PRIVATE Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Captain Gerald Gouveia Jr. has commended the Government of Guyana for its exceptional partnership and active support in advancing the country’s private sector.
His remarks were made during a recent appearance on the Starting Point podcast, where he unpacked the evolving relationship between government and business, and the rapid transformation taking place across several industries.
“We are also very fortunate to have a government that understands that they have a role to play in private sector development, in the sense that we are not doing it in a silo. We need the government to understand that they have to set the framework, get out of the way, and let the private sector do the work,” Gouveia explained.
Gouveia, who has worked in aviation, said the current climate is one where the private sector is not only encouraged to grow but is actively facilitated.
According to him, Guyana is in the midst of a unique window of opportunity, and the government’s approach has allowed local businesses to become stronger, more competitive, and more confident in their ability to expand.

He emphasised that: “The government is laying down some challenges for the private sector, and it is exciting for me to motivate my members and their members to answer that call. It really engages the creative side of your brain, because it is not business as usual. You have to be creative; you have to be innovative, you have to think outside the box; otherwise, you are going to miss the boat.”
During the podcast, Gouveia noted that President Dr. Irfaan Ali has pledged to accomplish 30 years’ worth of development within five years, given that he is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term. “He [President Ali] is upping the pace, and I am saying that the private sector is answering that call. We will keep up. To do so, we must innovate, and we must embrace technology.”
He said the most robust response to this call is coming from the very large companies, which he described as the “backbone of the private sector”.
These include major distributors, leading banks, and members from every regional chamber, all of whom are motivated and delivering. According to him, he is proud to lead a like-minded group that is consistently delivering results.
The PSC Chairman said that members are preparing for the explosion in the economy driven by the oil and gas sector because of the Local Content Act. “With the local content legislation, it really gives us the opportunity to partake in oil and gas without being in oil and gas. You’re in the periphery industries of oil and gas, whether that is logistics or accommodation.”
Gouveia highlighted that the private sector is leading efforts in economic diversification, noting that Guyana’s progress was recognised at a recent regional dialogue.
“Guyana stood out as one of the most economically diverse countries, despite having oil and gas. A lot of people think that Guyana is an oil and gas country: No! We are a country with oil and gas. It really speaks to the fact that Guyana is diversifying from oil and gas, using the revenues from oil and gas to develop our tourism and agriculture industries, and eventually our manufacturing and information and communication technology (ICT) industries.”
Gouveia noted that many PSC members have seen over the years that their family businesses and entrepreneurial ideas now have a place, either on the periphery of the oil and gas sector, or in an economy with more disposable income and circulating capital, creating opportunities for restaurants and the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“We have a market that allows young people to innovate. The market is there, and I think Guyanese people are good at taking advantage of opportunities when presented, and we have a plethora of opportunities available,” the PSC Chairman said.
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 one national body.
The Commission is governed by a Council, which is comprised of the heads of all sectoral member organisations and a number of elected corporate members.
The Council is headed by the Chairman, who can serve a maximum of two consecutive one-year terms. Any Chairman who has served two consecutive terms may be eligible for subsequent re-election after a three-year period.