India-Guyana launch Chamber of Commerce

New Delhi: An India/Guyana Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) was established in Guyana with the aim of hastening the development of commercial ties between the two countries. At a business roundtable in George Town, Guyana, the chamber was officially opened by Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Guyanese President His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali.

IGCC will promote technology transfer, cultural ties, innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability between Guyana and India and work to strengthen the investment and trade potential between the two countries in order to increase private sector participation in infrastructure projects and business development.

The India-Guyana Chamber of Commerce has elected Mr. Ramnaresh Sarwan, a former cricketer, as its new president. Shaleeza Shaw, a banker, serves as treasurer, while Steven Jacobs, Kalamazad Ibrahim, and David Fernandes are senior vice presidents. Saju Bhaskar, president and founder of the Texila American University Consortium, and Sreebala Kumar, director of operations of Ekaa Hrim Earth Resources Management, serve as secretaries.

Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s Minister for External Affairs, made the following statement at the event: “India hopes to work with Guyana as a key development partner in its initiatives to diversify its economy beyond the oil and gas industry.” Agriculture, energy, health and pharmaceuticals, military cooperation, human resource development, innovation, and infrastructure development will be the primary areas of concentration for IGCC.

Sharing his views, the Former captain of the West Indies Cricket Team and President of the India/Guyana Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) said: “I am deeply honoured and truly excited to be selected as the inaugural president of this new body. Given where Guyana is headed, and the history that we have shared together with India, having a relationship with India provides a lot more businesses to know about Guyana. We just want to ensure that every Guyanese is opened to as many opportunities, and also give the businesses in India opportunities as well.”

Mr Saju Bhaskar, Secretary, India/Guyana Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) and President & Founder, Texila American University Consortium said, “IGCC will serve as a platform for the business people in Guyana and India to connect, network, and operate. The goal of the organization is to open up diverse trade, investment, and joint venture opportunities in the fields of energy, technology and agriculture sectors and scale new heights in the Guyanese investment market by supporting its members with resources, trade forums and business visits. The organization will undertake efforts to advance the economic growth of both India and Guyana and has invited businesses, irrespective of size, to join the network and take advantage of the benefits. IGCC will work closely with governments, business organizations, and industry experts to identify new business opportunities to overcome challenges that hinder the growth of trade and investment between the two countries.”

The new Chamber of Commerce is also committed to developing a community that will be built on the strengths of shared values and mutual respect and will prioritize ethical and responsible business practices while providing solutions and addressing the urgent problems that communities and businesses in Guyana and India are facing.