PRIME MINISTER Samuel Hinds and other government ministers were in attendance at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual award ceremony on Thursday at which recognition was given to the best in the business sector in acknowledgement of their endeavours which have aided national development in one way or another. President of the Gergetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Clinton Urling in giving a review of the year, noted that at the beginning, several strategic priorities were set out, including the establishment of the GCCI as a non-partisan, balanced and objective organisation working for a stable and prosperous economic and social environment in Guyana.
Other priorities included positioning the chamber as the leading policy advocate for the private sector, ensuring financial performance and building internal capacities to ensure organisational efficiency and promoting Guyana as a very attractive trade and investment destination.
Urling stated: “Guyana is on the edge of unprecedented development, we can blow or jeopardize this opportunity if we continue with the way in which we currently engage each other… we need a new way… we must respect processes in our homes, communities, parliament, public institutions and the judiciary.”
He  pointed out that in the past seven months the chambers has completed approximately 35 new activities, all geared towards achieving the strategic goals.  These activities include members needs and attitudinal surveys, a tax reform survey in process, seminars, launch of Business Guyana Magazine and business directory, women’s enterprise exposition, establishment of an advocacy committee and the addition of another membership category which takes into consideration small business owners.

In keeping with the festive season, Urling shared 10 of the items on his Christmas wish list for the GCCI among which are : seeking compromise and cooperation in parliament, local government reform and elections, accelerated and holistic tax reform, actualisation and completion of the Amaila Falls project, transformation of the University of Guyana into a hub for national research and development while producing a competent and skilled resources for the private sector and  full and comprehensive security reform. He recognised that those items represent matters the private sector has been advocating throughout the years.
The Awardees
The Business of the Year award was achieved by Survival Supermarket and Air Services Limited, for small and medium businesses respectively. Meanwhile, veteran businessmen the late Naeem Nasir of Bakewell and the late Dennis Morgan of Denmor Garment Factory received the Award of Achievement.
  The Lifetime Achievement Award went to the late Edward Beharry and Anand Beharry of the Edward B Beharry and Company for the Chico and Indi products. Anand Beharry also received the President’s Award on behalf of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), a subsidiary company.
Scotia bank received the award for Best Corporate Citizen, Caribbean Containers Inc the Innovation Award, Hand-in-Hand Insurance Company was awarded for its long service to Guyana, Digicel Guyana received the Chamber’s Award and Stabroek News Business Supplement was awarded the coveted Media Award.
The Public Service Award of Excellence was bestowed to Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali, who in his acceptance speech expressed gratitude to the chamber for acknowledging the work of the public sector. Minister Ali also pledged to continue developing the partnership between the private and the public sectors. (GINA)