Dear Editor,
IT is with great disgust that I write this piece to highlight the acts of some landlords in Guyana to inflate and frustrate small business owners. I have a number customer’s in the Georgetown area that have complained repeatedly of the ridiculous rent and additional charges landlords are imposing on the small and medium scale business community.

Recently the GCCI in Guyana (Mr. Timothy Tucker) has voiced its concern over the sustainability of small and medium scale businesses having the short end of the stick to be able to grow and benefit from the initiatives of the Guyana Government, stating clearly there should be protective measures in place to safeguard against these type of unfair practices towards business owners throughout Guyana, in each and every region and this type of escalation and inflation should be no exception.

The President and Vice President has repeatedly stated that Guyana must position itself for world class type of business practices, legislation, ease of establishing and doing business and of course service to our consumers. We have to act to develop frameworks and implement these practices and regulations now. Large businesses have benefitted from tax reductions, reduced interest rates for loans to businesses as they continue to forge ahead with these and other ideas to rebuild Guyana to a sustainable economy that provides for its people – with or without oil.

Some people seem to be hell bent on going in the other direction of this national vision and common business ethics.

Our business is trading in various electronics, jewellery, phones and other goods on a small scale which we resale to retail businesses right here in Berbice and Georgetown. Prices have increased due to high freight charges but that is a global contributor and not the main issue here.

Firstly, you would agree that these struggling small business people did not impose the pandemic on the world nor did they ask for escalating prices for goods that they now have to buy at higher prices which eliminates the little profit they would be making to put together to pay rentals, invoices and then lastly their livelihood and that of their families.

What we have experienced in recent months is something very appalling. Let me state that our customers who we visited have complained of what is being seen as a bad business practice. The owner, who is a popular auto sales dealer, has recently added VAT as an additional charge to the tenants instead of deducting from the previously agreed rent to pay to the government as he should legally do. Further I am told there is also an electricity charge in addition to the VAT charges. This was included in the rental fees before, now it is being added along with the electricity fee. I do not have all of the facts but on my next visit to the location I will investigate further.

They are now either being forced out of their businesses that they have occupied for years or have no choice but to pay up whatever little they have. Now, if the tenants do not agree to this they are being bullied and threatened to be kicked out within a days or their booths will be locked off with their goods inside especially if they have not been able to fulfill the demands of current rental fees. This would amount to an over 21 per cent increase in some cases based on the square foot per dollar. One business owner and close associate that I work with to handle my logistics promptly packed up and left. I commended him for doing so but at the same time wonder about those who are left behind.

The rental agreement has little or no leverage to the tenants or lessees. If you attempt to dispute the increase or the terms you are promptly told you should vacate or pay up. Tenants cannot get on to the owner of the building via phone call or when they visit the offices in Georgetown I am told to negotiate – just the staff who are said to be very, very unprofessional and quite rude.

Yours sincerely,
Jewan Singh