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This risk he said has been mitigated by work undertaken during the current Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada project in Guyana to identify the most effective means of freighting agro-food products from Guyana to Canada.
To this affect the GMSA, according to Mr. Chand, intends to alleviate high energy costs by the current Energy Efficiency Project that has already identified certain ways and means of improving energy delivery mechanisms and consumption patterns.
The GMSA so far have begun to advise the pilot companies about the particular types of equipment they need to monitor their energy usage, and have suggested the use of alternative fuels for at least two of the pilots.
Meanwhile GMSA continues to support to the Shipping Association and the Public/Private Sector Partnership group that was formed to manage the modernization of the Demerara Harbour.
Overview of the GMSA
The Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association Ltd. was founded in 1963 as the Guyana Light Employers Association, the organization re-registered in 1967 as the Guyana Manufacturers’ Association. In 2005, the Association formally changed its name to the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association Limited (GMSA) in recognition to the growing services sub-sector. GMSA has established itself as the organization recognized by private firms and Guyana’s government as the body for consultation on matters regarding Guyana’s manufacturing sector and more recently our growing services sub-sector. GMSA’s representation of members extends beyond government.
It maintains strong ties with Guyana’s other private sector organizations as well as with regional and international organizations to deliver a comprehensive menu of services to its members. A 21-member Board, along with professional staff, carries out member objectives between GMSA’s Annual General Meetings. GMSA’s President heads, the board. Three Vice Presidents, a Coordinator of the Sub-sector Committees and GMSA staff assist the Vice President in managing GMSA’s operations. GMSA’s President carries responsibility of government-industry liaison, investment promotion and development finance. Each GMSA vice-president is responsible for one of the following areas: finance and administration, economic and legislative affairs and membership and public relations. Sub-sector committees, or technical working groups, respond to specific needs of members in their respective sub-sectors. Reports of, and issues facing, sub-sector firms provide the bases from which GMSA develops policies to meet members’ needs. Often these issues involved development of policies to address availability and deployment of financial and human/natural resources.
GMSA also works with sub-sector firms to help members find, or gain access to, new markets or to conduct research or feasibility studies which may advance members’ businesses and/or the manufacturing industry as a whole. The sub-sector committees are: agro-processing; textiles and sewn goods; printing and packaging; construction and engineering; chemicals and pharmaceuticals; minerals and related industries; forestry and wood products; services. While a sub-sector chairman facilitates the work of these committees, a coordinator reports directly to the board on the progress of the committees’ work. GMSA provides more than industry advocacy. It coordinates access to in-plant technical assistance, arranges participation in trade missions and product promotions, helps members deal with information technology issues, and assists members in positioning themselves to attract investment.
