The Guyana Manufac-turing & Services Associa-tion (GMSA) wants to see “closer collaboration and stronger partnerships” among entities which the association’s President Clinton Williams calls the “research and development institutes” to provide scientific data that would aid the performance of the productive sector.
In a presentation delivered at the association’s awards ceremony last evening Williams named the Insti-tute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) the University of Guyana, the Guyana Geology & Mines Com-mission (GGMC) and the Guyana Forestry Com-mission (GFC) as being among “the partnering groups” that could provide “scientific data… on identification, specifications and potential uses for our raw materials, im-provement of yields and productivity in the recovery and/or added value processes.”
According to Williams the GMSA sees this initiative “developing into pilot projects and the formulation and sale of patents” the proceeds of which should be able to recover cost outlays.
Williams says the GMSA would wish to see these interventions made in the short to medium term to support the manufacture and marketing of high-quality, value-added products and services; to enhance production and productivity capabilities and scope in the sector; to open up new markets and expand existing market share and to introduce new processes for manufacturers.
Williams says the initiative could transform the manufacturing sector to the extent of raising its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) “to a level even greater than the 16% which was the norm four decades ago.”
