Regional agriculture wants serious investors

“This is not just another seminar, not just another paper producing conference. You’re not going to see a document published at the end lauding the success of this conference. We will be successful if we just create the contact with the investors and the

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, June 5, 2008 - As government representatives from across the Caribbean meet in Guyana on Friday for the much anticipated Regional Agriculture Investment Forum to boost food production and private investment in the region’s agriculture, the host Prime Minister has made it clear that only serious investors will be admitted.

“This is not just another seminar, not just another paper producing conference. You’re not going to see a document published at the end lauding the success of this conference. We will be successful if we just create the contact with the investors and the bankers. We see this as a networking forum centrally,” President Bharrat Jagdeo, who spearheaded the event, told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.

“Subsequently, hopefully there’d be follow up action to do the necessary technical work from both sides with due diligence and hopefully these will result in concrete projects,” he added.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General Dr Edwin Carrington also pointed to the seriousness of the meeting, saying that it was a case of “getting down to practical brass tacks”.

“It will receive the full support from not only our governments but the business community, our banking sector,” he said.

Dr Carrington said that Latin American countries have also expressed interest in coming on board and will be attending the forum. Among them are Argentina and Brazil. 

At least 150 persons have registered for the event and representatives of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are also expected to attend.

Meantime, Dr Carrington has indicated that aside from the main forum the Community Council will also be meeting simultaneously.

“The participants at that meeting of the Council we hope would be able to participate in the opening session of this (investment forum) and interact with them, so we are looking forward to a very productive and creative interchange and exchange over the next couple of days in Guyana as the foundation for enhancing our agricultural production,” he said.