Dear Editor,
My attention was drawn to a letter appearing in your edition of April 1 captioned, ‘Local stone producers always seem to be out of stock.’

This is not true. Logically, if they are “always” out of stock, it would mean that production and distribution quantities were “always” zero. We are pushing production at our quarries and we are now working 16 hours to produce boulders and aggregates. Also, we are planning to open a new quarry soon to boost production.

It is true that demand is very strong because of the massive infrastructural programmes, as well as residential and commercial construction. Also, the transportation of stone from the quarry to the depot can be time consuming. But there is a lot of product, and we are not aware of any major project that is delayed because of an inadequate supply of stone as happened in the past.

Since demand is so strong the supply situation is tight on some days, but the suggestion to import stone is sheer nonsense – and from which source? and at what price? and what quality? and what strength?

Before this can ever happen, those who now wish to ‘hustle’ the market would have to prove our inability to supply first of all, then that they have a better price and quality product, and then that they are here for the long haul not just for the hustle. Finally, they would have to prove how much they had invested in the business and how many jobs they had created. This business is not like selling aerated beverages.

We are not afraid to compete with anyone on price and quality, but we have invested hundreds of millions in this business long before the demand strengthened, and we plan to satisfy demand.

There is already competition on the local market and the letter writer’s idea that producers can take advantage of the tight market situation to “fleece customers” is false, libellous and dishonest. Prices have remained stable and the call for direct government intervention is silly, ill-advised and demonstrates the ignorance of the letter writer on the subject.

All of us know that the largest quarry in Guyana was operated by a previous government and was run into the ground and ceased production altogether. In those days, Guyana did import stone. Since government got out of the business of “direct intervention,” granite stone has not been imported because of the massive investments made in the quarrying industry.

Our company is in a position to state that the government’s housing and infrastructural programmes would not be compromised because of a stone shortage. We have a vested interest in ensuring that this does not happen because after all, BK International is our principal customer doing much of the said infrastructural and road work. Your letter writer ‘S Persaud’ does not know what he/she is talking about.

Yours faithfully,
E. Bazilio
Director
BK Quarries Inc