PSC’s Ron Webster loses battle with cancer

CHAIRMAN of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Mr. Ronald Webster, passed away yesterday morning at approximately 03:30hrs at the Balwant Singh Hospital, after losing a long and arduous battle with cancer. He was 72.

 Ron Webster, an outstanding son of the soil

Ron Webster, an outstanding son of the soil

Over the past three months, Webster had sought medical treatment at a private institution in Trinidad, and had returned home for further treatment only on Saturday, April 26th.

At time of his demise, Webster had been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Caribbean Container Inc; Chairman of the Board of the Kwakwani Utilities Inc; and Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC).

Now that Webster is not there, Mr. Ramesh Persaud, Vice-President of the PSC, will act as Chairman until elections are held.

TRIBUTES
President of the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC), and former Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Mr Ramesh Dookhoo, a council member of Banks DIH Limited, said that Webster’s passing has left him incredulous with shock.

He extended condolences to Webster’s family members and friends, and said: “Webster was an easygoing man and was very good. He served Guyana well, and he did a lot for his country.”

Dookhoo deemed Webster’s passing a “sad blow” for Guyana, and described him as a very experienced man who had brought to his positions maturity and level-headedness that were particularly integral in reshaping the PSC’s relationship with Government, primarily in the area of tax reform.

Former President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Mr Clinton Urling, who was also Webster’s opponent for the Chairmanship of the Private Sector Commission, commented thus: “The Private Sector fraternity has lost one of its most committed and dependable leaders. Mr. Webster demonstrated tremendous energy as Chairman, and was instrumental in ensuring the PSC operated in a balanced manner with stakeholders.”

Urling deemed Webster’s passing a very sad development, and offered his deepest condolences to Webster’s family members.

Questioned on the way forward for the PSC in filling the now-vacant seat, Urling stated that the Private Sector Commission’s Annual General Meeting is scheduled for early June, 2014, and as such, the newly elected Councillors will vote to fill the position of chairmanship.

He also said that Vice-Chairman Ramesh Persaud will assume the duties of the Chairman in an interim capacity until the councillors are elected.

DISTINGUISHED CAREER
Mr. Ronald Webster had had a long and distinguished career in the private sector, and had brought to bear a wealth of experience in his role as Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC).

He started his career at the Booker Group of Companies, and eventually became the youngest Managing Director there.

He also once served as Managing Director of Technology Investments and Management Inc, and had served as Director on the Board of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) up to 1992. He had been Chairman of the Board of the New GMC also in the period up to 1992.

Mr. Webster served as President of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association from 1997 to 1999, and had been the holder of a Lifetime Achievement Award from that Association. He had also served as Vice-Chairman of the Private Sector Commission from 1998 to 1999.

In addition, he had served as Chairman on the Board of the Bauxite Industry Development Company Inc from 1999 to 2005.

Moreover, he had been a Director on the Board of the Aroaima Mining Company from 2004, and had served as Chairman of the Board of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission from 2005 to 2010.

ATTRIBUTES OF THE MAN
Ronald Webster had been known for his steadfast advocacy of the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill, as well as the Motion to establish an Interim Management Committee (IMC) for the City of Georgetown.

That IMC would have comprised a contracted group, tasked with restructuring the current management practices of the City Council.
Written By Derwayne Wills and Asif Hakim

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