• Located on the North Atlantic coast of South America, Guyana borders Venezuela to the west, Suriname to the east and Brazil to the south. The country’s geographical position and socio-political heritage put it at the gateway between South America and the Caribbean. On one hand, its Caribbean heritage enables Guyana to be part of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), while on the other, it is a South American country, neighbouring two of the most important economies on the continent – Brazil and Venezuela. This gives Guyana, the third-smallest country (after only Uruguay and Suriname) on mainland South America, easy access to more than 300 million consumers.

• Endowed with extensive savannahs and forests as well as productive agricultural land, rich mineral deposits of gold, bauxite and diamonds, abundant water resources, offshore oil and gas reserves, and an Atlantic coastline, the country offers dynamic business opportunities across many sectors of the economy. While recognised globally as a sugar and rice producer, much of its agricultural potential is yet to be tapped, especially as regards fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. Its forestry potential is just beginning to be realised, particularly in the field of value-added wood products. Its extensive network of rivers and Atlantic coastline provide ideal conditions for both seafood and aquaculture. Its pristine environment, unspoiled rainforest and exotic fauna and natural attractions (including the world’s highest single-drop waterfall, the Kaieteur Falls) make Guyana a highly attractive location for eco- and adventure tourism.

• Thanks to an extensive array of regional, bilateral and preferential agreements with trading partners such as CARICOM (which comprises 15 members and 5 associate members stretching from the Bahamas in the northern Caribbean to Guyana and Suriname in the south), Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the EU, mainland China, Turkey and Venezuela, about 75% of Guyana’s exports are eligible for duty-free entries in destination markets, with many of them remaining receiving preferential access.

• Guyana is proving attractive to investors looking to set up businesses in the services sector. This is partly due to its well-educated labour force with near-universal literacy, but also due to it being the only South American nation which has English as its official language. This is especially useful for businesses involved in the IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) markets in North America, as well as businesses conducting operations to support the activities of large corporations worldwide, and those serving English-speaking tourism markets.

• Guyana provides foreign investors with the same treatment as domestic investors. It offers an extensive menu of across-the-board investment incentives, including a flat business tax rate, tax holidays, waivers of customs duties, export tax allowances, and unrestricted repatriation of profits, as well as additional incentives in priority export sectors such as agriculture, forestry, tourism, mining, energy, manufacturing (agro-processing of sugar, rice, coconuts, timber and mineral-processing of bauxite, gold and diamonds) and services (IT, ICT and BPO). More information on the investment environment and the relevant regulations can be found at Guyana’s investment promotion agency, GO-Invest.

• The inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Guyana amounted to US$212 million in 2017. According to the mainland Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), China’s total stock (flows) of FDI in Guyana exceeded US$256 (US$6) million as of the end of 2016, up from US$69 (nil) million in 2008. Investment from Hong Kong, however, has remained minimal.

Source: Hong Kong Trade Statistics, Census & Statistics Department

• Located about 1,400 miles south of Miami and halfway between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, Dominica is an island nation in the Eastern Caribbean. The country has seen its GDP double over the past two decades to reach US$0.6 billion in 2017. However, its exposure to frequent natural disasters such as flash floods and hurricanes can put its economic growth and development plans at risk. In September 2017, for example, Hurricane Maria caused about US$1.3 billion worth of damage to crops and the country’s physical infrastructure, such as road and power supply, bringing much of the country’s economic activity to a halt and impacting its economic growth.

• Dubbed “The Nature Island of the Caribbean”, Dominica’s unique natural beauty has helped it become one of the region’s tourism hot spots. Its natural attractions include one of the largest boiling lakes in the world in the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Morne Trois Pitons National Park. With tourism becoming an increasingly important part of the country’s economy, the Dominican Government has increased its efforts to develop the sector, attracting investment in high-end boutique hotels, exclusive villas, eco resorts, health and wellness spas, marinas and attractions for stay-over, excursion and cruise passengers, such as green tourism featuring nature-related activities and experiences.

• Another key driver of Dominica’s economy is agriculture, thanks largely to the fertile volcanic soils which are good for cultivating bananas and tropical fruits. In line with the country’s emphasis on attracting investment in sustainable and environmental-friendly manufacturing activities with employment and export-earning potential, the growth of the country’s agro-processing sector has been encouraged. This covers light manufacturing areas such as bulk and bottled water, brewing, seafood, beverages and juice, canned food and fruit processing, and herbal teas and natural medicines.

• There is a growing demand for “near-shoring” relocation in Latin America among businesses looking to cater to the North America market. To take advantage of this, the Dominican Government has designated business processing outsourcing (BPO) as a key sector for further development on the island and strongly supports foreign investment in the sector with generous investment incentives. Situated at the centre of the Caribbean in the same time zone as the Eastern US, Dominica is increasingly becoming a location of choice for investment by the BPO industry.

• As a member of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), Dominica uses the Eastern Caribbean dollar as its official currency. Dominica benefits from a number of preferential trade agreements with countries such as Armenia, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) members, the EU, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Russia, Turkey and the US. For instance, under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, the US offers duty-free treatment for Dominica-origin products.

• Since 2013, sustainable and climate-resilient development has become one of Dominica’s leading priorities.  The country has facilitated foreign investment, for example, by offering incentives such as tax holidays of up to 15 years (20 years in the case of hotel and resort developments), waivers of import duty for machinery, equipment, spare parts, building materials, raw and packaging materials used for local manufacturing, processing and services, and no restrictions on the repatriation of earned profits. The Citizenship by Investment Programme is another ongoing initiative to attract foreign investment, particularly in the public projects and the real estate industry. More information on the investment environment and the relevant regulations or programmes can be found at the country’s investment promotion agency, Invest Dominica Authority.

• The inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Dominica amounted to US$19 million in 2017. According to the mainland Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), China’s total stock (flows) of FDI in Dominica exceeded US$3 (nil) million as of the end of 2016, up from US$0.7 (nil) million in 2008. The level of Hong Kong’s trade and investment with Dominica, however, remains relatively insignificant.

• Trinidad and Tobago is a twin-island republic situated at the southernmost end of the Caribbean archipelago. It borders the Caribbean Sea to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Gulf of Paria to the west. It is outside the hurricane belt that affects other parts of the Caribbean and boasts two deep-sea harbours – the capital’s Port of Spain and Point Lisas. Taken together, these factors have helped the republic develop into one of South America’s key transshipment hubs. It is also well-suited for providing nearshore services to North America, given that it shares the same time zone as the East Coast of the US and has a native English-speaking population.

• Since gaining independence from the UK and becoming a member of the British Commonwealth in 1962, Trinidad and Tobago has emerged as one of the most industrialised countries in the English-speaking Caribbean. It has been actively involved in establishing trade and investment agreements. These include bilateral investment agreements with Canada, mainland China, France, the UK, Germany, South Korea, Spain, Mexico and India, and trade agreements with Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica.

• The country’s membership of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and CARICOM’s Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) has helped deepen its economic integration with many of its neighbours and brought it greater economies of scale and opportunities to reach out to talents, goods, services and capital within the region.

• Thanks to its large reserves of oil and gas, Trinidad and Tobago not only has some of the lowest energy costs in the world, but is also a major supplier of liquid natural gas (LNG) to the US, as well as a leading exporter of methanol and ammonia. It is estimated that the country’s energy exploration and production currently accounts for about 40% of its GDP and government revenue, as well as 90% of its exports.

• In 1988, in a bid to diversify its economy and bolster investment in export-drive projects, the government of Trinidad and Tobago established a Free Trade Zones programme. This was intended to attract non-energy based projects that create jobs, develop skills and create external markets for products. Under this programme, the government offers interested and eligible investors generous incentives, including tax exemptions and the freedom to repatriate funds. More information on the investment environment and regulations can be found at InvesTT.

• More recently, the government increased its efforts to encourage foreign investment with a range of incentives specifically focused on non-energy targeted sectors. These include ICT (animation studio, BPO and English voice services, and global services internationalisation services), agriculture & agro-processing (chocolate manufacturing and cocoa processing), maritime services (offshore bulk transshipment and dry-docking services), aviation services (aircraft maintenance and repair), fish & fish processing, creative industries, manufacturing (silicon cluster), tourism (hotels and resorts) and financial services.

• After years of fast growth, inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Trinidad and Tobago moderated and turned slightly negative in 2016. According to the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, China’s total stock of FDI in Trinidad and Tobago exceeded US$606 million as of the end of 2016, up from US$0.8 million in 2007. Investment from Hong Kong, however, is at present far from significant.

• A twin-island Caribbean state, Antigua and Barbuda consists of two major inhabited islands (Antigua and Barbuda) and a number of smaller ones. It is part of the north-eastern Caribbean group known as the Leeward Islands – a chain of islands lying between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean and stretching from the Virgin Islands in the north to Dominica at its most southerly.
• The country became an independent state within the Commonwealth of Nations on 1 November 1981, shortly after joining the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) as one of its seven founding members and as signatories to the Treaty of Basseterre. The treaty was replaced and revised in 2010 to create an economic union. This established a single financial and economic space within which goods, people and capital can move freely. Subsequently, monetary and fiscal policies were harmonised and member states adopted a common approach to trade, health, education, the environment, and the development of such sectors as agriculture, tourism and energy.
• At one time, crop production – particularly tobacco, cotton, ginger and sugar cane – was the dominant economic sector locally. Following the 1981 secession from the UK, however, the local service sector, especially tourism, became the prime economic engine and the most significant foreign exchange earner. With some 365 beaches and surrounding clean, clear turquoise waters, tourism is by far the largest industry in Antigua and Barbuda. In 2017, it accounted for 52% of the country’s GDP and was directly responsible for 5,000 jobs across several related sectors, including accommodation, entertainment and retail.
• In order to attract foreign investment, the country has introduced a special tax regime that allows international business companies (IBCs) to apply to the Antigua & Barbuda Investment Authority in order to secure a variety of incentives and concessions, including tax holidays and tax credits. The government is also looking to diversify the local economy by promoting several sectors seen as not requiring a substantial investment in bricks-and-mortar structures. As a result, it now provides several incentives for would-be investors in the services sector. These are in addition to such incentives as the customs duty, corporate income tax, withholding tax and sales tax exemptions that were already on offer.
• These new incentives include: (a) changes to customs control and management in order to eliminate the need for importers to produce a Certificate of Good Standing; (b) the launch of the ASYCUDA World Manifest module, which allows ship manifests to be filed before their arrival in Antigua and Barbuda; and (c) the launch of the Public Access Module, which aims to make it easier to search for land records and relevant ownership information via the relevant online platforms. More information on the investment environment and the relevant regulations can be found at the official website of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.
• The inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Antigua and Barbuda amounted to US$61 million in 2017. As of the end of 2016, China’s total stock of FDI in Antigua and Barbuda topped US$6.7 million, up from US$1.3 million in 2007. The level of Hong Kong’s trade and investment with Antigua and Barbuda, however, remains relatively insignificant.