Rowley to visit Guyana next month

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Keith Rowley is scheduled to visit Guyana in May for the upcoming regional Agriculture Forum, which is part of Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali’s plans to help the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grow more food.

The Prime Minister’s visit was confirmed by the Trinidadian Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Dr. Amery Browne on Thursday. He told the News Room that the Prime Minister will be attending the Agriculture Investment Forum and Expo, which is scheduled for May 19 to 21.

“Trinidad and Tobago is fully committed to the objective of improved regional food security, we appreciate President Ali’s lead role and vision for the sector,” Dr. Browne told the News Room.

This will be Prime Minister Rowley’s first visit to Guyana since President Dr. Irfaan Ali was sworn in as President.

Already, three other regional Heads of Government signalled their intention to travel to Guyana in May for this Forum.

Among them is John Antonio Briceño of Belize, who is also the current CARICOM Chairman; Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, and Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves.

This regional event is in keeping with CARICOM’s decision to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025 with the aim of promoting and improving the productivity and resilience of the region’s agricultural food systems.

It flows from a proposal made to cut import costs by expanding regional food production by Dr. Ali at the recent 33rd Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Belize. (Vishani Ragobeer)