Guyana Minister Urges Diaspora in VI
Guyana’s Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan A. Edghill, met with members of the Guyanese community in the Virgin Islands to encourage them to consider returning home and contributing to Guyana’s rapid development. He highlighted major gains in infrastructure, health, education, housing and energy and pointed to international forecasts that single out Guyana’s strong economic prospects.
Edghill, Guyana’s Minister of Public Works, used a recent visit to the Virgin Islands to appeal directly to members of the Guyanese diaspora to consider returning home to help drive the country’s development. The minister met with Guyanese residents at a ‘‘Meet and Greet’’ organised by the Guyanese Association in the Virgin Islands at the Save the Seed Centre; he was reportedly hosted by New Life Baptist Church for portions of the visit.
During the engagement, Mr Edghill outlined what he described as an unprecedented transformation in Guyana under President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, listing advances in infrastructure, healthcare, education, housing, energy and economic diversification. According to a Facebook post by the minister, these changes have created a broad range of opportunities for Guyanese at home and abroad, and he urged members of the diaspora to contribute their expertise, entrepreneurial talent and investment capital.
The minister’s pitch is reinforced by international economic analysis. The World Bank’s June 2026 Global Economic Prospects report singled out Guyana as a bright spot in the Latin America and Caribbean region, classifying it among emerging market and developing economies that export energy.
Even as the global economy faces uncertainty from geopolitical tensions, higher energy prices and slowing growth, the World Bank projects that Guyana’s economy will continue to register exceptional growth driven largely by expanding oil production. For residents of the British Virgin Islands, the call has immediate local relevance.
The BVI is home to a sizeable Guyanese community whose members contribute to public services, construction, healthcare, hospitality and other sectors. A portion of that population may be considering whether to remain, return to Guyana, or invest back home. Shifts in migration and investment patterns could affect local labour availability, remittance flows and small-business networks in the BVI, while also creating opportunities for stronger commercial and social links between the two territories.
Community groups, churches and employers in the BVI that work closely with Guyanese residents may play a key role in sharing information and supporting any moves. Those interested in learning more should seek official guidance from Guyanese consular channels and monitor government outreach programmes that may facilitate return, business start-ups or investment.
The minister’s visit is part of a broader diaspora engagement effort aimed at converting Guyana’s rapid economic change into tangible opportunities for citizens at home and abroad.
Primary source: VINO