WT/TPR/S/218/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
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II. TRADE POLICY REGIME:  FRAMEWORK AND OBJECTIVES 
(1) OVERVIEW  
1. There have been only a few changes to Guyana 's constitutional and legal framework since its 
last Review in 2003:  Guyana's constitution h as been amended; a Commercial Court has been 
established, and Guyana has accepted the Caribbean Court of Justice as its final court of appeal.  
There have been no major changes to the various agencies involved in trade policy formulation and 
implementation.  The National Trade Strategy still re flects the specific trade issues and challenges that 
Guyana faces;  in 2005, a broader report on E nhancing National Competitiveness was formulated, 
which contains trade policy recommendations as well  as recommendations in other policy areas.  Both 
of these reports stress the importance of enhancing Guyana's exports, particularly of value-added 
products. 
2. In 2004, Guyana enacted an Investment Act to  encourage foreign investment and to provide 
for more transparency and legal predictability in  its regime.  This Act gives MFN and national 
treatment to investors in all sectors.  There are, however, national treatment exceptions in mining.  
Moreover, the Minister of Finance may exclude sect ors from investment subject to an affirmative 
resolution of the National Assembly. 
3. As at the time of Guyana's previous review, Guyana faces significant challenges in 
participating in the WTO, as a result of its non-r esident status:  a number of notifications are 
outstanding.  Preferences and special and differen tial treatment are among Guyana's key priorities in 
the DDA negotiations. Guyana's trade policy vis-à-vis  third countries is largely defined within the 
context of its membership in CARICOM, and particularly CARICOM's free-trade agreements with 
third countries.  Since 2003, CARICOM has concl uded a free-trade agreement with Costa Rica.  A 
very significant development has also been the signature of th e Economic Partnership Agreement 
(EPA) between the EC and CARIFORUM in October 2008.  This is a wide-ranging asymmetrically 
reciprocal agreement, which replaces the non-reci procal preference scheme previously granted under 
the Lomé and Cotonou Conventions.  Work is ongo ing both at the regional level and in Guyana to 
prioritize the country's aid for trade needs. 
(2) TRADE POLICY FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION  
(i) Institutional framework 
4. Guyana became independent within the Br itish Commonwealth in May 1966 and was 
declared a Cooperative Republic in February 1970.  The Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of 
Guyana (Act No. 2 of 1980), as amended, is the  supreme law of Guyana and as stipulated in Article 8 
any laws inconsistent with it are void.  The Constitution was amended twice in 2003 and once in 
2006.1   
5. As set out in the Constitution, the President of  Guyana is the Head of State, the supreme 
executive authority, and the Comma nder-in-Chief of the armed forces.2  The designated candidate of 
the political party obtaining the largest percentage of the popular vote at the general election is 
                                                      
1 The Constitution of Guyana.  Viewed at:  http://www.parliament.gov.gy.  This incorporates the 
amendments made in 2003.  Where Constitutional provisions (including amendments) are relevant to trade and investment in Guyana, they are mentioned in the relevant chapters of this Report.  The only change introduced 
by the Constitution (Amendment) Act (No. 24 of 2006), wa s to extend the time within which elections must be 
held, from 3 months after every dissolution of Parliament to 4 months. 
2 Article 89 of the Constitution. Guyana WT/TPR/S/218/Rev.1 
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automatically appointed as President, and may serve up to two terms, each of a maximum of five 
years.3  The President may appoint to Cabinet a Prime Minister, Vice-Presidents and Ministers.  
The Prime Minister must be a member of the National Assembly, and all but a maximum of four ministers must be elected members of the National Assembly.  The President has the authority to 
prorogue or dissolve the National Assembly
4, and elections must be held w ithin four months.  The last 
general election was held in August 2006. 
6. The National Assembly is a unicameral legisl ature consisting of 65 members elected by 
proportional representation.  Elections are held within  no more than five years from the date when the 
Assembly first meets.5  The National Assembly's main func tion is to pass bills and constitutional 
amendments.  Chapter X of The National Assembly's  Standing Orders sets out the required steps for 
the passage of legislation.6  Bills may be tabled by the Gove rnment or Private Members, however 
those relating to financial matters require the recommendation or consent of the Cabinet.7  There are 
three readings of the bill in the National Assembly and during this process, the bill may be referred to 
a Select Committee. 
7. Most matters in the National Assembly are dete rmined by majority vote.  Guyana operates 
under a "dualist" system of international law by wh ich international agreemen ts take legal effect 
through the enactment of implementing legislation.   This requires a majority vote in the National 
Assembly.  International agreements that have not  been incorporated into domestic law cannot be 
invoked before the courts and have no direct effect under Guyanese law. 
8. Bills passed by the National Assembly require th e President's assent (signature) to become a 
statute law.  If the President withholds assent, the bill  must be returned to the Speaker with a message 
stating the reasons.  If two thirds of the Assembly vote to return the bill to the President, assent must 
be given within 21 days, unless the Presiden t dissolves the Assembly before that time.8 
9. Guyana's judicial system consists at the lowe r level of 51 magistrates courts.  A Land Court 
handles all claims relating to land registration and ownership and a Commercial Court, established in 
2006, deals with commercial claims.  Both of these are divisions of the High Court (below).  As set 
out in the Constitution, the Supreme Court of Judicature comprises a Court of Appeal and a 
High Court.  The High Court sitting as a Full Court9, may hear appeals against judgements made by a 
single judge of the High Court and may also hear app eals against magistrates' decisions.  The Court of 
Appeal has authority to hear and determine app eals from the High Court, except in the few cases 
when the decision of the High Court is final.10  Since its inauguration in April 2005 further appeals 
from the Court of Appeal may be made to the Cari bbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which has become 
Guyana's final court of appeal.11 
                                                      
3 Article 90 of the Constitution. 
4 Article 70 of the Constitution. 
5 Article 70 of the Constitution. 
6 Standing Orders of the National Assembly of Guyana.  Viewed at:  http://www.parliament.gov.gy/ 
Newstandingorders.pdf. 
7 Article 171 of the constitution and paragraph 53 of the Standing Orders. 
8 Article 170 of the Constitution. 
9 The Full Court is a division of the High Court, an d must generally consist of all, but otherwise not 
less than two, judges of the High Court. 
10 The Schedule to the High Court Act, sets out the instances in which the decision of the High Court is 
final.  Viewed at:  www.gina.gov.gy/gina_pub/laws/Laws/cap203.pdf. 
11 Caribbean Court of Justice online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.caribbeancourtofjustice. 
org/annual_report/ar0506.pdf.  Guyana's acceptance of the CCJ as its final court of appeal is implemented into 
domestic law through the Act to Implement the Agreement Establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice and to Provide for Other Related Matters. WT/TPR/S/218/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 14 
 
 
10. Guyana's judicial system has been described as often slow an d inefficient.  It has been 
reported that the shortcomings of the legal system have caused delays in the realization of collateral 
and hindered the investigation, prosecution, and speedy resolution of commercial disputes.12  I n  
December 2007, there was a backlog of 14,504 cases at the level of the Magistrates Courts and 21,366 
at the High Court level.  The Commercial Court was established to ameliorate this problem.  In 2007, 
1,040 cases were filed before the Commercial Court,  and 506 concluded, and in 2008, 1,030 cases 
were filed and 644 concluded.13 
11. The Constitution also provides for the establis hment of an Ombudsman office, which is 
responsible for investigating allegations of injus tice caused by administrative fault.  This includes 
actions taken by government departments or author ities and their officers as well by as the President 
and Ministers.  The post of Ombudsman has been vacant since 2005.  
12. Guyana's institutional framework h as been affected by political in stability in previous years.  
As noted by the IMF, since the late 1990s, organized crime and ethnically based social and political tensions have contributed to un dermining Guyana's development: emigration of skilled workers was 
significant at the end of the 1990s as was the decrease in foreign investment.  It has been suggested 
that revitalizing private investment in Guyana is  crucial for restoring sustained growth.  This, 
however, requires improvements in the investment climate, which are in turn linked to political 
stability.
14  There are signs that the political situation in Guyana is improving:  while elections in 1997 
and 2001 were marked by violence and unr est, the 2006 election results were not.15 
(ii) Trade policy formulation, implementation, and objectives 
13. Overall responsibility for trade policy formulation at the multilateral, regional, and bilateral 
levels rests with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and International Cooperation.  It is 
charged with identifying opportunities for devel oping new markets for existing and new goods and 
services, and mobilizing resources through technica l cooperation with bila teral and institutional 
donors.16 
14. As at the time of Guyana's previous re view, inter-institutional coordination between 
ministries on trade policy issues is undertaken by  the National Advisory Committee on External 
Negotiations (NACEN), chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and International 
Cooperation, and coordinated by a high-level ministry official.  The NACEN also advises the 
Government and helps it to prepare for and partic ipate in trade negotiations, including through input 
into the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery ( CRNM).  It brings together representatives from 
the public and private sectors, labour, and academia.  The day-to-day work of ensuring all relevant 
ministries, NGOs, and private-sector groupings have a voice in the pursuit of trade policy objectives is 
undertaken by a National Trade Negotiations Co mmittee (N-TNC), and its respective technical 
                                                      
12 IADB Country Strategy with Guyana November 200 2.  Viewed at:  http://www.iadb.org/countries/ 
strategy.cfm?id_country=GY&lang=en. 
13 Filed cases are newly filed cases plus those bought over from the previous year. 
14 IMF (2007b). 
15 As reported by the Commonwealth Observer Group to the elections:  "So far as violence and possible 
instability was concerned, there was no violent or other major disruption of the elec tion arrangements, and there 
was no violence in the immediate aftermath of the results.  The front page of the Guyana Chronicle of 
29 August said it all:  'peaceful poll surprise'.  The medi a continued to behave in a responsible manner and the 
political parties showed the necessary  leadership."  Viewed at:  h ttp://www.thecommonwealth.org/Shared_ 
ASP_Files/UploadedFiles/0AD0B937-FD40-456B-8495-EDB265E8E806_GuyanaCogReport.pdf. 
16 MOFTIC online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.moftic.gov.gy. Guyana WT/TPR/S/218/Rev.1 
 Page 15 
 
 
working groups.  A range of other bodies have juri sdiction over issues that affect trade policy 
(see Chapters III and IV).   
15. During the review period, two documents were i ssued that highlight some of the key trade 
policy challenges that Guyana faces in the c ontext of a broader objective of enhancing the 
competitiveness of the economy.  The National Trad e Strategy, produced in 2003, deals specifically 
with trade policy concerns;  the Enhancing National Competitiveness reports issued in 2005 jointly by 
the Government of Guyana and the Private Sector Commission is much more wide-ranging and deals with trade policy along with other policy challenges.   Both reports acknowledge , either explicitly or 
implicitly, that trade policy has a part to play in a coordinated national effort to improve the country's 
competitive position. 
16. Guyana's National Trade Strategy, finalized in October 2003, identifies both general and 
specific trade-policy objectives, as well as resources to  be employed in pursuit of these goals.  It 
proposes that Guyana's overriding trade policy prio rity should be to enhance market access for 
Guyanese exports.  In so doing Guyana should c ontinue to advocate:  special and differential 
treatment, benefits similar to those accorded to LDCs, and the maintenance and extension of 
preferences in trade negotiations.  It acknowle dges however, that, realistically, there may be 
limitations to this approach.  According to the Strategy, the most frequently identified sectors of 
export interest to Guyana have been:  agri-pro cessing (especially juices, purees, pulps, jams, and 
jellies), garments and leather products, forestry a nd wood products, and craf ts and jewellery, as well 
as tourism services (including hotels, restaurants, resorts etc) and information and communications 
technology, including call centres. 
17. The National Trade Strategy identifies Guyana's  ability to defend its trade interests as an 
important goal: the cost of undertaking anti-dumpi ng investigations and using the WTO's Dispute 
Settlement Mechanism may be prohibitive, but c onsideration should be gi ven to other options 
including pursing complaints at the WTO as part of a coalition or using the good offices of the 
Director-General.  In addition, measures to addr ess injurious import competition could include raising 
applied tariffs and imposing te mporary restrictions on imports  under GATT Article XIX.  The 
Strategy also touches upon the need to tighten up internal coordination on trade policy issues and to devote more resources to strengthening the Ministry's  analytical capacity and its human resources in 
order to participate in trade negotiations (see below). 
18. The Government's 2005 report on En hancing National Competitiveness
17, builds on certain 
goals contained within the Na tional Development Strategy.18  Its rationale is that Guyana is too 
heavily reliant on the production and export of a few virtually unprocessed commodities, and diversification needs to be encouraged.  The overa ll thrust of the report is that economic growth 
should be fuelled by exporting hi gher-value-added goods and services to  world markets, and an action 
plan sets out policy measures in a variety of areas to achieve this.  The report notes that Guyana's 
trade policy stance is too reactive to developments, largely stemming from resource constraints.  
Building up Guyana's capacity to defend its nationa l interests must be a strategic priority, and an 
assessment should be made of whether the various  recommendations made in the National Trade 
Strategy have been implemented, together with an identification of policy measures and associated 
investments to ensure implementation. 
                                                     
 
17 Report on Enhancing National Competitiveness.  Viewed at:  http://www.mintic.gov.gy/documents/ 
EnhancingCompetitivenessFinalDraft.pdf. 
18 National Development Strategy online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.ndsguyana.org/ 
document.asp. WT/TPR/S/218/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
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19. As at the time of its previous Review, Gu yana faces significant institutional resource 
constraints:  within the Ministry there are nine professional staff permanently assigned to trade-related 
functions including new responsibilities arising from the EC-CARIFORUM EPA; and information 
technology limitations are also an impediment.  Guyana does not have a permanent mission in 
Geneva:  it is represented in the WTO on a selectiv e basis from Georgetown, and by its Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs mission in Brussels.  Guyana's non-r esident status continues to constrain its ability to 
monitor and participate fully in WT O negotiations and related activities. 
(3) FOREIGN INVESTMENT REGIME  
20. Overall responsibility for investment policy in Gu yana rests with the Office of the President.  
Promotion of foreign and local investment is unde rtaken by The Guyana Office for Investment (GO-
Invest), a semi-autonomous body under the Office of the President.  GO-Invest also advises the 
Government on the formulation and implementation of national investment policies.  Within GO-
Invest, the Investment Facilitation and Promotion Di vision is the primary contact for investors, and 
assists them in various aspects of starting up operations, including liaising with government agencies to obtain the required authorizations and licences.
19 
21. Foreign direct investment into Guyana is activ ely encouraged and seen by the Government as 
critical to its economic development.  Numerous  incentives are offered to investors and recent 
initiatives have been taken to expand their scope (s ee Chapter III(4)(iv)).  The authorities indicate that 
investments are not routinely screened by the Government. 
22. Various laws are of relevance to foreign invest ors.  Article 142 of the Constitution states that 
no property of any description shall be compulsori ly taken possession of, and no interest in or right 
over property of any description shall be compulsor ily acquired, except by or  under the authority of 
written law and where provision applying to that taking of possession or acquisition is made by a 
written law requiring the prompt paymen t of adequate compensation.  Under the Status of Aliens Act, 
foreign and domestic investors have the same rights to purchase and lease land.  In addition, in 2004, 
the Government enacted an Investment Act with th e intention of improving the investment climate.  
Prior to the adoption of this Act, there had been  no specific investment legislation.  The Act is 
intended to attract and facilitate investment, inter alia,  through: providing a more predictable, stable, 
and transparent legal regime for investment and streamlined procedures. 
23. The Investment Act speci fies that there should be no discr imination between private foreign 
and domestic investors nor among foreign investors from different countries.  The Act defines both 
domestic and foreign investors and clarifies the rights of foreign investors under this legislation.  The 
only exception to the general non-discrimination princi ple is in the mining sector, where investment in 
small and medium-sized operations is restricted unl ess a partnership with a domestic partner exists.  
The Investment Act also states that all fields of lawful economic activity are open to all investors.  
However, the Minister of Finance may exclude sectors from investment subject to affirmative 
resolution of the National Assembly.  The authorities indicate that sectors would only be excluded in 
exceptional circumstances, and no distinction would be made between foreign and local investors.  
There have been no such exclusions during the period under review.  
24. The Investment Act specifies the different fo rms under which investment enterprises may be 
established (see Chapter III(4)(i)).  Enterprises may be wholly owned by foreign investors, and 
unrestricted repatriation of profits is allowed after tax obligations have been met, both for companies 
and net earnings of foreign personnel working in Gu yana.  Echoing the Constitutional provisions on 
the protection of property (above), the Act limits the circumstances under which the Government may 
                                                      
19 GO-Invest online information.  Viewed a t:  http://www.goinvest.gov.gy/goinvest.html. Guyana WT/TPR/S/218/Rev.1 
 Page 17 
 
 
compulsorily acquire any investment enterprise or th e assets of an investor:  legal procedures must be 
followed and adequate compensation paid.  The authorities confirm that no foreign investment 
enterprises or their assets have been take n over by the Government since 2003.   
25. The Investment Act provides a number of avenues for resolution of disputes among investors, 
or between investors and the Government.  Th ese are: arbitration under the Arbitration Act20;  
resolution before the competent courts;  adopti on of procedures provided for in the articles of 
association or other constituent document of the investment enterprise;  or resolution of the dispute by the International Centre for the Settle ment of Investment Disputes (ICSID). 
26. Under the General Agreement on Trade in Se rvices (GATS) Guyana has scheduled no 
limitations to foreign investment with respect to both market access and national treatment for a 
number of services activities, including certain professional services, banking and insurance services, tourism and travel-related services, and transport services (Chapter IV(1)). 
27. Some of the FTAs signed between CARICOM a nd third countries contain provisions on the 
promotion and protection of investment (Table AII. 1).  In addition, the EPA signed between the EC 
and CARIFORUM in October 2008 c ontains substantial commitments on the liberalization of 
investment, for commercial presence in services and non-services sectors.  General provisions on 
investment are set out in Title II of the EPA.  Th e coverage of the agreement extends to commercial 
presence in all economic activities, with a few exceptions.
21  Commercial presence is defined to 
include juridical persons22 as well as branches and representative offices.  MFN treatment applies.  In 
addition, there are rules prohibiting bribery and corruption as well as on environmental and labour 
standards in relation to investment.  Annex IV(E ) to the EPA includes the reservations Guyana has 
taken with respect to measures that do not conform to the general provisions in Title II for investment 
in non-services-sector activities (agriculture, hunting, and forestry;  fishing;  mining and quarrying;  
manufacturing;  and production, transmission, a nd distribution on own account of electricity, gas, 
steam, and hot water).  Guyana has reserved the ri ght to adopt or maintain measures on investment in 
the fishing sector.  With respect to mining, the right  to minerals on all lands is reserved for the State, 
and there are restrictions on issuing permits to persons for small- and medium-scale mining 
operations.  It has reserved the right to adopt restrictions on small-scale investment in the manufacture of wood and wood products as well as the manufacture of furniture. 
28. The list of specific commitments in services under the EPA undertaken by Guyana, and other 
CARIFORUM countries, are set out in Annex IV(F) to the Agreement.  These are scheduled on a 
positive list approach, and Guyana's commitments unde r the EPA are much more extensive than those 
taken in the WTO.  The EPA mandates the parti es to review investment flows and the legal 
framework and environment within three years of the date of entry into force of the Agreement and to 
enter into further negotiations on investment within five years. 
29. Guyana has concluded bilateral investment promotion agreements with China, Cuba, 
Germany, the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, and Indonesia.  Double taxation treaties are in force 
with Canada, CARICOM, and the United Kingdom.  Other double taxation agreements are under 
negotiation with India, Kuwait, and the Seychell es.  The CARICOM-Dominican Republic Free Trade 
                                                     
 
20 Arbitration Act.  Viewed at:  http://www .gina.gov.gy/gina_pub /laws/Laws/cap703.pdf. 
21 These exceptions are:  mining, manufacturing and processing of nuclear materials;  production of or 
trade in arms, munitions, and war material;  audio-visual  services;  national maritime cabotage;  and national 
and international air transport services, and certain servi ces directly related to the exercise of traffic rights. 
22 The definition of a juridical person in the agreement is:  any legal entity duly constituted or otherwise 
organized under applicable law, whether for profit or otherwise, and whether privately owned or governmentally owned, including any corporation, trust, partnership, joint venture, sole proprietorship or association. WT/TPR/S/218/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 18 
 
 
Agreement provides for the negotiation of a double taxation agreement, but there have been no 
developments in this regard (March 2009). 
30. The authorities indicate that their main challenge  is to attract greater diversity in foreign 
direct investment, not just in the traditional sectors, such as forestry and mining, but also in other 
areas such as agriculture and information and communications technology. 
(4) INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS  
(i) World Trade Organization 
31. Prior to independence Guyana had applied GATT de facto  as a member of the metropolitan 
territory of the United Kingdom.  Guyana acceded to the GATT as a contracting party under the terms 
of Article XXVI:5(c) in 1966 following independence.23  Guyana is an original Member of the WTO 
and grants at least MFN treatment to all its trading partners.24  Guyana did not participate in the 
GATS extended negotiations on financia l services or telecommunications. 
32. Guyana has notified several of its laws  and other measures under the various WTO 
Agreements.  However, there are a number of notifications pending (Table AII.2).  
33. Guyana's participation in the WTO and the DDA negotiations is limited, largely as a result of 
its non-resident status.  This notwithstanding, Guya na has submitted an initial conditional offer in the 
services negotiations;  however, at end 2008, it had not submitted a revised offer.25  Guyana has also 
put forward communications, together with other countries, on fisheries subsidies in the rules 
negotiations as well as on agriculture (see Chapter IV(2)). 
34. According to Guyana's Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation at the 
Hong Kong Ministerial Conference in 2005, Guyana's pr iorities in the negotiations are:  the special 
safeguard mechanism and special products;  longsta nding preferences and preference erosion;  special 
and differential treatment;  and aid for trade.26 
35. Guyana has never invoked the dispute settlement  provisions of the GATT or WTO, nor have 
any complaints been brought against it in these fo ra.  However, Guyana reserved its rights to 
participate as third party in three cases relating to  European Community ex port subsidies on sugar.27 
(ii) Regional and bilateral agreements 
36. Guyana attaches great importance to its particip ation in regional trade agreements as a vehicle 
to enhance its integration in the world economy.  Guyana largely formulates and implements its trade 
policy within the context of its participation in  the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).  Through its 
CARICOM membership, Guyana has six preferential tr ade agreements in force, with an equal number 
of trading partners (counting the EC as one);  it al so has two bilateral partial scope agreements, with 
Brazil and Venezuela (Table AII.2).  Since 2003, Gu yana, together with its  CARICOM partners, has 
signed two new agreements, with Costa Rica a nd the European Communities.  The authorities 
                                                      
23 GATT document L/7203. 
24 WTO document WT/TPR/S/122, 1 October 2003. 
25 For further information see WTO online informati on:  http://www.wto.org/eng lish/tratop_e/serv_e/s_ 
negs_e.htm. 
26 WTO document WT/MIN(05)/ST/25, 14 December 2005. 
27 The complainants were Australia (DS265);   Brazil (DS266);  an d Thailand (DS283). Guyana WT/TPR/S/218/Rev.1 
 Page 19 
 
 
indicate that they are looking to take greater  advantage of the opportunities provided by these 
agreements to increase and diversify their exports. 
(a) CARICOM 
37. Guyana is an original member of th e Caribbean Community and Common Market 
(CARICOM), and has ratified the Revised Treaty (see Table AII.2).  Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica, 
Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago have the status of "more developed countries" (MDCs) within the 
group.  CARICOM has a common external tariff, albeit containing flexibility for individual country exceptions (Chapter III(2)(iv)). 
38. The Conference of Heads of Government is CARICOM's highest decision-making body and 
final authority.  A number of ministerial councils deal with policy in different areas.  The Council for 
Trade and Economic Development (COTED), representing membership of trade and development 
ministers from all member states, is responsible fo r the promotion of trade and economic development 
in CARICOM.  Since 1997, CARICOM has work ed through the Caribbean Regional Negotiating 
Machinery (CRNM) to coordinate information and stra tegy in external trade negotiations, including in 
the WTO. 
39. There have been a number of developments at the CARICOM level since 2003.  In 2005, 
CARICOM governments inaugurated the Caribbean C ourt of Justice (CCJ).  Its mandate is to 
interpret the provisions of the Revised Treaty, as we ll as act as a final court of appeal for those 
CARICOM states that choose to use it for this func tion, which Guyana has done.  CCJ rules have 
been developed and the first session took place in August 2005.
28  CARICOM has also deepened 
trade-related cooperation at a technical level:  the CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards 
and Quality (CROSQ) was established in 2005, a nd Guyana has implemented it into domestic law.29  
In January 2006, the CARICOM Single Market a nd Economy (CSME) was es tablished.  CARICOM 
members also established in January 2008 a Comm unity Competition Commission.  Ongoing issues 
being considered at the CARICOM level include  work on:  the harmonization of incentives;  
regulations to facilitate the provision of professiona l services within the grouping;  updating of the 
CARICOM Multilateral Air Services Agreement (CARIC OM MASA) to make it compatible with the 
Revised Treaty;  harmonization of customs legislati on;  the establishment of a regional oversight body 
for food safety (funding permitting);  model anti-dump ing legislation;  and a government procurement 
agreement. 
(b) Other preferential agreements and arrangements 
40. The major development over the review period w as the signature of the Economic Partnership 
Agreement (EPA) between CARIFORUM states and the EC (Table AII.1).  The CARIFORUM-EC EPA, is an asymmetrically reciprocal agreement,  and replaces the trade provisions of the ACP-EC 
Cotonou Partnership Agreement.  For a time it was uncertain whether Guyana would sign the 
agreement since it had wanted the EPA to cover only goods.
30  Guyana however decided to sign the 
EPA on 20 October 2008, five days after the si gning ceremony involving all other CARIFORUM 
states except Haiti. 
                                                      
28 CCJ (2006). 
29 CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality Act, No. 13 of 2005. 
30 ICTSD online information.  Viewed at:  http://ictsd.net/i/news/tni/30721/. WT/TPR/S/218/Rev.1 Trade Policy Review 
Page 20 
 
 
41. The authorities note that an expansion of the CARICOM-Venezuela Agreement is under 
discussion.  Initial consultations at the technical work ing group level have been held with respect to a 
free-trade agreement with Canada.31  Guyana and Argentina signed a Trade and Economic 
Cooperation Agreement in February 2006, howe ver, this does not involve tariff reductions. 
42. Guyana benefits from the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), and is eligible to receive 
enhanced benefits introduced by the Cari bbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA)32;  the 
Canadian Programs for Commonwealth Caribbean Trade, Investment and Industrial Cooperation 
(CARIBCAN)33;  and is a beneficiary of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) schemes of 
Australia, Canada, the European Communities, Jap an, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, 
and the United States. 
(iii) Aid for Trade 
43. The authorities indicate that a key priority for aid for trade support is to help develop 
Guyana's economic infrastructure, particularly the improvement of transport infrastructure to connect 
local communities as well as facilitating links with ot her countries in the region.  They note that 
support is needed at the enterprise and producer levels to enhance expor t production capabilities and 
competitiveness in commodities, manufactures, and ser vices sectors with a strong national potential, 
including diversification into alternative and dyna mic exports and entry into new markets.  The 
authorities see aid for trade as one important way to counterbalance the negative effects of a changing 
trading environment as well as to allow it to make full use of opportunities arising out of the DDA.  They note that it is crucial that aid for trade resources are provided in addition to existing aid 
programmes, are flexible enough to fit into the n eeds of recipient countries and are synchronized with 
similar arrangements to avoid duplication or add itional burdens in terms of accounting, monitoring, 
and evaluation.  
44. Guyana has made it clear that aid for trade is one of its priority areas within the DDA 
negotiations, as explicitly stated at the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference in 2005.
34  In 2006, 
Guyana together with a number of other delega tions submitted a communication to the Aid for Trade 
Task Force, advocating the extension of Aid for Trade to target IDA-only eligible as well as LDCs, 
with separate institutional arrangements to look  after the respective concerns of each group.35 
45. Information on the WTO/OECD Database indicates that over the period 2002-05, Guyana 
received on average US$35.6 million annually in assistance.  Most was targeted at building economic infrastructure (mainly transport and storage but also energy supply and generation).  Support has also 
been provided to building productive capacity  in agriculture, business support services and 
institutions;  banking and financial services;  and forestry. 
                                                     
 
31 CRNM Press Release.  Viewed at:  http ://www.crnm.org/documents/press_releases_2008/ 
pr0815_TWG_Convenes_to_discuss_CARICOM-CANADA_Neg.pdf. 
32 The CBTPA accorded the same pref erential and quota treatment granted to certain textile and apparel 
articles imported into the United States from NAFTA countries, subject to conditions being met.  It has been 
extended until 2010. 
33 The CARIBCAN waiver was extended by WT O Members in December 2006, until 2011.  
WTO document WT/L/677, 19 December 2006. 
34 WTO document WT/MIN(05)/ST/25, 14 December 2005. 
35 WTO document WT/AFT/W/20, 21 June 2006. Guyana WT/TPR/S/218/Rev.1 
 Page 21 
 
 
46. Some work on aid for trade has been undertaken at the regional level, both in the context of 
the EPA negotiations with the EC and the DDA, including the development of a Caribbean Roadmap 
for Aid for Trade as well as a 2006 regional study on Aid for Trade by the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM).
36 
                                                      
36 Parsan (2006).