11 other programmes also being rolled out

THE Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has welcomed the launch of the National Communications Network (NCN)’s “Made in Guyana” television series, and congratulated the National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) on being the first business to be showcased on the programme.
In his address at the launch of the initiative at NAMILCO’s Headquarters on the East Bank of Demerara on Monday, GCCI President Kester Hutson commended NCN for this initiative, which, he said, provides meaningful marketing opportunities for businesses, while also filling a gap that currently exists in Guyana.
Hutson commended the Chamber’s support for the programme, and its commitment to work along with the communications giants on this initiative.
He said that the programme aligns with the Chamber’s current mandate of emphasising the importance of collaboration, and the pooling of resources to build Guyana in a very sustainable and meaningful manner.

He also commended NAMILCO for being a company that continues to strive to maintain high standards.
“Made In Guyana” is a new TV programme by NCN that will be aired twice per month, featuring a different business on each episode.
The series will give a walk-through of how products are being made by each featured local business. The first episode, which premiered on Monday, showcased how flour is made at NAMILCO.

According to NCN’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) Michella Abraham-Ali, the programme will highlight the hard work and dedication of members of staff of the companies being featured, as well as the integrity of the items they produce, and the environmental conditions under which they are being manufactured among other information of note.
She said that given the growth of the oil-and-gas sector, the concept of local content has become ever more popular, so they aim to ensure that in the journey to progress and prosperity, they leave no one behind.

“That is essentially what we are doing in this series; we are showcasing the well-known but also the not so known in Guyana businesses, their products, because each has a role to play in this fast-growing economy,” Mrs. Abraham-Ali said.

According to NCN’s Marketing Manager Christine Gooding, the objective of the programme is to highlight and promote the innovation and entrepreneurship behind locally made products, and to broaden the imagination of other leaders and industry practitioners to the possibility of growth in Guyana.

“NCN sees this programme, one of many new productions from our side, as meeting the moment since Guyana’s manufacturing sector will expand considerably, owing, in part, to direct measures of the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali-led administration, and in equal part to the ingenuity of local business people,” Gooding said.
She related that collaboration between NCN and the private sector is important.

“Productions such as this one will not only be aired via NCN stream television stations, making the content viewable in multiple administrative regions across Guyana, but it will also be accessible through our Facebook, YouTube, and Tik Tok accounts posting hundreds of thousands of combined followers,” Gooding said.

NCN’s production department will circle the country through programmes such as Studio Beats, which is already being aired; Eat Well Live Well, a focus on nutrition and health, which is in the editing phase; and a reality-type television show, “The Next Broadcaster”. Made in Guyana is part of 12 new programmes being rolled out by NCN.
“NCN will continue to deliver on its mandate to the Guyanese people, and as we do this, we welcome partners from the private sector as we grow these visions, episode by episode,” Gooding said.

For Cordell McClure of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, it’s a pleasure to be able to participate in an initiative which seeks to promote and encourage local production.
“You’re aware that the government has clearly articulated the position on food security, and the fact that there has been a projection of a reduction of food imports by 25 per cent by 2025. And beyond the borders of Guyana, our president has been holding discussions with leaders from across the globe, exploring opportunities for local manufacturers and agro-processors to export produce to those countries, while also seeking investment,” he said.

McClure said that this programme creates an opportunity for the production of local products to be attractively packaged and promoted across the nation.
“This Made in Guyana initiative is laying the foundation for deeper interest and appreciation in local products, and this can have a multiplying effect on the economy, including greater employment,” he related.

In the words of Nizam Hassan, Executive Director of the Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association (GMSA), any Facebook post or article promoting Made in Guyana is doing justice to local manufacturers.