Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 18, 2015 News
…promote investment opportunity for foreign businessmen
By Lindsay Davidson in Toronto
President David Granger returned home Sunday night after a hectic three-day visit to Toronto, where he met with a wide cross section of Guyanese in the Greater Toronto Area. There were three events.
He was accompanied by First Lady Sandra Granger and Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally.
On Friday night he had dinner with members of the organizing committee that planned the visit, and on Saturday evening, delivered the keynote address to over 700 enthusiastic supporters at a dinner and dance in his and the First Lady’s honour at the Armenian Community Centre.
The following day he addressed business leaders and professionals at a brunch, and spoke to local media at a press conference at the Riverstone Golf Club in Brampton.
Following the press conference on Sunday, President Granger was presented with a “Face of Guyana” portrait by a promising Toronto artist, Robert Young. The portrait is from the artist’s collection of “Young World Faces of Pan AM” a large-scale portrait exhibition made up of 41 detailed photographic images created to represent the 41 nations and territories that participated in the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games.
At all the events President Granger repeatedly implored Guyanese in the Diaspora to return home and invest in the country. He lamented that after almost 50 years of independence the country is only a producer of primary products – bauxite, sugar, rice, timber and gold.
“We need to be producing value added products – alumina from bauxite, candy and other items from our sugar, fine jewellery from our gold and other minerals, cereal from rice and furniture from our forestry products,” he said.
He asked the businessmen and professionals at the brunch on Sunday if the Chinese were investing in forestry, the Russians in bauxite, and the Brazilians in gold, why is it that Guyanese in the Diaspora can’t work with him.
The President also fielded a wide range of questions related to the establishment of a Diaspora unit in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, a promised Diaspora conference, the apparent poor security situation in the country, the alarming number of suicides, the public health system, appointments to the Foreign Service and the 50th anniversary celebrations among others.
Everywhere he and the First Lady went they were mobbed as many wanted to take selfies, shake their hands, hug them and pose for pictures. Pride and joy filled the air.
Several eager businessmen also met with President Granger to present proposals for investment. These will be passed on to Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, who the President said he will instruct to return to Toronto to follow up, and as far as possible, turn the proposals into viable projects.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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