Dear Editor,
When the annual Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo is hosted, this little giant of a country is given a unique spotlight. With that spotlight comes the opportunity for Guyanese entrepreneurs to network with major investors worldwide. Those potential investments mean potential jobs and those potential jobs mean potential employment for Guyanese.
The conference serves as the framework for a larger discussion regarding Guyana’s oil and gas sector. However, at the heart of those discussions is Guyana’s most valuable resource: its human capital. Like any other country, the people of Guyana are the driving force behind its development.
Small businesses and the ordinary man in the street must not view the conference as if it does not concern them or as if they wouldn’t be impacted by it. The conversations that are being held inside the walls of the conference will directly and indirectly benefit the nurses, the bus driver, and even the custodians. This year I even noticed there’s a farmer’s market at the conference itself, placing Guyana’s agriculture sector on further display.
What I encourage Guyanese to do is to pay attention to the news coming out from the conference and use the information to position themselves to benefit. Sitting around and complaining will not take us anywhere. There are opportunities available and we must take advantage of them. Sometimes the suits and the foreigners scare us but let’s not forget they are in our land and they aren’t afraid to swipe at the opportunities Guyana has to offer.
Donald Singh
