EXECUTIVE members of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) have elected Nicholas Boyer to serve as the new chairman of the commission.
Boyer replaces Gerry Gouveia, who had indicated that he will not be available for re-election because of his commitments as advisor to the President of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali.

Boyer, of National Hardware Guyana Limited, was elected during the commission’s Annual General Meeting which was conducted virtually, on Monday.
In addition to Boyer’s appointment, the commission also elected Victor Fernandes to be vice-chairman; Ramesh Dookhoo as secretary; Zulfikar Ally as treasurer; and Maniram Prashad as corporate coordinator.

President Ali, in addressing the members of the PSC, said the relationship between the government and the business sector will be of significant importance to the development of the country.
According to a press statement, the head of state said: “the role the private sector played in ensuring that we are here today in a democratic environment is enough to convince anyone that the private sector is not only an important stakeholder, but one of the strongest stakeholders in advancing Guyana’s prospect and developmental opportunities.”
The President further outlined plans to facilitate a more robust private sector that brings new investments, expand production, increase exports and improve competitiveness.

President Ali further thanked the leadership of the PSC and all those in the private sector who played a key and important role, during the elections, but, importantly, after the elections in ensuring Guyana stuck to a democratic pathway.
Gouveia, in his remarks, said his main focus during his tenure as the chairman of the Private Sector Commission surrounded encouraging and promoting active participation from all regional chambers in Guyana. He said that this was achieved through various visits and engagements with the different chambers.

He noted that work done for the inclusion of women and youth involvement was a pivotal undertaking in the role of chairman of the PSC, referencing, in particular, the formation of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce. Further, he highlighted the many outreach activities the PSC became deeply involved in, which ultimately secured active participation among those groups.

Gouveia said that the PSC’s participation in a number of strategic engagements was held, throughout 2019, with other civil society organisations, political parties, government agencies, and the U.S, Canadian, British and EU Diplomats, on issues of governance and national development.
Gouveia charged his successor to have engagements with the government for the implementation of future developmental plans for the private sector.
The Private Sector Commission of Guyana was established in 1992 by five private sector associations, with the aim of bringing together all private sector organs and business entities under the purview of being a national body.