MY attention was drawn to a letter appearing in your edition of April 1st complaining that “local producers always seem to be out of stock” of stone products. This is not true. Logically, if they are ‘always’ out of stock, it means that production and distribution quantities are ‘always’ zero.
We are pushing production at our quarries and we are now working 16 hours to produce boulders and aggregates. Also, we are planning to open a new quarry soon to boost production.
It is true that demand is very strong because of the massive infrastructural programmes, residential and commercial construction. Also, transportation of stone from quarry to the depot can be time consuming.
But there is a lot of the product and we are not aware of any major project that is delayed because of inadequate supply of stone as happened in the past.
Since demand is so strong the supply situation is tight on some days, but the suggestion to import stone is sheer nonsense and from which source, and at what price and what quality and strength?
Those who now wish to ‘hustle’ the market would have to prove our inability to supply first of all, then that they have a better price and quality product and then prove that they are here for the long haul not just for the hustle. Finally, they will have to prove how much they have invested in the business and how many jobs they have created.
The business is not like selling aerated beverages.
We are not afraid to compete with anyone on price and quality but we have invested hundreds of millions in this business long before the demand strengthened and we plan to satisfy demand.
There is already competition on the local market and the letter writer’s idea that producers can take advantage of the tight market situation to ‘fleece customers’ is false, libelous and dishonest of the letter writer. Prices have remained stable and this call for direct government intervention is silly, ill-advised and demonstrates the ignorance of the letter writer on the subject.
All of us know that the largest quarry in Guyana was operated by the previous government and was run into the ground and ceased production altogether. In those days, Guyana did import stone.
Since government got out of the business of ‘direct intervention’, granite stone has not been imported because of the massive investments made in the quarrying industry.
Our company is in a position to state that the government’s housing and infrastructural programmes would not be compromised because of stone shortage.
We have a vested interest in ensuring that this does not happen because after all, BK International is our principal customers doing much of the said infrastructural and road work.
Your letter writer ‘S. Persaud’ does not know what he/she is talking about.