Investment chief tells small business owners to ‘follow the money’

Chief Investment Officer, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, urged small business owners to “follow the money” and focus on service-based industries, highlighting construction, deep ports, agriculture, and logistics as key growth areas.

He made the statement during the second day of the Business Development Forum 2025 at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown.

“You need to follow the money. If you look at the construction sector in Guyana, we’ll be a construction zone for the next thirty years. We talk about deep ports, agriculture production, that seamless logistics is going to be needed. Is your company ready for that model?,” he asked.

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) hosted the forum, emphasising diversification and local value creation to position businesses for sustainable growth.

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Susan Rodrigues, who also addressed the forum, said tourism will be a driving force in diversifying Guyana’s economy.

“While we’re making the investment with our oil and gas resources, we are preparing our economy for what comes next. We’re diversifying our economy, rejuvenating sectors. Like our agriculture sector, where we’ve had enormous success in the last five years,” she said.

Rodrigues added that the government is working to enhance agro-processing, ensure market access for small businesses, and prepare Guyanese products for international markets, stressing that this requires collaboration with the private sector. She also highlighted investment opportunities in climate and biodiversity services and the need to transition towards a service-based economy.

Meanwhile, Ramsaroop further urged businesses to work with the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, focus on creative branding, strategic marketing, training, and company profile enhancement, and be ready for the development bank when it comes on stream.