President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has called for a fundamental reset in regional economic thinking, urging Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago to move beyond traditional ties and build a forward-looking alliance grounded in innovation, integration and strategic investment.
Delivering the feature address at the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce Annual Business Meeting Outlook 2026/2027 in Port of Spain on Saturday, the president said the long-standing partnership between the two nations must now evolve into a results-driven collaboration capable of competing on the global stage.
Using humour to underscore the call for unity, Ali told the audience, “We are not here to decide whether it is curry chicken or chicken curry, we are here to agree that we must have curry.” He stressed that the relationship, historically rooted in culture, trade and people-to-people exchange, can no longer be advanced by inefficiency or systems that delay progress.
The president urged regional stakeholders to shift from inward-looking development models to outward-facing, opportunity-driven strategies, pointing to untapped potential in energy, agriculture and manufacturing. He called on the Trinidad private sector to deepen its engagement in Guyana beyond traditional sectors, emphasising the need for long-term, transformative investments that can drive regional food security, energy integration and industrial expansion.
Ali outlined Guyana’s development trajectory as an emerging petrostate pursuing aggressive diversification, with oil revenues being channelled into agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare and technology. He also highlighted investments in digitalisation, artificial intelligence and public sector modernisation, as well as Guyana’s leadership in environmental services including forest carbon credits and a global biodiversity alliance.
“Protectionism cannot and will not make us successful in the new world,” the president stated. “The only path forward is competitiveness, integration, and building a common platform that allows our region to thrive.”
SOURCE: Kaieteur News, “Pres. Ali calls for bold economic reset, urges deeper Guyana–Trinidad collab. for shared prosperity,” April 12, 2026
