| Guyana has signed a historic agreement with Brazil’s businesses to trade goods and even tap into 200-plus tourists who transit through the border states of the neighbouring country daily.Already work has started between the two countries to identify the items, with measures being explored to ensure that these meet Brazil’s health and phytosanitary standards.The two countries also intend to examine the development of a duty-free zone.Increased trade and other ties between the two countries have been on the rise since the commissioning of the Takutu Bridge, which links the two countries. It is averaged that more than 4,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily,Wholesale Jerseys USA, with the figure tripling on weekends.There has been a marked increase in Brazilian businesses, clubs and other services springing up in the city also.To boost trade, requirements for yellow fever vaccine and visas were relaxed for Guyanese visiting Brazil. Brazilians and their vehicles are allowed to enter Guyana’s border point at Lethem and stay up to 90 days.Yesterday, during a press conference hosted by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) at its Waterloo Street offices, officials disclosed that a team of business representatives visited Lethem and travelled to Brazil late last month to continue talks with officials there for increased ties with Guyana.Already, several of Guyana’s goods are entering Brazil including flour from the National Milling Company (NAMILCO) Guyana Limited. A number of them are also entering there illegally, and it is the hope of the PSC and Brazil that the situation would be corrected.After several years of talks, a high-level Brazilian trade team, including private sector representatives, last year met with government in a hyped event geared to attract businesses.Following that meeting, the PSC had indicated its keenness on visiting Brazil.According to PSC Chairman, Ramesh Dookhoo, the visit there was done late last month. Included in the team also were Head of GoInvest, Geoffrey Da Silva; President of the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alfred Ramsaran and President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Komal Ramnauth.Also attending yesterday’s press conference were Paul Stephenson,Wholesale MLB Jerseys 2018, who heads the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) and Roubinder Rambarran, Executive Director of PSC.According to Dookhoo, there has been significant growth in Lethem, as a border community, since the Takatu Bridge’s commissioning. Already, several areas have been zoned off, to make way for commercial businesses and industries.The spin-offs for both North and South Rupununi have been significant also, the official said, noting that significant work is being done by the Ministries of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, with their counterparts in Brazil, to work out measures to ensure that goods from Guyana meet the requirements.According to Stephenson, Lethem is ideally situated, and the time is right for Guyana to attract some 200 tourists who transit in the Boa Vista area daily. Tourism officials have asked Guyana to work out the details, expressing intense interest.Confident that the many resorts in the Rupununi will handle the expected demand, Stephenson however lamented the absence of Meta Airlines, which flew directly between Ogle and Brazil.In the meantime,Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale, THAG is gearing to meet locally with the private aircraft operators to explore the possibilities.“What does Guyana have to offer? Brazil is keen to sell Guyana to these 200 persons.”Stephenson disclosed that if all goes well, tourists could be transported in luxury coaches to Lethem and flown to the city.Dookhoo noted that Lethem is poised to literally explode in growth, especially with the Takutu Oil and Gas Company which is currently drilling in the area.With 20 persons working there now,Jerseys Wholesale, the possibilities of more employment and spin-off benefits for the surrounding communities are enormous.The potential for rice farms in the area is being researched, with Brazilians eyeing Guyana in a desperate search for land.Initially, to trade with Brazil, Guyana will be looking to field a list of at least 150 items,Discount NFL Jerseys, Dookhoo disclosed.According to the bilateral cooperation agreement, Guyana and Brazil will explore the possibility of establishing a duty-free zone that will be managed by both countries; developing a strategy to market Guyana’s goods; training local businesses on how to do business in the Portuguese-speaking territory and introducing measures to reduce the language barriers.Brazil, because of its size, faces logistical problems to getting goods to its border states, especially Roraima.With Guyana closer, more and more interest has been paid to development ties.Brazil has also been talking about helping Guyana to build the Linden/Lethem Road and using the country to transit its goods.(Leonard Gildarie) |
