Guyana signs technology transfer agreement with India
By Neil Marks
GUYANA and India yesterday became the only two Commonwealth countries to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the transfer of technology, paving the way for such cooperation in 365 possible areas.

The five-year agreement, geared to facilitate the transfer and implementation of commercial technologies, covers areas such as agriculture, mining, forestry, fisheries and information technology.

The MOU was signed between Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Mr. Clement Rohee, and Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Prakash Joshi.

The implementation of the agreement will be done between Guyana's Institute for Applied Science and Technology (IAST) and India's Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Other than transferring already tested technology in India to Guyana, the MOU provides for exchange visits of scientists from the two institutions.

"We confidently look upon the signing of the agreement as a landmark in giving a further impetus to the growth of already excellent relations between our two countries", High Commissioner Joshi said. Minister Rohee shared his sentiments.

IAST Director Mr. Roshan Habibullah said that the agreement can swing into action right away, as the available technologies that could apply in Guyana have already been identified.

He said that a compilation of some 365 technologies that can be transferred to Guyana have been compiled and were circulated to private sector bodies to identify areas of interest.

The programme can make possible production ventures for such things as mini rice mill, ginger powder, turmeric-curing and polishing, brick manufacturing, high draught kiln, wood substitutes from red mud, coconut husk particle board, soil stabilisation of road, lemongrass and citronnella.