Bank of Guyana Injects US$35M to Ease Currency Crunch

In response to growing foreign currency shortages, the Central Bank has injected US$35 million into the local financial system. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo stressed that while Guyana has strong reserves, excess injections could overvalue the local currency, harming non-oil sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. This calculated intervention aims to balance rising demand from increased imports and trade, while avoiding the economic pitfalls of Dutch disease.

Guyana Eyes 62,000-Acre Agro-Industrial Expansion in Berbice

The government has announced an ambitious 62,000-acre agro-industrial development project in Berbice, stretching from Moleson Creek to Skeldon. The initiative, spearheaded by Vice President Jagdeo, will include hemp, tobacco, sugarcane, and orchard crops, with aims to process and export food at scale. The government has already allocated budgeted funding for infrastructure and will soon sign MOUs to kick off cultivation. This builds on a 40,000-acre plan previously launched to transition former sugar lands into high-value agricultural use.

Business Opportunities Based On Today’s News

Small Enterprises (SEs)

1. Skills Training Partnerships in Hinterland Regions (BIT Initiatives)
Opportunity: Partner with the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) to offer private certification, tools, or materials for Region 9 training programs (e.g., Cosmetology, Solar, Agro-processing).
Why Now: BIT is aggressively upskilling over 100 participants in remote regions, but faces a shortage of trainers and tools.
Thoughts:

• Offer micro-franchise models for graduates (e.g., starter kits for cosmetology, tourism guide training).

• Launch a mobile training arm or YouTube channel to extend reach beyond in-person attendees.

2. Forex-Focused Consulting Services for SMEs
Opportunity: Provide advisory and middleman services for small traders, e-commerce businesses, and manufacturers struggling with foreign currency access.
Why Now: With the Central Bank injecting US$35M to ease the forex shortage, there’s a market of confused small businesses needing guidance.
Thoughts:

• Bundle services with bank negotiation strategies and payment platform education (Payoneer, MMG, wire optimization).

• Could evolve into an export assistant service for agro-producers.

3. Legal & Tax Documentation Services (Post-Mohameds Development)
Opportunity: Launch an affordable bookkeeping, documentation, and compliance prep service for small gold dealers, traders, and logistics companies.
Why Now: With legal actions underway against the Mohameds and increased scrutiny on exports and tax documentation, there is a growing fear of misfiling or underreporting.
Thoughts:

• Target informal exporters needing clean records.

• Consider bundling with access to registered accountants and GRA education.

Medium Enterprises (MEs)

1. Waste Management and Equipment Leasing to Local Councils
Opportunity: Lease garbage compactors, excavation tools, and road-widening equipment to local municipalities and NDCs, especially in Regions 6 and 9.
Why Now: VP Jagdeo confirmed each local body received excavators, but the demand for additional support in road upgrades and drainage remains high.
Thoughts:

• Structure as PPPs (Public-Private Partnerships).

• Add preventative maintenance as a recurring revenue stream.

• Consider acquiring second-hand equipment from South America or China.

2. Agro-Tourism Lodges + Training Hubs in Rupununi
Opportunity: Build eco-lodges combined with small vocational hubs or culinary experiences powered by BIT graduates.
Why Now: Region 9 is receiving state-funded skills training across agro-processing, hospitality, and IT, providing a ready talent pipeline.
Thoughts:

• Apply for grant funding or impact investment via tourism or education NGOs.

• Could act as feeders for a new generation of female entrepreneurs in South Rupununi.

3. Import/Export Brokerage Firm Specializing in Compliance
Opportunity: Create a mid-tier firm focused on facilitating customs, compliance, and lawful export of gold, food, and manufactured products.
Why Now: Following the Mohameds' fallout and SOCU crackdowns, compliance-focused services will be in high demand.
Thoughts:

• Could grow into a customs clearing agency.

• Build partnerships with U.S.-based legal or financial compliance firms.

Large Enterprises (LEs)

1. Private Security & Surveillance Solutions (US-Guyana MoU)
Opportunity: Launch a national-level private intelligence, surveillance, and anti-money laundering (AML) consultancy in collaboration with foreign security partners.
Why Now: With the signing of the Guyana–US security cooperation MoU, there will be expanded investment in transnational crime prevention, cybersecurity, and information sharing.
Thoughts:

• Develop solutions for port operators, oil companies, and the financial sector.

• Could expand into digital forensics and cyber threat intelligence.

2. Public Infrastructure Development and Road Rehabilitation Services
Opportunity: Develop a turnkey road rehabilitation or compacted-surface construction business focused on narrow and constrained rural areas.
Why Now: Government is planning upgrades across Berbice (Region 6), involving shoulder excavation and utility coordination.
Thoughts:

• Prequalify for Public Works contracts.

• Partner with foreign engineering firms or bring modular road-building tech to market.

3. Strategic Hospitality and Real Estate Development in Essequibo
Opportunity: Create high-end residential and commercial real estate developments in Essequibo anticipating potential political stabilization and investment.
Why Now: U.S. guarantees and military presence near Exxon’s offshore operations are likely to de-risk the region.
Thoughts:

• Focus on housing for professionals (law enforcement, oil workers, trainers).

• Develop medical and shopping facilities to anchor communities.

Side Hustle Ideas Based On Today’s Developments

1. Freelance Compliance & Document Prep Services for Small Exporters and Traders

Why Now:
With the crackdown on the Mohameds and rising scrutiny over documentation, taxes, and legal compliance, there is a wave of small gold dealers, exporters, and traders who are now scrambling to get their paperwork in order.

What to Do:

• Offer evening or weekend services to help individuals prepare basic invoices, export forms, and tax-ready records.

• Use Google Docs or Notion templates to speed up workflows.

• Start with word-of-mouth from local shopkeepers, goldsmiths, or regional agro-exporters.

Upside:
This can scale from a side hustle into a boutique consultancy. People with good attention to detail or light accounting/admin experience will thrive. Very low startup cost.

2. Forex Matchmaker & Procurement Assistant

Why Now:
The foreign currency shortage is making it hard for small businesses to get USD to order goods. Many individuals are now using informal methods or waiting long periods for forex access.

What to Do:

• Position yourself as a trusted forex liaison—connecting individuals or small business owners with reliable licensed cambios or individuals selling foreign currency.

• Add value by helping with small-scale procurement (especially from Trinidad, Suriname, or Miami) for hard-to-find parts, tools, beauty products, or equipment.

• You don’t hold inventory—just charge a service or finder's fee.

Upside:
You can operate this after hours via WhatsApp, with little to no overhead. Trust is your currency. Can evolve into a sourcing agency or logistics assistant business.

3. Mobile Skills-Based Training (Nights/Weekends)

Why Now:
The Board of Industrial Training (BIT) is expanding across Guyana and focusing on regions like Lethem and Pomeroon. Yet, there's a shortage of trainers. People are eager to learn new skills.

What to Do:

• If you have a specific skill (e.g., welding, small engine repair, solar panel maintenance, accounting, sewing), host a monthly crash course or weekend workshop.

• Partner with churches, schools, or community centres.

• You don’t need to be certified to get started—real-world experience matters in these regions.

Upside:
Earn GYD $20,000–$50,000 per workshop. You empower others while building a personal brand as a community expert. Can eventually transition into accredited or government-backed training programs.