Newly appointed GMSA president Mohindra Chand has pledged to advance several projects the association had started over the past year, including trade with Brazil and resolving issues in the local wood products industry.
He was speaking at last Wednesday’s AGM where he was elected.
Chand, who is currently the Director of Corporate Affairs and Forest Management at the Barama Company, “has brought youth and vigour to the GMSA,” the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association said in a press statement.
Chand in the GMSA statement made particular mention of the economic integration project that will significantly improve trade between Guyana and Brazil; collaboration (for funding and expertise) with the European-funded Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) among other interventions designed to boost local businesses.
In his inaugural address to the new Board of Directors, Chand reiterated that he respects the gains the association has made and urged members to “continue to work together to prioritize our focus and bring satisfactory closure to many entrepreneurial issues existing in the various sectors.” A professional forester, Chand plans to use his expertise and association with the Forest Products Association, together with Williams’s experience to confront the lingering impasse over log exportation versus the critical development of the in-country wood products industry. All parties wanted to see this issue resolved, Chand said.
In his address, outgoing president Williams noted that “there is no other way that we could command the respect of the entire business community than to deliver on our mandates, as varied as they are.” According to Williams there are several programmes available in the Caribbean and further afield that are set up to fund viable business expansion projects. “We need to equip ourselves to access those funds for the growth of our enterprises in manufacturing and services, including fashion designing, agro-processing and artisanship,” he said. The GMSA only recently established ties with CEDA which is positioning itself to assist local businesses in identifying and accessing those funds. Three CEDA officials conducted a preliminary study of the Guyana market in May, the release said.
The GMSA’s board for the fiscal year 2012/2013 comprises Autamaram Lakeram of Namilco, first vice president; Anthony Ross of Sterling Products, second vice president and Yonette Jeffers of Laparkan, third vice president. The board also includes Ramesh Dookhoo of Banks DIH, Mark Bender of TCL Guyana, Clement Duncan of Swansea Industrial Associates, Ronald Webster of Caribbean Containers Inc, Luanna Persaud, of Qualfon Guyana, Peter Pompey of Brass Aluminium and Cast Iron Foundry Raymond Ramsaroop of the Edward B Beharry Company, Bowan Balkaran of International Pharmaceutical Agency, Gary Thompson of Corporate Advocates Inc and Williams, of Guyana National Industrial Company Limited.
