| -Look to abolish visa requirement for businessmenMinister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, yesterday announced that Guyana and Brazil are ironing out details of a Memorandum of Understanding to increase trade and investment between the two countries. She said the agreement is likely to be concluded next month.Rodrigues-Birkett was speaking at a workshop in Georgetown organised by the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association to specifically address “doing business with Guyana.”The minister announced that the governments of both countries are currently looking at abolishing the visa requirement for businessmen from both countries. Currently, Guyanese do not require visas to travel to Brazil on vacation.The opening of the bridge across the Takatu border river presents the biggest opportunity ever for Guyana to do business with its giant South American neighbour. President Bharrat Jagdeo and President Lula DaSilva are scheduled to formally commission the bridge on September 14, Rodrigues-Birkett announced.Brazil’s northern region hopes to be able to carry on trade cheaper by using Guyana as an access to the Caribbean and further afield. Guyanese businesses are looking to get market for their products and access goods also from Brazil.The “icing on the cake” in Guyana/Brazil relations and the way towards increased trade and investment between the two countries would be the construction of an all-weather road from Lethem to Linden,NFL Jerseys Supply, Rodrigues-Birkett said.She pointed out that this matter is “actively” engaging the attention of both countries, and she is confident that in the “not too distant future” the all-weather road would be a reality.With the border bridge now open to vehicular traffic, Rodrigues-Birkett announced that the government was moving to tighten security and ensure there is no breach of regulations with regard to the import of goods from Brazil.Because of difficulties with accessing goods from the coastland,Wholesale China Jerseys, the government had relaxed importation duties on products coming from Brazil for the border communities in Guyana. The only items which attract duties and taxes are ammunition, petroleum, alcohol, tobacco-products and vehicles.However, on the goods that were imported free of taxes,Wholesale Jerseys Cheap, the regulation stipulated that these not be moved beyond the Kurupukari crossing,Sale NFL Jerseys, which is situated about a six-hour drive from the capital Georgetown.To ensure this regulation is complied with,http://www.theworldsoccersshop.com/Argentina-Facundo-Roncaglia-Jersey.html, Rodrigues-Birkett said the government was looking at establishing a military presence at Kurupukari.Brazil, for its own interests, is looking towards funding a deep water harbour, either in Georgetown or in New Amsterdam to facilitate exports and imports.With the new momentum in Guyana/Brazil relations that comes with the opening of the Takatu Bridge, Rodrigues-Birkett also announced that the government is moving to strengthen consular services across the border,Wholesale Jerseys Paypal, with a possible establishment of a consular office at Bom Fin, the Brazilian border town, just across the Takatu river from Lethem. |
