The United States Embassy in Guyana is working to establish a bilateral tax treaty between Washington and Georgetown, following complaints from American companies that are being taxed on the same income in both countries.

U.S. Ambassador Nicole Theriot made the disclosure during an appearance on NewsSource’s interview programme, SOURCES, hosted by journalist Svetlana Marshall. She described the current arrangement as unfair to American investors.

“We do not have a bilateral tax treaty. That is something that my office, my embassy here, has been working very closely with Washington on. We are trying to convince them that this would be useful. Because, obviously, if you are a U.S. company, you do not want to have to pay taxes both in Guyana and in the United States. That is patently unfair,” Theriot said.

The Ambassador noted that American companies are expanding rapidly across construction, infrastructure, agriculture, and technology. She added that a U.S. firm recently signed a contract to build a data center in Guyana, and that broader investor interest continues to grow.

Guyana currently holds double taxation agreements with Canada, the United Kingdom, CARICOM, and the United Arab Emirates. The arrangement between Guyana and the United States is limited to a Tax Information Exchange Agreement, which allows for the sharing of financial data but does not prevent the same income from being taxed in both countries.

Local accountant Christopher Ram explained that a properly structured treaty would ensure income is taxed where it is earned, with the other country granting a credit to prevent duplication. He welcomed the potential benefits for cross-border investment but urged caution on the terms.

“It can also work to our advantage, but the conditions must be good. The old-fashioned double taxation treaty is a danger to countries like ours,” Ram said, citing a case where Trinidad incurred significant losses under a poorly negotiated agreement.

Ram was direct on one point: any proposal suggesting that income earned in Guyana by an American company should not be taxed in Guyana must be firmly rejected.

Ambassador Theriot acknowledged that Guyana will need to revisit certain laws and regulations as it becomes a more prominent destination for U.S. investment.

SOURCE: Kaieteur News, “U.S. pushing to remove double tax on American firms operating in Guyana,” March 31, 2026