This week, US Ambassador Nicole Theriot delivered an assessment that should command the attention of every boardroom in Georgetown. American companies are interested in investing in Guyana, including in agro-processing, infrastructure and healthcare. Yet they repeatedly struggle to find local partners able to supply consistently and expand production when orders increase. Interest exists. The capacity to turn that interest into durable business relationships remains a serious weakness.
Speaking at a Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association luncheon, in remarks reported on October 14, Theriot identified weaknesses in quality control, management and workplace safety, alongside logistical difficulties, energy costs, access to land and skilled workers, and uncertainty over taxation. These barriers help explain why foreign firms operating here continue importing goods and services that Guyanese businesses might otherwise supply. She also acknowledged local companies that have successfully met the requirements. The challenge is making that success more widespread.
After six years of extraordinary oil-led expansion, this should trouble us. How much of the wealth passing through Guyana is helping local businesses become more productive, dependable and competitive? How many firms can now fulfil an order that would have been beyond their capabilities in 2020? Those questions deserve as much attention as the next investment announcement.
The export figures illustrate the imbalance, although they require honest interpretation. According to the government’s account of its 2026 Mid-Year Report, crude oil exports earned approximately US$15.05 billion in the first six months, compared with US$1.146 billion from non-oil exports. Non-oil earnings actually increased by 24.6 per cent, but gold contributed US$826.2 million, roughly 72 per cent of the total. That is growth, but it provides limited reassurance about the breadth of our manufacturing and agro-processing competitiveness.
An expanding economy does not automatically produce stronger suppliers. A manufacturer can sell more into a booming domestic market while still lacking the systems needed to satisfy an international buyer. Producing an excellent sample is one achievement. Delivering the same quality across hundreds of orders, with accurate records and dependable delivery dates, requires a different level of organisation.
Responsibility belongs to both business and government. Business owners must invest in trained supervisors, documented processes, maintenance and quality assurance. Government must address the conditions that make those investments harder to sustain. A processor trying to maintain refrigeration needs dependable electricity. A manufacturer quoting for a contract needs predictable rules. Lecturing firms about competitiveness while leaving these constraints unresolved will accomplish little.
For the diaspora, however, the ambassador’s assessment identifies a practical investment opportunity. Guyana needs businesses that help other businesses meet demanding procurement requirements. Overseas Guyanese with experience in food safety, industrial operations, logistics, accounting and regulated industries possess knowledge that could be commercially valuable here.
Consider a business that helps several small processors standardise production, test products, improve packaging and fulfil a buyer’s order together. Consider refrigerated storage and distribution that allow farmers and processors to supply dependable quantities without avoidable spoilage. Consider an industrial services company that trains technicians, documents its work and maintains the safety systems required by major customers. Each proposal should begin with evidence of demand and a clear understanding of what buyers will purchase.
Diaspora investors should therefore arrive with more than capital and enthusiasm. They should bring operating experience, customer relationships and a willingness to build alongside existing Guyanese firms. The strongest partnership may involve upgrading a capable local enterprise whose growth is constrained by equipment, management systems or working capital.
Public support should follow the same discipline. Certification assistance, shared testing facilities, technical training and financing tied to credible orders deserve serious consideration. Success should be measured in firms qualifying as suppliers, repeat contracts secured, rejection rates reduced and workers gaining transferable skills. Counting workshops and business registrations tells us too little about whether productive capacity has improved.
Foreign buyers also have a role. Clear specifications, practical feedback and reasonable payment terms can help capable smaller suppliers improve. Genuine partnership should leave Guyanese firms better equipped to compete for the next customer.
Guyana’s oil wealth gives the country resources to tackle these weaknesses. Whether we use them effectively is a matter of priorities and execution. For diaspora investors searching for a useful and potentially profitable role, the supplier gap deserves close attention. The opportunity is to build companies that customers return to because they can depend on the work.