THE Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) is inviting all eligible Guyanese in various sectors of business to submit their business profiles in response to a request by the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC) and following the emergence of substantial business opportunities emanating from the US$7.8 billion for the rebuilding of Haiti.
Those funds have been pledged by the International community following the devastating earthquake in Haiti on January 12. The money is intended to be used for financing the country’s rebuilding, which is being coordinated on behalf of Caricom by former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
According to the President of the GMSA, Clinton Williams, said that it is expected that a business forum led by the CAIC and Caricom will be held in Haiti to concretise Caricom/Private Sector Business involvement in the various projects associated with the reconstruction programme.
He said that this involvement is likely to be in collaboration with reputable Haitian counterpart and/or other Caricom companies where such an amalgamation might be more beneficial, considering the likely competition from other multinational companies.
The sectors being looked at are construction and engineering including architects, building contractors and building material suppliers; food distribution and related industries, professional services, agricultural production and processing and shipping and logistics.
Speaking to this newspaper, Williams said that the collaboration with Haitian firms is necessary so that transparency in the spending of the disbursed funds is assured. He said that Guyanese firms, along with others from around the region, will need to have some form of collaborative agreement with a Haitian counterpart company so that the likelihood of their being selected for a tender will be heightened.
He said too that the collaboration will strengthen the position of companies in the region, which by themselves cannot compete with the likes of Halliburton of the USA in the rebuilding effort for Haiti.
Williams said that the efforts needed in Haiti will be huge one since it is like “building a whole country.”