“We want Guyana to be a mega hub of culture, entertainment, and sports” -Pres Ali
With Government preparing to pump major investments into Guyana’s creative and cultural sectors, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is encouraging international investors to partner in rapidly developing the country’s orange economy.
Speaking at the recent US-Guyana Business Exchange Reception in Houston, Texas, held on the sidelines of the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), President Ali outlined plans to position Guyana as a regional hub for culture, entertainment and sports.
“We are going to invest heavily in the orange economy. We want to be the destination for movies, [and/or] Netflix series. We want the life of Hakeem to be written and produced in Guyana. We want Guyana to be a mega hub of culture, entertainment, and sports. These are things that we are going after,” the President said.
President Ali, who led a 100-member Guyanese delegation to the conference, pointed to the rapid growth of Colombia’s entertainment industry as an example of what Guyana could achieve with the right investments and partnerships.
According to the Head of State, Guyana’s natural environment and cultural diversity give it a strong advantage for film and entertainment projects.
“There is no better place to film a series like “Survival” or “Naked and Afraid” than Guyana. We have the ecosystem to support the orange economy in unbelievable ways,” he stated. The President stressed, however, that outside investment will be critical if Guyana is to fast-track development in the sector instead of progressing gradually over decades.
“We can’t go in a linear fashion. We have to leapfrog to that destination… We want the partners that will take us there faster,” he added. Government has already allocated $3.7 billion in Budget 2026 towards the Orange Economy initiative, which was launched late last year to expand opportunities in the creative industries.
As part of that push, a national multi-stakeholder taskforce has been established to develop a medium-term strategy for the sector. Consultations are expected later this year on areas including film, fashion, tourism, festivals, gastronomy, cultural heritage, and the visual and performing arts. Meanwhile, Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Minister Zulfikar Ally recently said Guyana’s multicultural makeup gives the country a unique advantage in promoting its culture internationally while creating new economic opportunities.
“We live in a very diverse country…six races, this whole pot that’s infused with everybody’s different religion and culture. It’s very unique, and it’s not something you find everywhere in the world,” Ally said.
