ONE of Trinidad and Tobago’s leading cargo companies, Cargo Consolidators Agency Limited (CCA), has opened its doors in Guyana with the aim of efficiently and reliably meeting the local supply chain needs.
CCA, which was established in 1976, is a freight forwarding, logistics and consolidation company with several locations near the major production and industry areas, sea and air ports in Trinidad.

Managing Director of CCA Inc. Sean Patience, said the launch of CCA Guyana Inc. comes at a time when Guyana is preparing for the budding oil and gas sector.
“We have utilised our 42 years of experience to transfer knowledge and training to our Guyanese team, to cater for the demands of the oil and gas companies and to apply these standards in other areas being retail, telecommunications and so forth,” said Patience during his remarks at the launch of CCA Guyana Inc. at the Marriott Hotel on Friday evening.

He said the company is here to offer air and ocean freight import and export services to Guyanese. With the support from the branches in Trinidad and Miami, he said the company aims to provide an efficient and reliable service.

The company, which was founded by Ronald Patience, started in Trinidad as a ‘one-man show’ and in 40 years, grew to a company with 65 team members.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, commended CCA for entering the local market, noting that Guyana, irrespective of the interesting times, remains the number one business destination in the Caribbean.

COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES

“The opportunities in Guyana are countless when it comes to cargo… we have been approached by numerous investors in air cargo… the most interesting idea we have heard is using Guyana as a hub for air cargo from North America to South America,” said Patterson, adding that popular online shopping agencies have signalled their interest to enter Guyana.

In addition to air cargo, he said government remains committed to port development and is looking at the entire Demerara River as an area for the establishment of a deep water port.
In March, a European consultancy firm completed its final stage of consultancy and identified seven locations for a deep water port. Government has since received the report from the company and is considering the recommendations. Patterson said the deep water port will handle all types of vessels.

“We envisage that in the next five years, Guyana will not only be known as the land of many waters, but also known as a hub for the Caribbean and South America,” said the minister.

Patterson said Guyana is already progressing positively and with new companies like CCA, the country would be further able to build its capacity in oil and gas.

President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Nicholas Boyer, admitted that Guyana does not have experience in oil and gas so the country would indeed need companies like CCA.

“We do not have the base in oil and gas that Trinidad has so it would be foolhardy to ignore Trinidad and look at Canada and the US… we will need Trinidad and what we need is capital and experience and the ethos of companies like CCA,” said Boyer.

He believes that firms like CCA would change the narrative of what has been said of the relationship between Guyana and Trinidad over the years. Boyer said if Guyana is going to partner with companies, it would be better to do so with Caribbean partners.