Geoffrey Da Silva
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey da Silva is a politician and administrator in Guyana
. He was the Guyanese Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry from 1999 to 2001 and later served as head of Guyana Investment (Go-Invest).
in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. He was an employee of the Communist Party of Canada
in the 1980s, and ran as a candidate of the Communist Party at the federal and provincial levels. He also sought election for municipal office in Toronto. The Communist Party is not a strong political force in Canada, and Da Silva never came close to winning election.
Da Silva participated in the Guyanese liberation movement, seeking the return of democracy in that country. He was Guyana's Consul General to Toronto in the 1990s, and was interviewed by the Toronto Star
newspaper following the death of Guyanese president Cheddi Jagan
in 1997.
on November 19, 1999, replacing the ailing Michael Shree Chan as Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry. He participated in negotiations with Jamaica
on the sale of rice
in 2000. Participating in the Fourth Annual Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development in the same year, he argued that the Caribbean
tourism industry would have to change to reflect growing changes in ecotourism. He was quoted as saying, ""The role of the agent has to change. [Retailers] must become travel experts. New tourism trends will require new agents." He also promoted sustainable tourism in the ecologically fragile area of Kaieteur, and took part in negotiations toward completing a roadway with Brazil
. In February 2000, he led an official delegation that met with Prince Charles of the United Kingdom
in his official visit to Guyana.
Ambassador to Venezuela, appointed December 2010
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
. He was the Guyanese Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry from 1999 to 2001 and later served as head of Guyana Investment (Go-Invest).
Activities in Canada
Da Silva has a degree from York UniversityYork University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was an employee of the Communist Party of Canada
Communist Party of Canada
The Communist Party of Canada is a communist political party in Canada. Although is it currently a minor or small political party without representation in the Federal Parliament or in provincial legislatures, historically the Party has elected representatives in Federal Parliament, Ontario...
in the 1980s, and ran as a candidate of the Communist Party at the federal and provincial levels. He also sought election for municipal office in Toronto. The Communist Party is not a strong political force in Canada, and Da Silva never came close to winning election.
Da Silva participated in the Guyanese liberation movement, seeking the return of democracy in that country. He was Guyana's Consul General to Toronto in the 1990s, and was interviewed by the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
newspaper following the death of Guyanese president Cheddi Jagan
Cheddi Jagan
Cheddi Berret Jagan was a Guyanese politician who was first elected Chief Minister in 1953 and later Premier of British Guiana from 1961 to 1964, prior to independence. He later served as President of Guyana from 1992 to 1997.- Biography :The son of ethnic Indian sugar plantation workers, Jagan...
in 1997.
Cabinet Minister
Da Silva was appointed to the cabinet of President Bharrat JagdeoBharrat Jagdeo
Bharrat Jagdeo is a Guyanese politician who has been President of Guyana since 11 August 1999. Prior to his presidency he was Minister of Finance and became President after Janet Jagan resigned for health reasons; subsequently he won two elections, in 2001 and 2006.Jagdeo was born in Unity Village...
on November 19, 1999, replacing the ailing Michael Shree Chan as Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry. He participated in negotiations with Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
on the sale of rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
in 2000. Participating in the Fourth Annual Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development in the same year, he argued that the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
tourism industry would have to change to reflect growing changes in ecotourism. He was quoted as saying, ""The role of the agent has to change. [Retailers] must become travel experts. New tourism trends will require new agents." He also promoted sustainable tourism in the ecologically fragile area of Kaieteur, and took part in negotiations toward completing a roadway with Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. In February 2000, he led an official delegation that met with Prince Charles of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in his official visit to Guyana.
After 2001
Da Silva was dropped from cabinet following the 2001 elections, and became head of the Guyana Investment. An essay released the following year by the Guyana and Caribbean Political and Cultural Center for Popular Education argued that he significantly improved the agency's ability to attract investors. He 2005, Da Silva argued that Guyana was creating jobs by diversifying its economy away from traditional crops such as bauxite and sugar. He helped to organize the Guyana Trade and Investment Exposition in the same year, seeking increased Canadian investment in Guyana. Notwithstanding his leftist political background, Da Silva has called for increased private-sector involvement in Guyana's food packaging industry.Ambassador to Venezuela, appointed December 2010