By Kurt Campbell
Kurt@newsroom.gy
At the African Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2025) in Grenada, Chairman of the Shipping Association of Guyana, Komal Singh, issued a clarion call for regional leaders and the private sector to urgently fix glaring gaps in logistics and shipping that are stifling trade between Africa and the Caribbean.
Speaking on a high-level panel themed ‘Advancing Opportunities for Strengthening Africa-Caribbean and African Value Chains’, Singh joined senior executives from Afreximbank, the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO), and other key institutions to explore ways to deepen integration across industries like agro-processing, logistics, pharmaceuticals, and the creative economy.
Singh lamented the persistently high cost of shipping in the Caribbean, noting that routes between Africa and the Caribbean are, in some cases, twice as expensive as those from China, depending on the time of year. He underscored that these inflated costs, compounded by delays and port congestion—especially in transshipment hubs like Jamaica and Trinidad—have seriously constrained the region’s ability to build viable value chains.
“The Caribbean has long suffered from unaffordable shipping costs,” Singh said. “Now that funding is more accessible, we must ensure that logistics systems are in place to move goods affordably and efficiently. Without that, all other plans fall flat.”
Singh cited recent discussions, championed by the CPSO and CARICOM Heads of Government, on establishing a dedicated ferry service connecting countries like Suriname, Barbados, and Guyana. He described this as a potential game-changer for regional trade but emphasised that the initiative must be backed by strong political will and concrete action.
“If that programme comes on stream, it can significantly reduce costs and improve timely market access,” Singh said. “We’ve already seen serious conversations taking place over the last year—what we need now is execution.”
Using Guyana’s strategic position and rapid economic growth as an example, Singh pointed to the under-construction highway linking Georgetown to northern Brazil. He said once completed, this road will drastically cut transportation time between Brazil and North America, with Guyana as a critical trade corridor.
ACTIF2025 Panelists Included:
Mr. Komal Singh, Chairman, Shipping Association of Guyana; Board Member, CPSO
Mr. Eric Intong Monchu, Acting Group MD, Client Relations, Afreximbank
Dr. Patrick Antoine, CEO, CPSO
Mr. Timothy Antoine, Governor, ECCB
Mr. Serge Raymond, MD, Vista Bank France
Mr. Kenneth O. Aigbinode, Founder, Creststream Capital; Chairman, AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Committee
Moderated by Lisa-Marie Misztak, the discussion underscored a shared vision: smarter, deeper trade partnerships rooted in logistics, sustainability, and regional resilience.
However, he warned that for Guyana to serve as a meaningful logistics hub, complementary infrastructure like port depots must be developed in tandem.
“Our President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has made it clear that a deepwater port is a priority. That infrastructure will allow us to move cargo at a lower cost and position the region to benefit from African companies using the Caribbean as a base for exports and production.”
Turning to sectoral opportunities, Singh identified agriculture and aquaculture as the next big investment frontiers. He credited Guyana’s non-oil sectors for recording steady growth over the last four years and emphasised the importance of using oil revenues to fuel sustainable development.
“We must ensure that agriculture is not left behind while oil and gas takes the spotlight. Our regional goal to reduce the food import bill by 25% will only be met if countries like Guyana invest in value-added processing, land use, and smart partnerships with Africa.”
He noted that Guyana already has the land and climate, but lacks manpower, technical expertise, and affordable energy. To this end, Singh said knowledge exchange with African countries—particularly around agricultural best practices—could transform the region’s food security landscape.
A major barrier to value-added production, Singh explained, remains the cost of energy, currently around 26 cents (USD) per kilowatt hour—even at subsidised rates. He projected that the completion of Guyana’s Gas-to-Energy project would slash that figure by nearly 50%, opening the floodgates for manufacturing and agro-processing growth.
But he warned that the region cannot afford to wait.
“Manufacturers need to prepare now—build the markets, secure the infrastructure—so that when lower energy costs arrive, we’re ready to scale quickly.”
Singh closed by calling for strong, sustained collaboration between governments and the private sector to design and implement a regionally integrated logistics network. Without it, he cautioned, the promise of Africa-Caribbean value chains will remain unrealised.
“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. The expertise exists. The funding is becoming more available. What’s missing is the unified execution,” he said. “If we act boldly now, the Caribbean can become a critical node in global trade, especially for Africa.”
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