(Trinidad Guardian) A leading regional executive, who has been embroiled in the ongoing tiff between the business communities of Guyana and T&T, believes the situation, while it is unfortunate, provides a good opportunity to address all outstanding differences between the two countries.
On January 11, Gervase Warner the chairman of the Caricom Private Sector Organisation issued a “routine internal communication” following an executive meeting where among other things Guyana’s new local content law was discussed.
The email, however, included an email signature block with Warner’s substantive position as president and group CEO of regional conglomerate Massy, as well as the address of its headquarters in Port-of-Spain.
This led to some strong sentiments expressed by key business people in Guyana about T&T.
Warner was yesterday asked, during an interview with Guardian Media’s Lead Editor business Curtis Williams, why he thought the situation arose.
Warner said it was interesting to see the response to the leaked email and said it cannot be ignored.
“Honestly, I think it is a big opportunity. It is kind of interesting how this became so acrimonious so quickly,” Warner said.
Warner said with the issues, now brought to the surface, provided an opportunity to correct them.
“There is something that we see that is the energy between us and all that happened is that this happened to lance that boil. I don’t believe you can ever address any issue until it is on the table,” he said.
He said the two business communities can come together to address their differences.
“I am happy the issue is on the table because that response you can’t step over it you can’t not notice it and so I believe that this is a really great opportunity for us to do some healing between T&T and Guyana, T&T business and Guyanese business,” he said.
Warner said there is a lot of history between the neighbouring countries and we need to find ways to work better together.
“This did not happen last week, this is decades, scores of years of stuff building up over time,” Warner said.
“That had nothing to do with that leaked email that has everything to do with a history of how the Guyanese feel they have been treated by T&T, and T&T business and quite frankly I think it is a great opportunity for us to listen to them and for us to be part of a healing conversation,” he said.