Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Mr. Anthony Xavier in making the announcement in an address at the recent inauguration of the Guyana Honorary Consulate in Boa Vista, State of Roraima, Brazil, assured that the request will be favourably considered by the Guyana Government.

The arrangement will facilitate further the movement of people (and goods) and enhancing the tourism drive in both Guyana and Brazil, the minister said.

He noted too, that the Government remains committed to concluding the construction of the 608 km road to Brazil, and that possibilities for funding through the South American IIRSA process and other options are engaging the attention of the Guyanese authorities.

However, in the interim, the Government has entered into an agreement with a private sector company to upgrade and maintain the road, to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic between Lethem and Georgetown.

Xavier described the opening of the Guyana Consulate as a "watershed" activity which he opined will work in a positive and meaningful way to the further strengthening of diplomatic relations between Guyana and Brazil.

He said the opening came against the background of a number of important events, including the Guyana-Brazil Partial Scope Agreement to facilitate border trade and trade between the two countries; an MOU between the National Agricultural and Research Institute (NARI) and Embrapa in the execution of projects, and an MOU between the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED) and SEBRAE Roraima, the latter a private sector initiative to allow for collaboration in the area of medium and small business enterprises.

Others are the Guyana-Brazil International Agreement on Road Transport - Passengers and Cargo which when concluded will facilitate both trade and tourism at the frontier and further into both countries, and exploring possibilities for the commencement of negotiations between Go-Invest of Guyana and Investe Brasil for the conclusion of an MOU between the two agencies.

He said the establishing of the consulate is one of two infrastructural projects undertaken by the two countries, the other being the construction of a bridge over the border Takutu River.

Xavier said the Guyanese authorities have been assured that work will recommence on the bridge after a halt last year.

In justifying Boa Vista as the choice of location of the consulate, he explained that consideration was given to the large number of Guyanese living there, as well as those resident in the frontier town of Bonfim.

"There is the need for a consulate here in Boa Vista, as their only other contact is with the Guyana Embassy in Brasilia. While the consulate will be working closely with the embassy in Brasilia, it is useful for Guyanese nationals and visitors who need visas to enter Guyana to be able to receive assistance in Boa Vista," the minister pointed out.

Noting that the majority of Guyanese nationals who live and work in Boa Vista are law-abiding citizens, contributing to the development of both Guyana and Brazil, the minister said the Government of Guyana is confident that many of the problems of Guyanese nationals will be reduced and solved with the consulate performing the functions of intermediary, among other things.

He noted that the successful operation of the consulate will be another way of consolidating the cordial relations between the two countries especially, in the 35th anniversary year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between them.