The Call Has Arrived: A Diaspora Perspective on Growth, Identity, and Guyana's Next Chapter
- Natalie Williams
- May 10
- 3 min read
Let's Go Back To Where It All Started
Celebrating Arrival Day - May 5th
Arrival Day, observed on May 5th, is a national holiday in Guyana, originally commemorating the arrival of the first East Indian indentured labourers aboard the SS Whitby in 1838, and later broadened to honour all ethnic groups who came as indentured labourers and made Guyana their home, including Indo Guyanese (39.8%) Afro Guyanese (29.3%), Mixed (19.9%) Amerindian, Mixed (10.5%), Portuguese, Chinese, European and other combined (0.5%)
It is a day that holds deep personal meaning for me as a woman of Guyanese heritage. My ancestors are part of that story. Guyana Chronicle
The Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce said it beautifully:
"This day is a tribute to the strength, resilience, and cultural richness of our people, reflecting the many backgrounds, traditions, and stories that continue to define our national identity... We celebrate unity in diversity and the shared values that drive progress, innovation, and national development. One People. One Nation. One Destiny."
The Call Has Arrived. And I'm Answering It.
For the last few years, I've been sitting with a question I couldn't shake: How do I actually contribute to what's happening in Guyana right now?
As a Canadian of Guyanese descent, I've shown up to Toronto-based social events, political gatherings, and fundraisers supporting healthcare, education, infrastructure, and community prosperity for over 20 years. Causes making a real impact across all 10 regions from Barima-Waini to Upper Demerara-Berbice.
And for a while, that felt like enough. It no longer does.
The Room That Confirmed Everything!
On Friday, May 8, I attended the Canadian Guyanese Chamber of Commerce Maple Leaf Cocktail Reception & Gala at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. The space was beautiful. The energy was electric.
I met professionals who were refreshingly transparent about both their wins and their challenges. When I shared that I'm a client retention specialist and that I work with businesses to build frameworks that drive engagement, loyalty, and long-term revenue, the enthusiasm in return was immediate, "You need to come now. Now is the time, while this next chapter in Guyana's history is being written." said a member of the Canadian Guyanese Chamber of Commerce, who later invited me to a roundtable to discuss joining a 2027 delegation to Guyana.
To my delight, I had the pleasure and honour of meeting President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali. We even had a short but impactful exchange; it was so inspiring. Plus, his speech was informative, funny, and genuinely uplifting. I left that room inspired in a way I haven't felt in a long time.
The call to action is crystal clear!
Why All The Hype? The Numbers Don't Lie
Guyana isn't just growing, it's undergoing one of the most dramatic economic transformations in modern history!
What followed was staggering: GDP growth of 43.5% in 2020, 62.3% in 2022 (the highest in the world that year), and per capita GDP rising from US$6,950 in 2020 to over US$20,000 by 2023. The IMF confirmed Guyana recorded the world's highest real GDP growth rate, averaging 47% per year since 2022. Wikipedia + 2
But here's what matters beyond the oil headline: non-oil GDP expanded by over 13% in 2024 alone, broad-based growth across construction, agriculture, housing, health, and transportation. DPI Guyana. This isn't just a resource story. It's a nation-building story.
In February 2026, Guyana was producing approximately 918,000 - 926,550 barrels per day!
Guyana Diaspora Engagement Toronto.
Event Location: Brampton ON
That spirit carried into Saturday, May 9, when I woke up early and drove over to the Pearson Convention Centre, right here in my hometown of Brampton, Ontario, for the Guyana
Diaspora Engagement Toronto.
Over 500 people showed up to this free engagement. Five hundred people who carry Guyana in their hearts, and asking the same question I've been asking myself:
How do I show up for what's happening back home?
The energy was undeniable. The conversations were real. And standing in that space, the morning after the Gala, in the city I grew up in, surrounded by my community, the answer felt less like a question and more like a direction.
I've been paying attention to where growth, community, and long-term opportunity are happening, and I'm willing to participate in building something meaningful.
I'm not watching Guyana's next chapter from a distance anymore. I'm in it!
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