(Kaieteur News) – President Irfaan Ali has issued a stern ultimatum to regional manufacturers, warning that international brands looking to expand in the local market must invest in onshore production or risk losing access to Guyanese consumers.

Speaking on Saturday at the commissioning of BK Air/Jags Aviation’s HAL Dornier 228 aircraft on Saturday, President Ali expressed impatience with foreign partners who view Guyana strictly as a consumption market rather than a hub for manufacturing and value creation.

“We don’t want to be a market that is only consuming and buying,” President Ali said. “We are a market positioning ourselves to be the best that we can be. And if we are going to take you on as a partner, you have a relationship and a responsibility to invest in this partnership.”