Dear Editor,
There appears to be much concern and debate about local manufacturing, however it should be noted that the decline of local manufacturing commenced in the late ʼ80s. Here are a few factories that closed, and there may be more that I do not remember or of which I have no knowledge: Amritdhara Manufacturing Co Ltd; Associated Industries, manufacturer of Tapir vans; Baron Foods; Besto Feed Factory; Briana Manufacturing; Continental Biscuits; Colgate Palmolive; Friendship Industries; Demerara Tobacco Co Ltd (factory); Demerara Biscuits; Guyana Match Co Ltd; Guycan (orange juice); Greco (stereo sets & radios); GRL; Gobins Ltd – Buffalo Jeans; Guyana Footwear Ltd; Guyana Furniture Manufacturers; Kissoon’s Plywood factory; Lysons Garment factory; National Paints; Neet On Shirt factory; Precision Manufacturing; Patmar (cultured marble); Rahaman’s Bottling, manufacturer of Red Spot drinks; Sanap (sanitary napkins); Squirrel Manufacturing; Sirfasa Terrazzo tiles; ViNelli/Brown Betty; Verdun Soda Factory; Wieting & Richter Bottling Ltd.
It should be noted that our neighbours in Caricom loved Guyana manufactured Colgate toothpaste, and GRL fridges and freezers were a hit in Trinidad & Tobago. I recall friends from Trinidad inquiring about GRL fridges after the closure of GRL.
Now there is concern about imported items sold locally that Guyana produced or once produced. I am sure there are many local businessmen and functionaries from past PNC and PPP/Civic governments who will remember Captain Fedna Stoll trekking from office to office trying unsuccessfully to get support and funding for his dehydrated fruits and vegetables. Captain Fedna Stoll obtained several patents for his products but no support from government for local business. I suspected he died a tired and sad man.
Captain Fedna Stoll is the inventor of a unique method of food preservation which makes it possible for the first time to enjoy all-year-round tropical fruit flavours and vegetable products. The distinction of the Stoll technology is its 100% natural, additive-free, preservative-free process and results. Natural and pure melon powder, orange powder, pineapple powder, banana powder – to name a few – are among the over 120 TropiTaste recipe creations of Fedna Stoll. Among the highlights of the Stoll creations is a unique line of instant tropical fruit-flavoured cereals which require no cooking whatsoever; simply add water or milk, hot, warm or cold, and the full zest of tropical fruit flavours emerge for palatable enjoyment. Read more about Captain Fedna Stoll here http://www.tropitaste.com/captain-stoll.html
Yours faithfully,
Hemwant Persaud
