— as African Business Roundtable celebrates first anniversary

THE African Business Roundtable (ABR), a local entity promoting the interests of African businesses in Guyana and the Diaspora on Thursday observed its first anniversary at Akwaaba Centre, Lot 9 Thomas Lands, Georgetown.As a mark of progress, and to celebrate its signature milestone, the association which, one year ago was launched at the Marriott Hotel, has this time around celebrated its first anniversary in its own premises – in the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) headquarters.

ACDA President Eric Phillips said during the past year, there have been some challenges, and among them is the failure to acquire a grant for assistance to help fund an African Business Council.The council is intended to be an organisation similar to the Private Sector Commission. According to Phillips, the ABR is in the process of ‘building windmills’ in this season of change in Guyana.He recalled that, demonstrating a spirit of resilience, a few individuals and companies registered the African Business Roundtable (ABR).

The founding members are Violet Smith, Allison Butters-Grant, Charles Ceres, Asafa George, Lance Hinds, Bert Wilkinson, Robert Forester and young entrepreneurs such as Aisha Jean-Baptiste, Ayanna Jean-Baptiste and Godfrey Scott.On Thursday, the leader greeted those gathered, in the spirit of ‘umoja’ or unity; ‘kujichagulia’ or self-determination; ‘ujima’ or collective works and responsibility; ‘ujamaa’ or cooperative economics; ‘nia’ or purpose; ‘kuumba’ or creativity; and ‘imani’ or faith.

These, Phillips said, are the principles of family as well as community social, economic, political and cultural development.ACCOMPLISHMENTS During the past year, the ABR had many accomplishments. Among them include its members participating in meetings with the United Nations Working Group of Experts (WEGPAD) to discuss the economic exclusion of African-Guyanese in the economy.   ABR has also developed a portfolio of business courses for its membership and the broader business community and has developed a proposal to create 200 young entrepreneurs in 10 villages across all regions.

It is now seeking funding for this proposal and has embarked on the nurturing of an Association of African Guyanese Construction Companies. Members meet at the Akwaaba Centre weekly and ABR met with the minister and chief executive officer responsible for housing to provide advocacy on their behalf.ABR also co-sponsored the Oil and Gas Conference at the Pegasus with the Caribbean Institute of Forensic Accountants.

But the road has not been without challenges and among them include the deliberate exclusion of ABR from significant events and from strategic information by the main business services organisations, international organisations and businesses, even though they have knowledge about the ABR.There is also a general sense of apathy in the Afro-Guyanese communities and unavailability of funding to expand services to meet the needs of these communities.PLANSThe ABR has significant plans for 2018.

A Small Business Summit is being planned for the fourth quarter of 2019. This will be in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Business, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the University of Guyana, and Diaspora Groups in Atlanta, Washington/Virginia, New York Tri-State Area, Toronto and CSME Business Associations. Also on the cards is a trade mission to Africa.

The mission will seek business assets such as authorised dealerships, product agencies, product and service rights and secure markets and strategic investment partners.In addition, there will be a trade mission to selected Caribbean countries; the development of a Business Newsletter which will eventually evolve into a weekly or daily newspaper and the development of a business directory.ABR plans to build sectoral memberships and to have sectoral committees led by its members.

It also sees as an imperative – articulating an economic vision for Guyana and especially one that integrates the needs and aspirations of African villages, businesses and communities.The establishment of a bank and project finance services is also proposed, as well as the hosting of entrepreneurship courses, seminars and workshops.

“A year has passed. We are now in our growth phase and we are very optimistic for the future,” Dr. Phillips said.Other speakers at the anniversary included businesswoman Allison Butters-Grant; GO-Invest Chief Executive Officer Owen Verwey and prominent engineer Charles Ceres.

Goals of the African Business Roundtable
* The sustainable development of Guyana’s economy
* The economic re-vitalisation of African villages in Guyana
* The nurturing of African entrepreneurship, especially among youth
* The establishment of partnerships for sustainable growth
* The establishment of business linkages with African-Guyanese businesses in the diaspora and the hosting of business expos, from time to time
* The nurturing of Caribbean trade linkages for African-Guyanese businesses and the nurturing of south-south trade linkages with the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa
* The fostering of joint ventures with other ethnic and business groups in Guyana
* Working with the Private Sector Commission, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association to build bridges and to advocate for equity and equal access in the use of Guyana’s national patrimony
* The provision of think tank position papers, incubator and business services to the Guyanese community in partnership with other groups and stakeholders
* The development of competitive, sustainable, job-creating African businesses across Guyana and in the diaspora

Accomplishments of the African Business Roundtable
* Refurbishment of the Akwaaba Centre to establish a full, functional ABR Headquarters
* Meetings with the Minister of Finance to discuss the needs of the African Business Community and the 2018 Budget
* Development of a 10-point plan for sustainable development of the African- Guyanese community
* The successful running off of a two-day ABR Youth Members Entrepreneurship Conference at the Herdmanston Lodge
* ABR worked with a large number of small businesses to produce Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) project
* Held meetings with four ministers to discuss the status of African-Guyanese and the government’s obligations for the International Decade for People of African Descent. ABR also met with the minister and CEO responsible for housing to provide advocacy on their behalf
* Held meetings with Exxon on two occasions plus an Exxon outreach to ABR. Members invited to scheduled courses and a visit to the Centre For local Business Development
* Nurturing of an Association of African-Guyanese Construction Companies which meets at the headquarters weekly
* The prioritisation of economic sectors for African-Guyanese investment and participation
* A full-service banking licence
* A Development Fund to catalyse village diversification such as Victoria becoming a fishing village
* Water-based economic sector development
* Agriculture and the green economy driven by renewable energy
* Procurement equity in the over $200B per year of government contracts
* An equitable distribution of radio, TV and spectrum licences to the African Community
* Equity in the emerging oil and gas industry. Local content
* Preferential access to privatised state assets
* Strengthening and building the cooperative sector as the vehicle for sustainable generational wealth creation in African communities
* Governmental support of Afro-descendant programmes via donor funding
* Youth skills development, job creation and youth economic empowerment through entrepreneurship