FINANCE Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh has commended the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) for its 125 years of distinguished representation of business interests in Guyana. Minister Singh was at the time delivering the feature address at the annual GCCI ‘dinner and awards’ ceremony, which was held at the Pegasus Hotel on Thursday evening.

In offering his congratulations to Chamber members, Dr. Singh said that they all follow an illustrious tradition of achievements in business, as amongst them, their predecessors are some of Guyana’s most renowned and best known business houses.
To the older and more mature awardees, including those businesses that have been around for a very long time, the minister made special mention of their longevity and staying power.
“To the younger companies among the awardees, I say to you that you have amongst your membership in the chamber, an abundance of examples of firms that started with very modest beginnings, and emerged to be towering giants of commercial and industrial activities in Guyana … major pillars in our economic landscape,” he said.
The awardees were also urged to consider the good examples of older businesses for emulation. President of the GCCI, Lance Hinds, was also lauded for his good stewardship, as Dr. Singh noted, he comes as the latest in a long succession of business leaders, who have served this coalition of industry and commerce well, and as an interlocutor between the business community and the national policy maker, and this with great effect.
Meanwhile, describing himself as a person who does not like to use the quotes of others, the minister did make an exception when he quoted from the GCCI’s 2014 “Business Guyana” magazine.
“I would quote from it; I do believe that in this instance I would not know better words to capture the intended sentiments.”
In an article on Page 17, the minister quoted: “Guyana’s strengths cover a broad spectrum of industry, like a thriving blooming orchid. Guyana is strategically located along the north eastern coast of South America … this English speaking country boasts a multi-cultural society, with a friendly and receptive population, spread out over its ten administrative regions.” Guyana’s location makes it an economically ideal hub for global trade and commerce, providing cost-feasible access to international market and links to South American locations.
The economy boasts a diversified platform and has enjoyed dynamic economic growth for the last eight years, with an average annual GDP growth of 5%. Its sound macroeconomic policies and good governance have resulted in a most favourable business environment that makes Guyana one of today’s most appealing investment destinations, anywhere in the world.
This extract, Minister Singh said, makes an extremely eloquent case for Guyana, as an attractive place for doing business.
Dr. Singh made mention of the strong favourable condition, that “… we have managed to achieve as a country, and that has resulted in the flood of inquiries, that Hinds referred to, when he spoke of the almost weekly pilgrimage of delegations of investors, inquiring about business opportunities in Guyana.”
Noting that even though the quoted words were not those of the PPP/C Administration’s, they still express the same sentiments, as the minister alluded to the strong macro-economic performance and good governance of Government.
“I rather suspect that I would be accused of politicking, giving objective commentary, such as that offered by the GCCI … I chose the chamber’s assessment in this regard, and I thank you for your candid stand of the business and governance assessment in Guyana … one which I share and which I think Guyanese share equally.”

Government’s faith in dialogue

Further, the minister took the opportunity to restate Government’s faith in dialogue, to move Guyana forward.
He noted that the challenges faced by Guyana are not unique. Referring to the United States of America, which is over 238 years old, compared with Guyana, which is just 48 years old, Dr. Singh pointed out that the U.S. can still be seen as a state with democracy at work.
“From the Federal shutdown to gun control, stalemate is America’s political norm. Congress is more interested in playing politics than in solving problems.”
From this analogy, the minister connected Guyana’s current political impasse, to that of the older, more established USA.
Minister Singh also dismissed the notion that the current Prorogation of Parliament makes the current Government undemocratic, and explained that when similar action is taken in other developed countries; those persons are not being accused of being unpatriotic or undemocratic.
Through similar examples, the minister highlighted that it was incumbent upon all responsible leaders, to talk and engage in dialogue, in the interest of Guyana. He elaborated that President Ramotar and his Administration have been willing to have dialogue throughout all of the frustrations of the 10th Parliament.
Reference was made to the cutting of the National Budget, for the past three years, as among some of the major challenges, all of which never caused the President to throw in his hands and gave up, on the hope that dialogue could see all stakeholders, reaching common grounds.
“…To the business community, we should not be unduly harsh to ourselves … as a country we have to build through the growing pain. This current experience I believe will see us coming out a stronger country, having used the lessons of political gridlock.”
Meanwhile the chamber’s president in his address noted that while there were challenges, quite a few members expanded their operations during this year as he singled out Courts for opening a distribution centre at Eccles, Massy Guyana for a similar venture, and the opening of the True Value supermarket.
“We clearly live in interesting, potentially exciting times … it seems every time we turn around there is a delegation, a large company seeking  to visit the chamber to discuss the possibility of entering the market seeking to get a complete picture of the local business environment. So what all this means is that Guyana has become a significant interest,” Hinds stated.
He said now more than ever, the GCCI needs to be prudent and responsible as “everybody is watching to see how we conduct ourselves during this period of uncertainty.” He was referring to the political situation that currently obtains.
Speaking of the Chamber’s hopes and aspirations, he identified that affordable, reliable power is needed for the development of the country, but remained unfulfilled in 2014. He said they had hoped for the telecoms sector reform for the development of the ICT sector, among other areas.
Meanwhile, Massy Guyana Limited took away the GCCI’s Large Business of the Year Award for its good performance in the areas of financial growth, customer satisfaction, internal processes improvements, employee relations, development and corporate citizenship.
The New Guyana School copped the small business award of the year while China Trading Corporation’s proprietor, Jason Wang was given the Young Business Executive Award.
The Government’s Analyst Food and Drug Department copped the Public Service Award of Excellence while the Corporate Citizenship Award went to Republic Bank Limited.
Gordon Lyken of Lyken’s Funeral Parlour took away the Lifetime Achievement Award while the award for innovation was granted to Sterling Products Limited. Modern Industries Limited was given the Long Service Award.
The Chamber’s Award was presented to Patrick Sooklall of Impressions and Christopher Ram while Stabroek News took home the Media Award.
The President’s Award was copped by Camex Restaurant Incorporated, while past president of the GCCI, Clinton Urling also received an award. (GINA)