Gala from June 27, 2026, to July 4, 2026, to afford as many stakeholders and honorees as possible the opportunity to attend.
    Top honorees include Baroness Valarie Amos, former leader of the British House of Lords, former Minister of Overseas Development in the British Government, and current Master of the University College of Oxford; and Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, former Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana and Chief Justice-designate of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
    Other honorees include Dr. Shamir Ally, recognized for outstanding diplomatic service as former Guyana Ambassador to Kuwait; Dr. Rose October, honored for her leadership as director of the Guyana Cultural Association; Maureen Walker, acknowledged for her role as former Comptroller of the City of Mount Vernon; Dr. Riaz Rupnarain, valued for his combined work as a Guyanese Parliamentarian, University of Guyana lecturer, and former Queens College teacher; Jayden Adrian, celebrated for being Guyana’s top Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) student for 2025; Ira Pile Lewis (Lady Ira), appreciated for community activism and humanitarian efforts; Indra Jainarinesingh, recognized as owner of Tota’s Bakery on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn; and Omotolo Golding, distinguished as youth coach and mentor.
    Other honorees to be bestowed with Congressional accolades include Onoja Atta Onoja, businessman and president of the African Caribbean Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry; Dr. Terrence Campbell, Member of Parliament of Guyana and entrepreneur;  Rhonda Binda, Attorney, Democratic District Leader, Former Deputy Queens Borough President and Guyanese community leader; Remmy Kulsum, assistant principal at Waterside School for Leadership MS 318, Far rockaway, Queens; and Dr. Sandra Harte, educator and former member of the Irvington Town Council, New Jersey.
    Special Invitees include Baroness Valerie Amos, Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and others.
    Entertainment will be provided by Foundation Band, plus top artistes and DJs. Ticket cost $180, and are available at Pam’s Bakery 4620 Church Ave, Brooklyn; Eventbrite or call 424-446‑1441 to purchase tickets. To place ads in the journal call 347-292-8551. For more information visit celebrateguyananyc.com.
  • Editorial: Reducing the Cost of Poverty

    Editorial: Reducing the Cost of Poverty

    If poverty creates barriers, then public policy should focus on removing them.

    Fortunately, there is no shortage of examples from around the world demonstrating what works.

    Reducing the poverty premium requires more than economic growth. It requires investments in families, communities, and opportunity.

    Greater financial inclusion can help households build savings and reduce dependence on costly alternatives. Mobile banking, community credit programmes, and accessible savings products have helped millions of low-income families improve their financial stability.

    Competition matters as well. More competition in sectors that touch daily life, including food distribution, transportation, consumer services, and building materials, can lower prices and expand consumer choice.

    Family counselling and support services should be readily available through health centres and community facilities across the country. Financial stress, domestic conflict, substance abuse, and mental health challenges often reinforce poverty across generations. Early intervention can help families stabilize before problems become crises.

    Childcare assistance deserves serious consideration. In several countries, childcare vouchers and subsidized childcare programmes have enabled single parents to return to work, pursue training, complete their education, and improve their earning potential. Safe, supervised environments for children support parents while reducing children’s exposure to neglect, exploitation, and abuse.

    Entrepreneurship support should move beyond simply providing loans or grants. Successful programmes increasingly pair financing with training in bookkeeping, marketing, cash flow management, customer service, and business planning. Access to capital matters, but access to knowledge often determines whether a business survives beyond its first few years.

    As Guyana’s Development Bank takes shape, special effort should be made to ensure that lower-income families understand the opportunities available and possess the skills necessary to use them successfully.

    There is also wisdom in revisiting the cooperative movement. In many villages and neighbouring communities, multiple families often enter identical businesses, competing for a limited customer base and reducing everyone’s earnings. Properly structured modern cooperatives can allow families to pool resources, purchase supplies at lower cost, share equipment, access larger markets, and negotiate better prices.

    Poverty is rarely the result of a single disadvantage. It is usually the accumulation of many disadvantages acting together. The most successful anti-poverty strategies recognize this reality. They strengthen families, expand opportunities, build skills, improve access to services, and create pathways for communities to grow together rather than struggle alone.

    Guyana’s oil wealth gives us a unique opportunity. We can choose to build an economy where prosperity accumulates at the top while barriers remain in place for everyone else. Or we can choose to systematically reduce those barriers and expand opportunity.

    The true measure of our success will not be the number of barrels we produce or the height of our buildings.

    It will be whether the next generation faces fewer obstacles than the one before it.

    That is the promise of development.

    And it is a promise worth pursuing.