Chatter
There has been much chatter surrounding the establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) in Guyana. Work has begun towards achieving that goal and at some point in time Guyanese would want to have their say about the matter. This writer understands that when the time comes Guyanese will be given an opportunity to comment on the legislation being proposed for the creation of the SWF. Towards this 
end, all Guyanese must know and have a clear understanding of the concept and dynamics of the SWF. Indeed, SWFs are growing in popularity with increasing numbers of countries looking at ways to establish such a facility. Just over one week ago the largest SWF, that of the Government of Norway, topped US$1 trillion in value in less than 30 years. Others are within striking distance of the coveted US$1 trillion mark which bring many a feeling of comfort. If likened to a marathon, Norway would have won the race comfortably. There is great anticipation that SWFs soon will be commonplace, especially among developing countries. SWFs make up about six per cent of the share of the global assets that belong to institutional investors. In light of its growing popularity and emerging prominence in Guyana, this week’s article seeks to shed light on the concept, purpose and role of the SWF.
