Source: Loop Caribbean
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) in Guyana has welcomed Canada’s decision to remove visa requirements for some travellers from 13 countries yesterday.
GCCI said the move shows Canada is receptive to allowing visa-free access to its territory and has reiterated its call for Guyanese to be given similar opportunities.
“With a diaspora in excess of 85,000 in Canada, the GCCI believes that removal of the visa restriction of Guyanese to Canada will serve to engender improved trade relations, support deeper commercial and economic ties and support economic growth for both territories,” the chamber said.
“Currently, Guyana is the third largest merchandising partner with Canada in the Caribbean Community and is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The GCCI itself continues to deepen relations with Canada, having established MoUs with a number of sister agencies in the country, hosting and fielding trade missions and continuing to work to support partnerships between Guyanese and Canadian companies.”
Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago were among the countries, whose passport holders were added to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program.
A media release said travellers from these countries, who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa, can now apply for an eTA instead of a visa when travelling to Canada by air.