Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce
Party: People’s Progressive Party/Civic
Hon. Oneidge Walrond is a Member of Parliament and Minister of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce. She was appointed on August 7, 2020, with a wide-ranging portfolio for business matters in Guyana. In addition to responsibility for the development of Guyana’s tourist industry, Minister Walrond has responsibility for regulating and transforming Guyana’s business climate to facilitate the development of internationally competitive business enterprises.
She has policy oversight for a range of entities, including the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission, the Small Business Bureau, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, and the Guyana Tourism Authority.
Minister Walrond is an attorney-at-law with over two decades of experience, having been called to the bar in 1998. Her legal experience spans both the public and private sectors. In private legal practice, Minister Walrond initially practiced at the criminal bar as a junior associate.
However, early in her career as an attorney, she took up the challenge of an appointment in the judiciary as a magistrate—a position she held for several years. After the better part of a decade in this role, Minister Walrond returned to private practice, specialising in property law and conveyancing.
Minister Walrond’s diverse experience has provided her with a profound understanding of societal challenges faced by the average citizen and has inspired her to be resolute in addressing these issues in pursuit of solutions. Her experience has also given her a deep appreciation of the problems that confront businesses in general and small businesses, especially in the realm of regulatory compliance.
Minister Walrond holds the degree of Bachelor of Laws from the University of Guyana, the Legal Education Certificate from Hugh Wooding Law School, and a Master of Laws from Florida Coastal School of Law.
