GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Former United States president Bill Clinton, Tuesday, urged closer collaboration among the countries in the Americas as he participated in a forum that focused on strengthening partnership and investment opportunities within the region.

Addressing the United Caribbean Forum (UCF), organised by the Dominican Republic Chamber of Commerce in Guyana, Clinton said, “I have believed for a long time that the Americas need to work more closely together and that in many ways the smaller countries by population are more successful where economies of scale are not so important as personal contacts and personal responsibilities”.

The 42nd President of the United States acknowledged that while it is hard to raise the capital “to take all the small countries forward together, you have this curious dilemma where in theory the smallest countries can be the most successful at anything simply because there is more personal contact.”

“But it is hard to get people …to invest,” he said, recalling having worked for “years on a solar project in St Lucia,” where he described the head of the utility company there “as one of the most progressive guys who wanted desperately to get off diesel and onto solar”.

Clinton said he hopes that this new partnership involving governments, businesses and non-government organisations between the Dominican Republic and Guyana “is the tip of the iceberg that will give new life to Caricom (Caribbean Community) and new life to any other organisations that are active here”.

He told the forum that there is now this “amazing opportunity “ to push forward with the several initiatives, adding “remember we are almost always stronger together.

Discussions at the forum centred on the Caribbean working on development in key areas such as food security and energy. At the forefront of talks also was the investment opportunities, particularly among the private sectors of the two countries.

Guyana’s President, Dr Irfaan Ali, who said that his country is open to foreign investment, the presence of Clinton and “some of the values that shaped your identity and shaped your policies.

“Because if policies lack identity and are based in theory (they) will never capture the needs of people,” Ali said,” adding that Guyana is embarking upon developing policies that are attractive to people.