Voice of Guyana International

The Vice-President, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat will be visiting Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago from 6th to 11th November, 2006. Visit to Guyana (6-9 November)

The main highlight of the visit of Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice-President to Guyana will be the inauguration of the Cricket Stadium in Guyana on 8th November, 2006.  The Government of India has financed the construction of the stadium with a grant of 6 million US dolloars and a concessional Line of Credit of 19 million US dollars.  The construction of the stadium has been done by M/s. Shapoorji Pallonji from Mumbai.  The Cricket Stadium, being named as ‘Providence Cricket Stadium’ (Providence is the name of the location), has 15,000 seats and is the biggest and the most modern Cricket Stadium in Guyana.  The stadium would be used for the Cricket World Cup in March-April, 2007.

The Vice President will have meetings with the President of Guyana, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Mr. Samuel Hinds, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Robert Corbin and the Speaker of the National Assembly.  These meetings will focus on strengthening of bilateral relations and cooperation.

Shri Shekhawat will also inaugurate the Rabindranath Tagore Resource Centre being established at the University of Guyana.  The Centre will have books, DVDs and other resource materials on India.

During the visit, four bilateral Agreements for cooperation will be signed.  These cover cultural exchanges, diplomatic facilities, academic exchanges and extension of Line of Credit.

The bilateral relations between the two countries are marked by programmes of cooperation and exchanges of high-level visits.  President Jagdeo was on State visit to India in 2003 and 2004.  Guyana has reopened its embassy in New Delhi since December, 2004.

Guyana has publicly declared its support in the UN to India’s candidature for permanent membership of UNSC.

The trade between the two countries in 2005-06 was about 150 crores of rupees.  It has increased significantly in recent years.  The Bank of Baroda has a branch in Guyana.  There is scope for Indian investment in Guyana in mining and forestry.

An Indian Cultural Centre, established by ICCR in Georgetown, is conducting classes in music, dance, yoga and Hindi language.

There are 3,27,000 people of Indian origin in Guyana, who constitute 43.5% of the total population of Guyana.  The Indians had gone to Guyana as indentured labourers in the period 1830-1917.

Guyana receives 40 ITEC scholarship from India every year.  The Government of India has given a total of 54 million US dollars as concessional Lines of Credit to the Government of Guyana.

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