GuyExpo 2012
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Contents President’s Message
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Minister’s Message
6-7
Private Sector Commission Message
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Strengthening the Traditional, Embracing the New
12-13
Cheddi Jagan International Airport Expansion Project
14-15
Facilitating Significant New Investments- Go-Invest
18-20
Strategies to Capitalise on GuyExpo 2012 – Sandra Baptiste
22-23
Invigorating Manufacturing & Services the GMSA Way
26-27
Mining –A Key Driver of The Guyana Economy Guyana Geology and Mines Commission
28-29
Empowering the Small Man with a new Concept of Wealth Creation Ministry of Housing
32-33
Community Based Tourism – Guyana Tourism Authority
34-37
Mangroves and Community Development Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project
38-39
Robust Growth -The Information and Communications Technology in Guyana
40-41
New Paradigms in Agro-Tourism Development in Guyana – IICA
42-44
Micro And Small Enterprise Development – Small Business Bureau
46-47
The Spirit of Ansa– Celebrating 20 Years of Service in Guyana
48-49
Ensuring First IMPRESSIONS Count!
52-53
Facts on Guyana
54-56
Meet the GuyExpo 2012 Team
58-59
Calendar of Events
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Site Plan
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PRESIDMessage ENT’S businesses and by attracting increased foreign investment, both large and small, into our economy. Our impressive economic growth, particularly over the past six years, has allowed for Guyana to become a magnet for investment. As the economy expands and as business booms, there will be a greater need for new markets, strategic linkages and the building of synergies within the private sector. Through our investment agency GOINVEST, the participation in international trade fairs such as Expo Shanghai, and our own GuyExpo, we have greatly enhanced these processes. However, these are not just one off events; the government is always considering new and innovative initiatives. We will continue to invest in Guyana in the effort to further enhance our private sector. This investment is highlighted in what will become the premier infrastructure project in Guyana. The Amaila Falls Hydro Project has the specific aim of lowering the cost of electricity production. The cost of electricity in Guyana is the last barrier that has to be overcome in order for us to move from an economy primarily dependent on raw material production to an economy based on the manufacturing and processing of goods.
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he Guyana Exposition (GuyExpo) makes an emphatic and public statement about the business climate in our country. The overwhelming success of previous expositions, the public support they have enjoyed, the business opportunities they have offered and the investor interest attracted, all signal that business climate in Guyana is vigorous, dynamic and aggressive.
GuyExpo will continue to promote business and investment in Guyana. It provides a platform for showcasing Guyana’s competitive goods and services thereby allowing for expanded market access and investor interest. GuyExpo encourages the forging of links between local businesses and between local and foreign investors. Moreover, GuyExpo generates widespread national pride in things Guyanese and is a morale-boosting show of confidence in local industry and commerce. GuyExpo positively brands our nation and its products and services.
This did not come about by accident. It was a result of a visionary outlook that emphasised the role of business in creating wealth. Furthermore, it has highlighted the need for a policy and legislative architecture that would create an enabling environment for continued business development. I am immensely proud of the fact that we have been able to create such a favourable business climate. A climate that has allowed for the recapitalising and catalysing of local
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I particularly express my support and appreciation to all
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exhibitors whose products and services will be on display at GuyExpo 2012. Over the years, I have been extremely impressed by the presentations of many of the exhibits.
For this outstanding track record and with bigger expectations this year, I take this opportunity to express my and this nation’s appreciation for the unstinting efforts of all those who have come together to organise this trade fair exposition.
The appealing and attractive manner in which local products and services have been presented has been of a high quality. I am confident that all exhibitors will benefit from the exposure presented by GuyExpo. I am equally sure that the heightened interest shown by foreign investors and trade delegations will redound to the benefit of local businesses.
GuyExpo has evolved and today is much bigger than it was when it commenced. There is more expected from this forum not only by participants but consumers alike. I am sure that GuyExpo 2012 will live up to the reputation that it has earned over the past two decades. On behalf of the Government of Guyana, I welcome all to GuyExpo 2012. To all our potential foreign and local investors be assured that my government will work with all to support business opportunities.
The many opportunities engendered by GuyExpo 2012 would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the organising committee. This grand exposition requires resourcefulness, detailed planning and sound execution. Therefore, it is not surprising that this year’s plethora of exhibitors is one of the largest. Over the years the organisers have delivered in these areas.
My best wishes are extended for the success of GuyExpo 2012. Donald Ramotar President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana
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MINISTER’S Message the introduction of modern products not offered by local businesses. Consequently, much attention has been placed to provide an unprecedented indoor and outdoor display that seeks to highlight our achievements as well has our aspirations. I am heartened by the private sector response to this Government activity which is an expression of promoting public/ private partnerships. The sector has outdone itself by way of participation and sponsorship for GuyExpo. The latter type of support has elevated itself from the era when there were only two, mainly telephone giants competing to offer financial and other resources, to us now having six major corporate sponsors on board. They are: Banks DIH, Demerara Distillers Ltd, GT&T, Digicel, Ansa McAl, Marics and Safeco Group of Companies. I view this commitment together with the unbridled enthusiasm of exhibitors as a resounding vote of confidence for Guyana’s macroeconomic policies, and by extension Government’s private sector friendly environment which have ably guided us through the recent global economic crises.
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A significant feature of this GuyExpo is the coming together of every major stakeholder in the food and agricultural sector within the region to discuss and determine an actionable pathway for the implementation of the Jagdeo Initiative on Agriculture. This seminar is in direct response to President Donald Ramotar’s first address to a meeting of Caricom Heads of Government. The Jagdeo Initiative is an important regional concept that serves to ensure food security and sustainability. The core strategy is aimed at increasing food production while decreasing the food import bill in the region; which continues to put pressure on the inflation rate of Caribbean territories. The forecast for the price of food on the world market especially grains is very bleak. Since Guyana must naturally be at the core of any initiative to ensure food security and sustainability of the Region’s agricultural sector; we therefore need to strengthen and modernize the agriculture sector to position Guyana’s food production as the breadbasket of the region. Benefits of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) will be showcased at GuyExpo. Apart from the
am absolutely delighted by the opportunity to share some brief comments via this message as your Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (ag) and CoChairman of the planning committee, on the occasion of GuyExpo 2012. This year’s GuyExpo theme “Strengthening the Traditional, Embracing the New” is influenced by the declaration of President Ramotar when he addressed the nation on the occasion of Guyana’s forty-sixth Independence anniversary. It characterises a call to action to those engaged in manufacturing goods and providing services to seize the prospect of showcasing a wider range of products reflecting Guyana’s economic, social and cultural sectors. Indeed, this year’s GuyExpo is planned to highlight historical accomplishments that can be strengthened to seamlessly blend into policy outcomes designed to usher in a new Guyana, “great and strong”. It is widely anticipated that Guyana’s traditional goods and services will be aggressively promoted while encouraging
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apparent paybacks associated with sustainability, the LCDS is an opportunity to promote investment in a number of economic sectors and GuyExpo provides a platform to display community, sport, agricultural, health and other tourism products through business that develop investment packages designed within the context of the LCDS. Additionally, a fitting consequence of Guyana’s successful housing program which will feature prominently is the value-added sustainable wood products sector, especially furniture.
resources have been lavishly applied by the planners to ensure GuyExpo 2012 turns out to be a refreshing and memorable symbol of distinctive achievements of the past and how they can be integrated into the exciting, alluring horizon that beckons our immediate and not-too-distant future. I thank my Cabinet colleagues and those private sector leaders who proffered suggestions on improving GuyExpo. I am also appreciative of the invaluable contribution of former Ministers who held Government responsibility for this mammoth event. My gratitude is also extended to the Co-Chair and hardworking members of the planning committee who have dedicated themselves to ensuring unprecedented success to GuyExpo 2012.
Over three hundred micro, small, and medium enterprises will be on display at GuyExpo. This response bodes well for the future of micro and small businesses since Government is on the verge of activating the Small Business Development Fund designed to provide micro financing and skills training to the micro and small business sector. The concept of the project associated with this fund implementation will be applied to galvanising the excess liquidity arising from the buoyant mining sector to channel such funds into alternative business ventures that can ensure a sustained income should the industry experience a downturn.
On behalf of the planning committee of GuyExpo 2012, I invite you to visit and re-visit this year’s GuyExpo with your family and friends to experience an unforgettable and uplifting experience of what Guyana has to offer and a glimpse of where we are heading in the new economy. Welcome to GuyExpo 2012!
The planning committee has gone the extra to ensure the entrance is welcoming and a future 2025 village signifying elements that represent the modernisation of Guyana. It is clear from the foregoing that financial and material
Mohamed Irfaan Ali M.P. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (ag)
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PRIVATE SECTOR COMMISSION Message
It is once again a pleasure to be invited to contribute a few remarks to the GuyExpo magazine, which covers the National Trade Fair and Investment Exposition. GuyExpo is an evolving partnership between the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, the Guyana Office for investment (GO-Invest) and the Guyana Private Sector, to showcase Guyanese and indeed Caricom produced goods and services, and thus build linkages and develop opportunities for private sector business expansion now and into the future
Mr. Ronald Webster Chairman Private Sector Commissision
At this time with continued instability in the global economy the theme of the 2012 exhibition “Strengthening the Traditional, Embracing the New” is particularly relevant. To compete in today’s world we must seek to achieve continuous product quality and cost efficient improvements in our existing product lines - be it sugar manufacturing, ore recovery in mining, or the small-scale manufacture of food products - while at the same time be willing to introduce updated technology to better meet customer requirements on quality, presentation and price. Equally from a National perspective, plans are well advanced for significant investments in infrastructure, such as: Improved harbour facilities to reduce the cost of freight, stable and ample lower cost electrical power, expanded air services, roads and bridges to improve market access, all of which are critical to maintaining and improving on the current growth trend in the Guyana economy, which in turn causes private sector growth and consequently the accelerated creation of good jobs. On behalf of the Private Sector Associations, Corporations and Agencies that form the PSC, I would like to thank the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, the Honourable Mohammed Irfaan Ali and his team for the hard work put in to make GuyExpo 2012 a reality and to join with them in welcoming the exhibitors and the thousands of persons who will visit this event and help to ensure its success.
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“Strengthening the Traditional, Embracing the New”
I Mr. Derrick Cummings, Co-Chairman, GuyExpo Committee
n delivering his first independence address to the Nation, His Excellency President Donald Ramotar stated “Our traditional sectors have also served us well in the face of daunting exogenous shocks… The economic transformation involves investments in critical infrastructure projects, initiatives and policies capable of leap-frogging Guyana’s development to new heights.” This signaled a response to identify appropriate facets of the traditional sectors for strengthening along with notions of the new economy to be embraced in preparation of opportunities and challenges of Guyana’s new economic framework. In essence, the planners of GuyExpo 2012 found His Excellency’s presentation so profound that they themed this year’s event to reflect our Head of State’s declaration. Though there have been traditional attempts at integrating the sub-sectors of the national economy, many have argued that the quality of our human capital and abundant natural resources should have taken us farther along the path to achieving economic growth. However, it must be recognised that our meticulously crafted macro-economic policies have paid dividends in enabling Guyana to withstand the recent global, economic and financial shocks. The traditional In categorising the traditional in the Guyanese context, certain notions readily come to mind. Guyanese are by nature hospitable, enterprising, creative, and passionate,and are imbued with a great sense of humour. In fact, there is a general belief that our sense of humour is the cornerstone of our ability to rally through occasional crises that beset us from the post-independence period. We are also known for our high level of literacy and intellect (there are Guyanese occupying top positions in international organisations and agencies in many countries). Our astute diplomatic corps enabled us to play a leading role in the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement and revered third world initiatives such as South-South cooperation, group of 77 and the quest for a New Global human order – brainchild of the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan. Further, our agriculture sector has distinguished itself over the years, including the sixties when many of our brothers and sisters from the Caribbean migrated to these shores because of agriculture as the pull factor. Guyana’s Achilles heel is the fragility of trust among the body politic which unfortunately reared its head away from the kinship associated with unified nationalistic politics since 1953, and has since permeated our race relations. We must rekindle and strengthen our efforts to achieve national unity if our historical accomplishments outlined above and those associated with the National Development Strategy (NDS) and National Competitiveness Strategy (NCS) are to be channeled to establish a cross-cutting, multi-sectoral platform that embraces a new, modern Guyana. Some outcomes of these programs are a dynamic housing drive, improved social services, application of information communication technology in business such as call centers, expanded and efficiently maintained drainage and irrigation systems, application of improved technology to agriculture and mining, and an incentive regime
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that stimulates private sector investment alongside successful creation of public/private partnerships. The New In the context of this article, the new could be classified as any major policy initiative or program adumbrated or initiated by government over the last four years. Undoubtedly, Guyana’s visionary Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) stands out among this group. Skeptics of the LCDS must now think again since the international benefits of this programme have been recognised by many influential world leaders as a timely and relevant strategy for preserving planet earth. The strategy promotes a new paradigm that speaks to recognition and respect for the role of countries regardless of their size and classification. As recent as September 6th 2012, President Obama in accepting his nomination and at the Democratic National Congress said “… because climate change is not a hoax. More droughts and floods and wildfires are not a joke. They’re a threat to our children’s future…” In addition, “the new” within our GuyExpo theme refers to Guyana’s comprehensive macro-economic program that targets the creation of massive infrastructure which is already a noticeable feature of our country’s developmental process. The upgrade of our road network and installation of new communications arteries, improved access to the information communication highway, mega-farms and agro-industrial complexes, industrial parks, scores of new housing areas - condominiums included, a deep water harbour, a bridge linking Suriname and Guyana to enable one to drive from Central and South America, over the Takatu, across the Berbice and Corentyne Rivers, thus providing access and the possibility of advancing economic and social ties at the individual and bi-lateral levels. The new, modernised Guyana will also contain other key infrastructure projects designed to catapult our tourism sector as a main contributor to GDP. Foremost are the expansion of the international airport to accommodate trans continental aircraft and the establishment of a five star hotel to lure investors and tourists. These are some of the dynamics that dictated how GuyExpo 2012 organisers proceeded to set the stage for a better, informed position to be obtained by patrons, including the thousands of students who would visit the exposition. They would be treated to exhibits that highlight significant aspects of our traditional achievements that should be maintained and strengthened, as well as characteristics of the new economy that will modernise and catapult us into the category of a leading third world nation.
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Cheddi Jagan International Airport Expansion Project
Photo courtesy of Impressions Artistic impression of CJIA expansion project
The Cheddi Jagan International Airport, located at Timehri on the Eastern Bank of the Demerara River, Guyana’s main international airport was originally a United States military base called Atkinson Field named after Lieutenant Colonel Bert M. Atkinson, a US Air Service World War I aviator.
Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) will prove to be extremely beneficial in terms of job creationas the various economic sectors expand. Guyana has great potential of being the main hub or gateway in South America. It can serve as the point of transit for the South American, North American and African continents. However, in order to establish this important and essential link, the runway of the CJIA must be large enough to accommodate larger and heavier aircraft. The expansion of the current runway by some 3,500 feet will enable larger aircraft to taxi in and out of Guyana with ease.
The airport was officially inaugurated in 1941. At the conclusion of World War II, the airport was opened to all air travel and Guyana’s first commercial flight took place on the 1st October 1946. The terminal building, which housed the Check-In and Departures areas, was constructed in March 1952 and renovated multiple times since to meet industry needs. The current terminal building was last renovated in 2008.
The likely benefits that will materialise as a result of this particular aspect of expansion will be evident in the enhancement of the existing routes to North America, the establishment of new direct routes to Europe, and creating further linkages within the Latin America and the Caribbean regions.
The air transport industry is a continuously expanding one. It has steadily proved to be a very important channel in the economic growth, development and progress of any country. In Guyana, the air transport industry plays a significant role in a number of sectors including tourism and trade. It is a catalytic industry, as it directly and indirectly creates business, which in turn increases the rate of employment. The further expansion and growth of the
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Guyana’s tourism industry has grown significantly over the last decade. To differentiate Guyana’s tourism product and widen its appeal it is necessary to improve our air transport
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infrastructure for greater connectivity and more airlift. The Government has already committed in excess of $900 million in the past for modernisation and enhancement of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) air navigation and communication equipment at the Timehri and Ogle Control Towers to ensure that adequate services are provided to the industry. Flight routes to South America, Latin America and Africa out of the English-speaking Caribbean remains largely underdeveloped. The expansion of CJIA therefore creates a unique opportunity for Guyana to develop a hub to serve these unexplored markets both transit and direct traffic. Once this is realised, the proximity of northern Brazil to Guyana makes Guyana an ideal transit point for the millions living in that region of Brazil.
Photo courtesy of CJIA
limits to process them in a timely manner. This growth in passenger traffic has put a significant strain on the existing facilities and equipment in the current terminal building.
In particular, capacity increase is needed to accommodate additional traffic generated by:
The proposed new terminal building is designed to be a state of the art facility which will include, inter alia, eight air bridges to protect passengers from elements of the weather when moving from the terminal building to the aircraft or vice versa. Other features will include a number of restaurants, duty free concessions and modernised washroom facilities;it will be designed with a pleasant ambience, and with aesthetics that will seek to improve the convenience and comfort of all travelers.
• Increased Mining with specific interests being shown by overseas investors; • Oil Drilling and the real potential this venture possess; • Our Low Carbon Development Strategy and the various interest being shown in forest preservation;
The Airport Expansion Project, expected to be completed by 2015, will be funded by the Government of China by way of a loan from the China Exim Bank, with the total cost for the project to be US$150M.
At CJIA, there was an 8% increase in Cargo export during 2010 followed by a 40% increase in 2011. Projected growth for Non Traditional Agricultural Commodities within the next five years can average between 15-35%.
The aviation industry facilitates a growing freedom of movement of goods, workers and tourists thereby increasing international investment opportunities and stimulating growth of the economy.
During 2011, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport experienced a 7% increase in passenger traffic. Thus far in 2012 the passenger traffic has increased by a further 16%. This is significantly higher that what is being experienced worldwide (5% growth) and in the Latin American and Caribbean Region (8% growth).
Investments resulting from improved air traffic networks also open the opportunity for workers to access higher and more stable incomes. Aviation enhances efficiencies through increased competition and access to a wider pool of employees.
There has been significant increase in air traffic activities (overflights) over the last 5 years. In 2011, Aircraft movements amounted to 61,338 when compared with only 40,961 in 2007, signifying a 49 % increase.
The limitless positive possibilities that will occur as a direct result of the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport are truly a positive development for all Guyanese to keenly anticipate and embrace.
The increase in the number of passengers passing through CJIA during peak season exceeds the capability and capacity
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GO INVEST
FACILITATING SIGNIFICANT NEW INVESTMENTS
Photo courtesy Go-Invest Sand Mining
Guyana is continuing to attract new investments in a wide variety of sectors, with the bulk of new investments coming from American and Canadian companies and entrepreneurs, while new ventures from CARICOM member States and the BRIC countries – China, Brazil, India and Russia are also on the increase.
region 4 and 331 outside of Georgetown. Significant Increase in Investment Although the largest number of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects continues to be from the USA and Canada, we have seen more FDI projects from Brazil, China, India and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as a few projects from Russia, Ireland, Mexico, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and the United Kingdom.
GO-INVEST, the gateway which connects the business world to Guyana, enables entrepreneurs from around the globe to tap into the wealth of trade and investment opportunities available in the country. It is the Government Agency that provides assistance to any investor interested in starting a business venture, growing an existing one or exploring overseas markets.
Significantly also, more Overseas Guyanese in the Diaspora, especially from the United States and Canada, are investing in Guyana.
Investments Across Guyana
GO INVEST was established in 1994 to stimulate, facilitate, and promote the development of trade and industry, especially the diversification of investment activities in all sectors of the Guyanese economy.
In enhancing and supporting diversification of the nontraditional sectors, GO-Invest promoted investments in all regions across Guyana. In 2011 GO-Invest facilitated 124 within Georgetown (region 4) and 274 Projects outside of the capital while in 2010, 178 projects were facilitated in
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In recent years, GO-Invest has placed extra focus on local direct investments to encourage Guyanese nationals to
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invest in Guyana and has also committed to improving the business climate and the investment attractiveness of the country, in partnership with other government agencies.
E.U. markets can help ensure that rice and sugar remain mainstays of Guyana’s economy for some time in the future.
Because of its open and stable economy, based on support for the balanced development of local and foreign investments, Guyana is considered an attractive investment location. In terms of improving competitiveness, the Government of Guyana and the private sector have made encouraging progress through the National Competitiveness Strategy. The Government encourages competition among businesses by working to create the enabling environment while the private sector fosters competitiveness of businesses and their products and services in the global markets. Guyana offers potential investors- foreign and domestic alike- a broad diversity of investment choices, ranging from more traditional industries (such as mining, sugar, rice and timber), to non-traditional sectors (such as aquaculture, agro-processing, fresh fruits and vegetables, light manufacturing, value-added forest products) to services products (tourism and ICT-enabled services).
Photo courtesy Go-Invest
Machine / Equipment parts made by Ghamandi & Son Enterprise
Sugar accounted for 11 percent of total export earnings in 2011. While the recent changes in the E.U. sugar sector’s relations with the region will have an impact on the industry, the planned diversification of target markets by GUYSUCO, together with improved production efficiency, will ensure sustainability.
Strengthening the Traditional Guyana’s vast tracts of productive land present enormous opportunities for growth. Indeed, agriculture already represents a significant proportion of Guyana’s domestic production (approximately 27.7 percent of GDP) and agriculture exports amounted to over a third of Guyana’s total exports. While the majority of agriculture exports consist of rice and sugar products, the value and share of processed food and fresh fruit and vegetable exports have experienced a positive growth trend in recent years. This is a result of efforts by the Government and the private sector to diversify Guyana’s agricultural sector. With the right investments, Guyana’s goal to become the ‘breadbasket of the Caribbean’ could be realized, while at the same time increasing exports to markets in North America and Europe. Recent changes in the global trading environment, such as the reduction of guaranteed prices for rice and sugar in the E.U., have placed pressure on Guyana’s traditional agricultural exports. Nevertheless, investments in productivity and efforts to shift exports towards non-
In 2011, rice production saw an overall production increase of 11 percent over the previous year. Moreover in 2011, two new varieties of rice were introduced, while major progress was seen in the certification of the Rice Testing Laboratory. This process is expected to be concluded in 2012. The Mining Sector, another traditional sector in Guyana, has seen significant growth within the last few years. The substantial increase in the price of gold over the last few years has given rise to increased declarations and exports. The prospects are encouraging and exploration results suggest that significant gold deposits are still there to be mined. Government’s support for the sector is evident with improved hinterland infrastructure and a favourable fiscal regime. In 2011, exports of gold and bauxite accounted for 45 percent and 11 percent respectively of total exports. The new and exciting developments in the Mining Sector are the plans to export manganese, uranium and copper, and there are also a number of explorations for rare metals
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and other minerals.
promote their products and services in national and international exhibitions, trade fairs, and region-specific and country-specific trade missions.
Guyana is traditionally known for its export of timber in semi-processed forms. The Government and segments of the forest product industry have placed an emphasis on promoting value-added forest products for export to the Caribbean, U.S. and Europe. Between 2010 and 2011, GO-Invest facilitated approximately 50 new projects in this sector.
For the first six months of 2012, GO-Invest facilitated Guyanese delegations to trade shows in Canada, St Croix, Martinique and Barbados. In identifying issues related to barriers or concerns that might hinder export business development, the division stays in frequent contact with export business groups and trade associations.
Most of these investments are producing value added products such as flooring, decking, mouldings and furniture. Embracing the New
The Division also matches the needs and objectives of privately-owned firms in the eight priority sectors with appropriate donors and investors.
There is significant growth of new sectors and sub-sectors: Agriculture: (aquaculture, ornamental fish culture, nontraditional products, agro-processing, livestock rearing and the modernization of the sugar and rice sectors); Tourism: (hotels, eco-lodges, tour operators, bird-watching and river yachting); Services: (construction, housing, transportation, financial, medical, machining, retail/wholesale); Information and Communications Technology: (call centers, business processing outsourcing, medical transcription, internet service providers and cellular phones); Light Manufacturing: (pharmaceuticals, garments, packaging and building materials); Energy: (hydro power, wind, cogeneration, bio-fuels, solar, oil and gas exploration).
Incentives for Investors With few exceptions (there are some limitations in the Mining and Financial Sectors), foreign and domestic investors receive equitable treatment and both have the right to establish, own and operate business enterprises and to engage in all forms of economic activities. Guyana offers investors a range of General, Specific & Sector-Specific Incentives for agriculture and agri-business, manufacturing, forestry, mining, tourism, fisheries, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Supporting a Diversity of Sizes and Types The majority of investment incentives are in the form of tax incentives. Firms interested in finding out which incentives they are entitled to should contact GO-Invest.
In enhancing non-traditional growth, GO-Invest strives to ensure that there is a balance of new, expanding, upgrading and acquisition projects as well as a balance of operating projects, pipeline projects and projects in the pre-feasibility stage.
This strategic approach to develop an open, competitive, diversified and sustainable economy has enabled our country to continuously survive and overcome the challenges facing the global economy.
Most importantly, Go-Invest encourages the growth of micro, small, medium-sized and large projects. The GO-Invest Export Promotion Division works closely with investors and supports businesses to seek export opportunities in overseas markets.
The GO-Invest office is located at Lot 190, Camp and Church Streets, Georgetown, Guyana, South America and can be reached on Tel:+592 225 0658; 227 0653 or by fax +592 225 0655.
The division helps current and potential exporters to
Email enquiries can be sent to goinvest@goinvest.gov.gy.
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Strategies to Capitalise on
GuyExpo 2012 G
Sandra Ann Baptiste
uyExpo 2012 offers Guyana’s manufacturers and service providers a unique opportunity not just to showcase their products to local and overseas buyers, but to kick their marketing and sales strategies up a notch to ensure they secure substantial new business and prove they are well equipped to compete globally. In today’s fierce competitive environment, good is not good enough. Companies need to be outstanding, innovative and on top of their game. The saying “you reap what you sow” is most apt for trade shows. It’s all in the planning and it takes a minimum of nine to twelve months to be effective and productive. To succeed at a trade show requires identifying specific goals, pre-marketing, training of staff in sales and customer service techniques (often overlooked). Exhibitors should ask themselves the following questions: Who is your target market? Have some of these potential buyers (both local and overseas) been invited to your booth prior to the show? Is your staff trained and professionally attired (preferably colour coordinated) and are they well equipped to answer all the questions that you should anticipate a business visitor or consumer asking? Daily feedback sessions with staff prior to the start of the show to discuss strategies that worked well the day before, challenges encountered, and most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are essential. Trade shows are not just about handing out brochures but truly engaging the customer to educate them about the feature and benefits of your product or service and addressing their needs. Buyers and potential investors want to do business with companies that are capable of supplying their requirements (adequate volume and consistent quality) but also with a healthy financial track record that sends a message that they will be around for a long time. GuyExpo is an opportunity for exhibitors to sell not just their product or service but to sell Guyana. The fact that Guyana’s economy has recorded positive growth for six consecutive years is evidence of a stable economic environment. Become familiar with and promote Guyana’s attractive incentive regime available to domestic and foreign
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The presence at Guyexpo of overseas exhibitors, including some from CARICOM member states, affords local manufacturers the opportunity to see what their competitors in the region are offering and whether their products and services are comparable or superior to CARICOM goods and whether they are competitive. Check out promotional material, pricing, packaging and labelling of the CARICOM products at the show.
investors, especially if you are looking for a joint venture partner. Be sure to have your senior staff available for discussions with potential buyers or investors during the special Buyers times prior to the opening of the show. If you are seeking to export, you need to undertake market research that tells you who is your competitor in the target market and be ready with information for potential buyers on shipping arrangements including guaranteed same day delivery for fresh produce and proof of quality control. Be sure in negotiations to discuss your preferred method of payment that is secure including Letters of Credit.
Do ensure that you have a company website with up to date information that potential buyers and investors will be looking for. List some of your clients and testimonials on why they prefer to do business with your company. Knowing globally acceptable trade show standards and norms is one of the essential ingredients for success. There are many trade show don’ts. These include don’t sit, chew gum, read the papers, talk on your cell phone or have too much staff in your booth.
For agri-business producers, American importers will need to be assured that you can comply with the new US Food Safety Modernisation Act (FMSA) that covers the entire food supply chain including manufacturers, processors, packers and food distributors. Barbados-based Caribbean Export has advised the regional agro-processing industry to start reviewing and upgrading their food safety systems so they can meet the more stringent requirements for exporting to the U.S.
Now that it’s show time, it would be a good idea to ensure you have more than one shift for the duration of the show. You would have already trained your staff in product knowledge as part of their trade show training, including selling on the floor. This is not a time for shyness, hesitation or inexperience.
For those interested in pursuing joint ventures, be prepared to provide a business plan and annual report for your company or verifiable information on your business achievements.
After your hard work at the show and considerable financial investment, hopefully you would have concluded a few deals and secured valuable leads.
If you’re looking to expand and need a loan, it would be a good idea to invite your banker to visit the show to see first-hand your company’s capabilities.
One of the biggest mistakes trade show exhibitors make is not following up in a timely manner with potential buyers and investors or not providing appropriate information. Ensure you have a system in place for this and that you have staff allocated for the critical post-show follow up. Exhibitors need to strengthen traditional planning and effective marketing that will enable them to truly capitalise on GuyExpo and maximise their trade show investment. At the same time, they need to be bold and embrace new business strategies that will put them one step ahead of the competition.
Invite potential buyers to tour your plants to see production first hand and introduce them to your key operations and marketing staff. For those already in export markets, highlight your international experience and ability to meet the import regulations of the target market. Long before the show, and at the show itself, take the time to find out what your competition is doing. What new products are they offering? What’s their pricing structure? What kind of terms are they offering? What advantage does your product have over theirs? What advantages do their products have over yours and how can you overcome those disadvantages?
(Sandra Ann Baptiste is a business consultant and trainer who conducts seminars on trade show planning and marketing).
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Come Feast Your Senses
Invigorating
MANUFACTURING & SERVICES THE GMSA WAY
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uyana’s history is rich, multi textured and embedded in the unique skills of our peoples, skills that extend from the farms to the kitchen, from the forests to exhibition galleries, from the fabric emporiums to the catwalks, and especially, from the ore in Mother Earth with its natural bounty of water and minerals, to every household. This is traditional Guyana, molded over centuries and crafted by artisans over several generations who have laid the foundation for the deep nostalgia that is resident in the MADE IN GUYANA label.
Guyana’s booth at trade fair in the Dominican Republic
Development Agency (CIDA) through its Executive Services (CESO) and Trade Facilitation (TFO) arms; with the Brazilian private sector oversight organisation SEBRAE; with the CCPIT of China; and with our sister BSO’s across the Caribbean.
Many of our entrepreneurs started out in their kitchens and bottom-house workshops, producing agro-processed foods (condiments, snacks, fruit drinks), indoor and outdoor furniture, artifacts for interior decoration, designer clothing and spare parts for most categories of mechanized equipment. Most have grown into Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SME’s) that have succeeded in breaking into the Caribbean, North American, European, African, South American and Asian markets.
GMSA established a relationship in 2011 with the Europeanfunded Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) headquartered in Barbados with the specific purpose of providing funding, training and export opportunities for producers of goods and services. Several of our leading artisans participated (2011) in a CEDA-sponsored Trade Fair in the Dominican Republic (DR). Recently, Guyana’s well renowned fashion icon, Sonia Noel of Mariska’s Fashions, and music aficionado Christian Duncan of Brutal Tracks were selected to exhibit their products in the CEDA-sponsored “Design Caribbean” booth at the just-concluded London Olympics 2012. This was part of prize that Guyana won for the ‘Best Display” at the DR Exhibition.
Enter the Business Support Organisation (BSO) Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association (GMSA) that has positioned itself to provide technical expertise and funding for entrepreneurs across the business spectrum. Our primary objective is to bring our manufacturers and service providers up to date with international quality standards for exportable goods. On-site personnel training, product line expansion, labeling and packaging standards have also been key to their preparations for international trade shows and economic forums in foreign countries. For the GMSA, there is no better way to introduce our SME’s to buyers beyond our borders.
GMSA’s association with Canada and its developmental agencies has been extremely beneficial to our entrepreneurs who have grown exponentially as a result of the in-plant and in-field consultancies. Following a Needs Assessment Mission a few years ago, a five-year Action Plan was commissioned in March 2010 with CESO for Technical
Much has been achieved through the Association’s strengthening ties with the Canadian International
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Honey producers in Guyana are spread widely along the coast and throughout the hinterland districts. The existing Association of honey producers has been working to unify the market and provide training for the mostly small scale producers. GMSA’s role would be to seek out sources for funding the expansion of this lucrative industry, and prepare producers for outlet sourcing and distributorships. The cost of Energy has also remained on the GMSA’s radar for some time. This year saw the realisation of a finely conceptualised project which the Inter- American Development Bank (IDB) is funding jointly with the GMSA. This Energy Efficiency Project is geared to measure installation and consumption ratings on the premises of certain enterprises representative of the sub-sectors they fit into. The project will ultimately provide a national business model for efficient installations, usage and conservation techniques nationwide.
Assistance. This plan has already yielded several visionary work programmes for the Forestry, Minerals and Agroprocessing sub-sectors. With neighbouring Brazil, a wide-ranging Economic Integration Project was launched in 2010. It is expected to strengthen export sales and enhance the production capacity of goods and services primarily in Aqua-Culture, Agriculture and Agro-Processing, Maritime Transportation and Logistics, Craft and Cultural Tourism including music, fashion and dance. The initial Market Survey on both sides of the border is underway.
This is a snapshot of the GMSA’s extremely busy calendar of activities all aimed at expanding the product lines and marketability of Guyana’s products manufactured by companies categorised under the Association’s seven subsectors:
Simultaneously, GMSA remains a strong advocate for maintaining business and cultural ties with sister CARICOM states. A few locally headquartered companies, particularly in the Insurance and beverage manufacturing sectors, already maintain long established links with member states. Our mission is to add our not insignificant weight to the thrust for Caribbean oneness through a wider dispersion of business partnerships and trade in the region. Photo courtesy of GMSA
• Services – essential, dance, music, fashion, eco- tourism & hospitality, artisanship • Engineering & Construction • Agriculture and Agro-processing • Forestry & Wood Products • Minerals & related industries • Textiles & Sewn Goods • Pharmaceuticals & Chemicals
Looking forward, we anticipate the emergence of a new, vibrant manufacturing sector from the anticipated find of Oil and Gas, and concomitantly, significant growth of the hospitality industry. The Canadian government has already begun to prepare the local government and the business community for implementation of the necessary regulations and the expected growth of downstream enterprises.
The raison d’etre of this Association is to provide leadership and the institutional capacity to initiate, advocate and promote programmes and policies designed specifically for the development and growth of manufacturing and service industries, and to provide capacity for international competitiveness with due regard for human rights and protection of the environment.
Honey production and export have moved up the Association’s calendar and consultations with foreign entities continue for the development of this nontraditional product. One UK-based connoisseur labeled Guyana’s honey organic since it need little human input/ additives to qualify for the international market.
Membership participation is as inimical to successful execution of the plans as the programmes themselves. The GMSA for the current fiscal year is set to create a stronger and more productive relationship with its member companies and provide the impetus to encourage new business owners to seek out the BSO.
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MINING
MINING
– A KEY DRIVER OF THE GUYANA ECONOMY
Mining’s Contribution to the Economy
In 2011, the Mining Industry accounted for 58% of export earnings, the highest contribution for any sector in recent times. When its total contributions are taken into account, mining, which has always been an integral part of Guyana’s economy, has evolved into a key economic sector.
Based on its rich mineral endowment, Guyana, with a long history of mining, has always been a prominent exporter of bauxite, gold and diamond. Quarry stone, sand, loam and laterite are exploited for construction purposes and infrastructure development, and most of these products are used locally.These collectively, and the range of minerals that are being explored, form the basis of the Mining and Quarrying Industry, also known as the Extractive Industries.
Strengthening the Traditional Gold, diamond and bauxite mining and sand and stone production have grown and developed over the years, and these are set for continued growth and expansion, buoyed by high mineral commodity prices and strong demand. Mining and mineral recovery methods have changed significantly in gold and diamond mining, moving from the initial manual pick and shovel for pit excavation and ‘long tom’ sluice and sieves for gold and diamond recovery, to hydraulicking and excavator assisted hydraulicking, large sluice boxeswith riffles and matting for gold recovery and Brazilian ‘Lavador’ jigs for diamond recovery.
In recent times, gold has overtaken bauxite as the most valuable mineral product and record gold production was achieved by Small and Medium Scale operators for seven consecutive years from 2005 to 2011, with 163,000 oz being produced in 2005, rising to 363,000 oz in 2011. This is all the more commendable since all Small and Medium Scale mining properties are owned by Guyanese. Currently, Mining is one of the most important economic sectors in Guyana. The Extractive Industries employ over 13,000 persons directly and spin off activities generate a further 19,000 jobs through indirect and induced employment.While the industry is important in remote hinterlandcommunities, it also contributes significantly to the economy of more densely populated coastal communities, which supply most of the required labour and materials. The contribution of the Extractive Industries to GDP and export earnings is around 11% and above 50% respectively, with gold production, totally from Small and Medium Scale operations, as the highest contributor to export earnings.
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There have been other marked changes, as environmental considerations, virtually unknown at the start of the Mining Industry, were added. These have become increasingly important with the introduction of the concepts of ‘sustainable development’, and, ‘Reduced Impact from Avoided Deforestation (REDD+)’, Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy, the related MOU between the governments of Guyana and Norway, through which Guyana is paid for keeping deforestation at agreed, low levels. For environmental management, the use, handling and
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Embracing the New Yet another signal change, is the proposed ban on international mercury trading to be implemented in 2013, and the legally binding, international treaty or convention on mercury use that is being negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), for which negotiations are far advanced. This treaty or convention, when ratified, will stipulate an end to mercury use in Small and Medium Scale mining and all other applications. This will necessitate the development and adoption of mercury free technologies for gold recovery. The ban in the trade of mercury, though not initiated by the government of Guyana, will affect local gold mining operations.
The Extractive Industries promotion, administration and regulation (including environmental and Occupational Safety and Health requirements) by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the agencies that it superseded have supported strong and orderly growth in the Industry.. GGMC has implemented a Quality Management System (QMS) for the processing of applications and issuance of Permits, Licences and Permissions for Medium and Large Scale mineral properties for exploration/ prospection and mining, and this system has been certified under the international ISO 9001:2008 scheme.
These changes are giving rise to opportunities for developing more efficient techniques for improved gold recovery and GGMC and several mine operators have embarked on this course of action. The quest for greater efficiencies will support the requirement for exploration before mining and mine site reclamation by Small and Medium Scale gold and diamond mine operators.
MINING
disposal of mercury, management of clayey (muddy) tailings, preservation of buffer areas, minimisation of deforestation, and reclamation of mined-out sites are very important. The impact of mining on other stakeholders, including foresters, communities and amenities, and the issue of multiple land use, are additional key emergent factors. Large scale etxploration and reconnaissance geological, geochemical and geophysical surveys are being undertaken for the traditionally produced minerals – gold, diamond and bauxite, as well as several other minerals such as manganese ore, iron ore, base metals (copper, lead, zinc), platinum group minerals, uranium minerals and columbitetantalite.
The requirement for greater compliance with regulations for environmental and Occupational Safety and Health management, and management of social and environmental impact of mining and quarrying on communities applies to all mine, quarry and sand pit operations – Large, Medium and Small Scale. GGMC’s performance–based ISO certified Quality Management System is to be expanded in its scope to include additional processes of the GGMC, in order to provide improved service for customers.
Strengthening and sustaining the Extractive Industries are being accomplished by the GGMC by providing education and awareness of key and evolving environmental and social considerations, legal requirements, best practices, improved mineral recoveries and alternative equipment and technologies for gold recovery by Small and Medium Scale operators without mercury use. This is complemented by the provision of areas for prospecting, exploration and mining; generating and compiling geological reports and maps and making these available to miners and investors.
While deepening traditional areas of success and excellence, GGMC working in partnership with the Extractive Industries are committed to embracing the new aspects and requirements in terms of best practices, new technology for improved gold recovery without mercury use, reclamation and management of environmental, OSH , social and stakeholder issues. These are critical to ensuring the continued growth, diversification, modernization, sustainability and ongoing success of the Extractive Industries, which is the goal of the GGMC, as together with the Small, Medium and Large Scale participants, we endeavour to unlock the greater mineral wealth of Guyana.
GGMC also produces archived reports and maps; applies the ISO certified Quality Management System, provides technical guidance and assistance to Small and Medium Scale miners and conducts field demonstration projects in mine-site reclamation and testing of gold recovery systems and equipment as alternatives to the sluice box. An adaptive Check List is being applied for Compliance Enforcement.
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Enjoy the Great Taste of the Champion New Style Chowmein
Manufactured by Edward B. Beharry & Company Ltd. 191 Charlotte Street, Georgetown, Guyana Email: ebbexport@beharrygroup.com Website: www.beharrygroup.com
Empowering the Small Man with a New Concept of Wealth Creation
Over the next five years, the Ministry of Housing will develop and allocate 30,000 new house lots as part of a major thrust to continue providing access to affordable housing, especially for low-income Guyanese.
vehicle through which national growth is considered as the aggregate wealth of individuals, the Government continues to aggressively pursue a policy of massive land divestment, where land is developed and allocated to mainly low, moderate and middle-income Guyanese.
In addition, 15,000 lots in existing and regularised areas will be consolidated and upgraded.
The Government has also strengthened its relationship with the private sector to increase the housing stock, through construction of houses, on land made available through land divestment. The “small man� who traditionally is at the lower end of the income scale, is now in a better position to realise his dream of home ownership, and reap all of its concomitant benefits which include:
Over the five-year period, the government will also ensure that 200 professionals such as nurses, teachers and police officers own their own homes. The government firmly believes that the right to adequate housing is the right of every man, woman and child as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights United Nations General Assembly
1. Housing as a social asset, where the beneficiary becomes part of a community, has an address and where the potential for him to be a productive citizen, increases.
At the national level, and in keeping with the Poverty Reduction Strategy and the Low Carbon Development Strategy, the Government outlined several initiatives for the housing sector, to be implemented over the next five years, to continue to provide access to housing which it has determined is the inalienable right of all Guyanese.
2. Housing as a financial asset, where the beneficiary has acquired an asset, against which mortgage finance can be accessed, or used as security against a loan for business purposes, a strategy which allows low income households to improve their overall wealth.
Housing as an Asset
3. Housing as an economically productive asset, when used to generate income. Low income households in Guyana have therefore benefitted tremendously from the
In keeping with the vision of the housing programme as the
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Government’s massive land divestment policy. They can now access an asset which allows them to start to build a family tradition of ownership, status in society, and the generation of wealth. Government Initiatives 2012-2016 Over the next five years, Government will continue its policy of land divestment, house construction, squatter regularisation, granting security of tenure, and expanding Public/Private Partnerships, to achieve its vision of a nation housed in sustainable settlements, where poverty is alleviated, wealth is created and the quality of life of Guyanese is improved. The strategic goal will be to ensure that Guyanese have access to adequate and affordable housing in sustainable and economically viable communities.
According to the CHPA, these outputs will directly benefit 46,200 families in new and existing households or approximately 189,000 beneficiaries, calculated at 4.1 persons per household. The potential for the generation of wealth and employment, acquisition of skills, expansion of the financial and commercial sectors and the housing and construction sectors will continue to increase. The CHPA says the housing asset which is multi-dimensional, will continue to impact positively at the individual and national level, as wealth is created, and economic activity is increased, with the wider majority of persons enjoying an improved quality of life.
To this end, with continued focus on the Sector, the outputs for the next five years will be as follows: • National Housing Policy formulated and implemented. • Thirty thousand (30,000) new lots developed and allocated • Fifteen thousand (15,000) lots in existing and regularised settlements consolidated/upgraded • Twenty thousand (20,000) Titles/Transports processed and distributed • Twenty (20) community plans developed through a process of participation of the respective communities • Strategic Link between the East Coast and the East Bank of Demerara housing areas established • New growth nodes along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway established • Expansion of the private public partnership in direct housing • Expanded areas for Industrial development • Four hundred core houses completed and occupied under the Core House Pilot • Four hundred homes improved under the Home Improvement Pilot • Two hundred families in the Hinterland benefitting from improved housing under the Hinterland Pilot • Two hundred professionals (nurses, police officers, teachers) will own their own homes
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GuyExpo 2012
Community Based Tourism …
a significant milestone in our quest to promote tourism in Guyana.
standard of living of community members. At the same time, it provides opportunities for relaxation, exploration, leisure and cultural exchanges for the visitors. Many of these communities are well positioned to offer tourists unique experiences, while promoting tourism in a sustainable manner. This sustainable tourism not only creates employment for persons in the communities by generating income but contributes towards protecting and preserving our cultural and natural environment.
The Rupununi River and the Pakaraimas.
D
estination Guyana, marketed as “Guyana – the Amazon experience” has gained international recognition over the years and continues this momentum through on-going international marketing and promotions. Community-Based Tourism (CBT) is a relatively new niche market of Guyana’s multifaceted tourism. Several communities, especially in the hinterland region are poised to benefit from this niche market due to their low carbon lifestyle.
Guyana has been in the spotlight for its leading role in the fight against climate change through the Low Carbon Development Strategy. This was the vision of the former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, for which he received the United Nations Environment Programme “Champion of the Earth’ award. Nestled in the Amazon Rainforest, Guyana is ideally situated to capitalise on sustainable tourism. As tourists today are becoming more environmentally conscious, there is growing interest in nature/adventure/eco-tourism. Guyana is well-positioned to take advantage of this with our irresistible combination of fascinating and breathtaking natural beauty - pristine Amazonian rainforests, immense waterfalls including the world famous Kaieteur Falls,
The promotion of CBT is a symbiotic relationship and plays a critical role in advancing the tourism product in Guyana. It creates employment, generates foreign exchange, encourages and attracts investments, fosters infrastructural developments and helps to improve livelihoods and the
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vast open spaces, savannahs, mountains, rivers, amazing wildlife, spectacular birdlife, and bountiful flora and fauna. Local people of these countries jointly cooperate in Community Based Tourism and this gives not only economic benefits for them but also becomes an example of community involvement in decision making.
Rockview Lodge who also provided a steady flow of visitors. When A tour operator partnered with Surama Village for tourism, the community was able to construct a main guest house and 4 lodges in 2004. The first phase of the construction was completed in 2005, and there has since been a steady increase in visitors close to 200 visitors annually.
Surama CBT Model Seventy members of the Surama community are now employed as hospitality staff, guides, cooks, artisans, and drivers, or indirectly as farmers, hunters, fishermen, tailors, and maintenance workers Approximately 60 per cent of the community’s income is now generated through sustainable tourism-related activities. Seventy Five per cent of Surama’s households derive income from tourism.
One leading example of the success of CBT in Guyana is the indigenous community of Surama, in the lower regions of Guyana ( Region 9 -Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo). The community based tourism enterprise in this area started simply by accommodating scientists, from Iwokrama in the early 1990s; these visitors required food and accommodation. The first set of a large group of visitors came in 1994 through Iwokrama (Worthburg College, Iowa, USA), and from the funds acquired, the first guest house was constructed. The community subsequently linked with
The success of this model is evident, as Surama Eco-Lodge was named one of the best hotels in South America in the April publication of an online issue of travel giant - National Geographic.
Cabin at Surama
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The National Geographic explorers called Surama “one of the most authentic and unique hotels in South America.” In addition, Barbados ‘Harrison’s Cave and Surama were the joint winners of the 2011 Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism Award, presented by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, in collaboration with TravelMole, in 2011. “Surama Village Eco-Lodge, harnesses the economic power of the visitor industry in a responsible and sustainable way to create wealth and to benefit the community of under 290 people and their environment,” CTO said The CTO/TravelMole awards are aimed at identifying, recognising and showcasing sustainable tourism best practices in the Caribbean, which embrace sustainable tourism concepts and core values, and this helps to enhance the tourism product offerings. This community is implementing a sustainable tourism project that has been mirrored by other Amerindian communities in Guyana and is considered a model for development of the country’s interior. In 2012, the Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism Award was presented to Guyana’s Rupununi Learners Inc, another unique and worthwhile project which strives to improve the quality of life of the Rupununi inhabitants by enhancing literacy and numeracy, providing access to information and preserving indigenous and local knowledge.
Jaguar
The Caiman House Field Station is a center for ecological research and educational programmes and the headquarters of Rupununi Learners Incorporated, the office of Yupukari Crafters, the location of the Yupukari Public Library. It is a comfortable, rustic guest house for travelers, researchers and students. Guests have the unique opportunity to support and participate in an ongoing field study of the black caiman, the largest member of the alligator family. Caiman House Field Station is the hub of several participatory development projects, including the introduction of classroom libraries in all three village schools and an Internet-enabled public library. The Golden Frog
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Rewa cabins Visitors are also given the chance to meet local craftspeople, including the furniture builders at Yupukari Crafters, a nonprofit venture to create village jobs and generate income for sustain educational development.
peoples, this community is situated near the former hydro project, and consists of a wide variety of birds, wildlife, and fishing opportunities. Community members also harvest rice and beans It is a model of shifting from subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture.
Promoting sustainable community-based tourism The success of CBT models in Guyana, illustrate the importance of strategic alliances and collaborative agreements between conservation organisations, indigenous communities and the tourism sector, with benefits that include community development, biodiversity protection and enhancement, enriched and higher value tourism experiences, sustainable livelihoods and long -term sustainable development of the country’s tourism product.
Reinforcing the country’s commitment to promote and highlight CBT, Guyana presented the community of Moco Moco as a pilot project , at the Third Regional Meeting of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) Member States, (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela) in June. Home to 400 indigenous persons from the Makushi
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Getting a first hand look at Mangroves and Community Development
A
s Guyana continues on its recent upward development path, a key component to sustainable management of our natural resources is to combine conservation of natural systems with revenue-generating opportunities for the local communities that depend on these resources. One such success story is Guyana’s first community-owned and managed mangrove reserve which stretches across five communities on the country’s northern coast from Golden Grove to Belfield. Traditionally, coastal mangrove forests are a critical part of sea defence as they prevent erosion and degradation of the country’s vulnerable coast which is seven feet below sea level and is constantly threatened by recent sea-level rise and increased wave energy.
Photo courtesy of GMRP Tourists learning about medicinal plants in mangrove reserve
The Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP), which is funded by the Government of Guyana and the European Union, has several components which include public awareness, research, replanting and community development. After a diverse public awareness campaign, citizens residing within and near mangrove forests had become aware that protecting and managing mangrove forests was a way of securing their future and also held potential for creating alternative livelihoods at the same time.
Photo courtesy of GMRP Staff with products and awards
This subsequently gave birth to the mangrove reserve tour allowing tourists to learn of mangrove conservation while enjoying a half-day tour of several East Coast villages and encounter our Guyanese heritage, a thriving mangrove forest, a wetland teeming with fish and birdlife, drumming and folk singing and learn of traditional use of medicinal plants in the company of our charming village people. To step back from this picture is to see the increased potential for these coastal villagers to earn a living as tour guides, horse-cart drivers, cane juice vendors, musicians, beekeepers and agri-products producers.
One of the first GMRP initiatives was to create a mangrove reserve brand that communities were permitted to use on their home-grown and manufactured products once they were protecting mangrove forests in tangible ways. These products were launched at a Farmers’ Market in October, 2011 which was sponsored by telecommunications giant Digicel and was crucial in launching the group on their impressive trajectory since. The producers, who are mainly women, now have a range of products including golden mangrove honey, handmade beeswax candles, cassava bread, coconut biscuits, dried herbs and pepper and condiments such as lime, tamarind and mango achar, and peppersauce.
The Golden Grove/Belfield Mangrove Reserve – 20 minutes from Georgetown, has become a centre piece of activity, and is the starting point for the tours operating seven days a week from 7am to 7pm.
Community development was further realised in the Mangrove Visitor Center which was established in the historic 160-year-old former sugar estate house at Cove and John, and the products were retailed there. Members of the five communities were also trained as tour guides.
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Guyana is known for its rambling wooden structures, with the graceful and distinctive Demerara shutters, and that’s
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the picture as you arrive at the sprawling 3-storey plantation house at the Village of Cove and John dominating 5 acres of land covered with towering mango trees in the midst of a herbal garden. The house reflects an early grandeur in its hewn greenheart beams, pine floors and antique cast iron pillars. Supporting the building’s front gallery are pillars made from bricks brought to Guyana as ballast for sailing ships in colonial days. Beautiful banners telling the mangrove story in detail, and an intricate hand-painted mural of the coastline depicting the coastal forests and rich birdlife, are part of the permanent display.
In this area, hundreds of fully-grown mangrove trees, many of them over 30 feet tall, and 25 years old live in a dense forest that developed, completely on its own, on the swampy foreshore, and now serves as a barrier to the Atlantic tides in the area. On the other side of the trail is a wide wetland area teeming with scarlet ibis, snowy egrets and pelicans which has become a popular bird-watching stop. A unique part of the wetland is a shallow fish pond, containing tilapia, hassar, patwa, and sunfish, and ideal for recreational fishing. If you’re in luck, you will see local fishermen beating the water to chase the fish into their nets or throwing their cast nets to haul up a good catch.
From the breezy Visitor Centre, the tour moves by horsecart, provided by cartmen from the Nabacilis community, to Victoria Village; this is first village bought by former slaves following Emancipation in 1888, and one can pause at the original hut where freed slaves , who had opted to
On the trail, our guides point out the array of medicinal plants, used by Guyanese for generations. Growing wild along the path are “black sage” – a brew from the leaves helps to combat hypertension and diabetes, and the rigid stems of the plant make a toothbrush substitute. Also there is “sweet sage” used to treat colds, “ belly ache bush” that combats gum disease, and a brew from the “tulsi” plant that works to relieve flatulence. The leaves of the “noni” plant are used to alleviate pain, and its fruit is reputed to build up the immune system. There is also a plant, “carrion crow bush”, the brew of which, according to folklore, is used to terminate pregnancy. Not forgetting “Briar pimpla” which is used to make garlands which are hung on doorways to keep away “Old Higues” which suck the blood of old and young!
Photo courtesy of GMRP Horse cart tour of mangrove reserve
wIn the middle of the wetland is a small island of lush black mangrove where bee keepers operate. The nectar from the black mangrove blossom produces delectable goldencoloured honey; you can purchase some at the end of the tour from Victoria bee-keepers Carlotta and Colin deJesus.
continue estate work, collected their weekly pay packages. It’s now a busy village shop, and vendors outside offer fresh coconut water and the juiciest pineapples. The tour turns briefly toward the sea, where you catch sight of one of the many kokers (a Dutch word meaning “sluice”) that dot the Guyana landscape. Shortly after, you encounter the beautiful temples of the local ashram where Hindu followers come to worship and which are thronged by visitors from all over Guyana at Diwali which means “Festival of Lights’.
As the tour winds back to the visitors’ benab near the side of the lake you are greeted by drummers from Victoria Village who entice you to join in their energetic rendition of the most popular folk songs of the area. Returning to the Visitor Centre, you can stop at Ingrid’s roadside stand for some local snacks and Guyana’s legendary Demerara Gold freshly squeezed cane juice.
You are now in the heart of the Mangrove Reserve where as the horsecart proceeds along a trail, parallel to the sea wall, and all the mangrove species – black, white, red and buttonwood – are found within the first 100ft stretch.
If you’re looking for a short intensive look at our natural world and our Guyanese culture, this three hour tour is the ticket.
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ROBUST GROWTH Recorded as ict sector is modernised The Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector in Guyana has witnessed innovation and growth over the last decade with input from the Government, Industry, Investors and other stakeholders. This innovation has led to broad-based growth and ICT transformation in rural and urban areas across Guyana.
market that allowed for massive reduction of rates, improvement in mobile technologies, improved services and coverage in areas already with access and expansion of services to unserved areas in hinterland regions. However, broadband growth in the fixed sector has been incredibly anaemic. In 2005 only 0.3% of the population had fixed broadband access. By 2010 growth has been paltry with only 1.6% of the population having fixed broadband access. In 2006, at a workshop at the Guyana International Convention Centre, Government, along with several industry stakeholders, agreed on a strategy to achieve National Development Goals through the use of ICT. This strategy called the Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) strategy refers to the use of ICTs in socioeconomic, international and human rights development.
Prior to 2006, the ICT sector in Guyana was largely influenced by the monopoly Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T). The Government and other stakeholders have sought to develop a legal and regulatory framework to liberalise and modernise the ICT sector as in the interest of national development it was necessary to facilitate comprehensive global connectivity. A major focus of the Government has been on the wireless sector. This has resulted in a significant growth of internet users from an estimated 6% in 2000 to 29.9% by 2010. In 2004, a small mobile operator, U-Mobile, entered the Guyana market. Two years later U-mobile was bought by Digicel. This partial liberalisation of the mobile market resulted in a boom in mobile subscribers. The subscriber base increased from 5% of the population in 2000 to 73% by 2010. The partial liberalisation resulted in a competitive
GuyExpo 2012
Since 2006, the ICT sector has witnessed promising changes triggered by the Government’s committed stance to bridge the digital divide and achieve universal access and competitiveness. Along with the launching of Digicel in 2007, companies like E-Networks have implemented fourth generation cellular
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technology (4G) (WiMax) while Broadband Wireless is currently testing their own 4G system (LTE) for launch later this year. There has been much improvement in the services and reach of ICT over the past decade. However, the Government has decided to further boost ICT development. The strategy of 2006 called for a focus on development in two major areas. The first area demanded the development of strong physical infrastructure that would allow for the revolutionising of ICT in Guyana. The second area focuses on the development of human resources that would be able to take full advantage of the ICT infrastructural development. In particular, the e-Government Project Unit and the One Laptop Per Family Project (OLPF) were established. The E-Government Unit is tasked with developing a robust ICT infrastructure that will improve the connectivity within Guyana and increase access to international carriers. The Unit is currently in the process of installing a Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing network (DWDM). This network spans 580 kilometres, and will bring high bandwidth connectivity to the Internet to the populated coastal areas. The network will also offer high speed internet access to several hinterland areas that are currently underserved. These include Lethem, Annai, Kurupukari, Mabura and Wismar/Linden. Furthermore, a high bandwidth hybrid fiber/microwave network will be developed along the coast connecting Molson Creek in Berbice to Charity in Essequibo. Both networks are being developed by Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. Huawei is a world leader in both fiber and wireless networks. Together, the Government and Huawei expects to implement an infrastructure that is easily upgradable and uses the most modern ICT technologies available today. This network is expected to improve access to Government services, while at the same time, providing the necessary infrastructure to further develop ICT industry in Guyana.
investment in this project does not only have social and educational purposes. Together with strong infrastructure a skilled labour force is necessary for the successful development of ICT industry. The Government in maintaining its commitment to provide universal access is also working on making legal reforms to modernise the sector. Legislation has been tabled in Parliament including the Telecommunications Bill, Broadcast Bill and Access to Information Bill. In pursuit of the objectives of universal access to ICT, bridging the digital divide and fostering national development through ICT, the Government has seen the need for infrastructure and global access while ensuring that no Guyanese household will be left without access to ICT and ICT related services. Corollary steps have also been taken to reform, liberalise and modernise the legal and regulatory framework.
The One Laptop Per Family OLPF (OLPF) project is aimed at developing a local cadre of talented ICT professionals. The project aims to provide training and computing facilities for up to 90,000 families. Together with programs by the Ministry of Education, it is expected that several thousand young people will be trained and become ICT professionals. The program is specifically aimed at low income families who otherwise would not be able to obtain computing devices and the training necessary to use them. The
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GuyExpo 2012
New Paradigms in Agro-Tourism
Development in Guyana
Photo courtesy of IICA Visiting Lake Mainstay pineapple project
Nestled in North-Western Guyana on the Essequibo Coast, the Tri-Lakes Communities of Capoey, Lake Mainstay and Tapakuma present a picturesque ambience of flora and fauna in a native state. Found inland away from the coast, the tranquil Tri-Lakes communities provide a far different form of life than is experienced on the Essequibo Coast and is an amazing getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city and other coastal environs. The experience of a calm and slow-paced boat ride into the village of Capoey, or the short ride by trail through the rainforest to Lake Mainstay or Tapakuma, is enough to bring joy to the nature lover.
industry depends on a conducive environment which entails the following: natural, social, economic, political and cultural factors. These criteria have the makings of an exceptionally unique tourist offering, while the following measures are being realised, and are being effected in the Tri-Lakes area: - Protection of the natural environment; - Conservation and enhancement of the cultural patrimony; - Strengthening of linkages between tourism and other economic sectors; and - The involvement of local communities in planning and benefits.
Coupled with the rich heritage of the indigenous peoples, these communities present a unique variation from the typical forms of tourism, be it sand, sun or surf. Even though tourism takes diverse forms, each with an appeal to a particular class of tourist, there are many beneficial implications which can be considered “New Paradigms� in the Guyana context. The sustainability of the tourism
GuyExpo 2012
The Inter-American-Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has over the last decade been providing technical assistance to the Tri-Lakes Communities in the above focus areas as described below.
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Lake Mainstay boasts a natural inland lake which traditionally has been popular with the local residents and visitors from the coast who enjoy water sports and other breathtaking activities on the massive black water lake. Notwithstanding this, the community is home to organically grown, processed and exported succulent Montserrat pineapples, the sweetest in the Caribbean.
gave birth to a heritage trail where tourists can visit and interact with nature, listening to the calls of the macaws and the parrots, the chirping of the crickets and calls of the ‘who you” birds. An added benefit to the tourist traversing the heritage trail or on a guided tour is to be enlightened on traditional medicine that uses various forest species. The use of the black shiny insect called the “Uyuk” whose sting at the temples relieves simple headaches and the use of a ginger lily species for the treatment of wounds and burns are some of the cultural information that is shared.
IICA has encouraged the residents to integrate agriculture and ecology with tourism, giving rise to an emerging form of tourism that involves an economic imperative for the Tri-Lakes community, with its benefits redounding simultaneously to the community members. It gives the
The Lakes have also always boasted the capacity for providing multiple water sport adventure: Kayaking and canoeing, wading or swimming or even sport fishing for the Lukanani and the Arapaima, among other fishes. The placid black water lakes are the major attraction of the communities, the pull factor for tourists and the economic earner for the communities.
In the realm of ecotourism, there has been the establishment of an Eco-Lodge catering for the nature lover who wants to experience the calm and serenity of a holiday getaway while being close to nature. The construction blends remarkably into the ecosystem. Its interior is cool Photo courtesy of GMRP as a result of the high thatched roof, and external ornate walls of tree bark add to the ambience rural folk an opportunity to build an indigenous industry of the Eco-Lodge, materials which are indigenous to the which is labour-intensive, thus providing jobs and keeping communities. the residents within the community, and by extension, benefiting the local communities. This form of tourism IICA’s collaboration with the communities places major charts a course of economic stability through agricultural emphasis on building institutional capacity for the production. management of the resources. Since it is also important to have knowledgeable personnel managing the tourist The productive capacities of organic pineapple production environment, human resource capacity building in the and processing provide employment for community form of in-service training has been done in hospitality and members, who cultivate the fields and manage the culinary management. The pleasant, always-smiling staff at processing enterprise. A structured overseas marketing the Capoey Eco-Lodge has the ability to manage boarding programme entails the return of revenues to the and lodging facilities. The planning and serving of meals are community, thereby benefiting the residents and improving unique, as menus comprise savoury indigenous ingredients their standard of living. which tantalize the palate. Organic production also seeks to maintain the environment free from inorganic chemical pesticides, thereby sustaining the rich flora and fauna resources of the pristine forest areas in consonance with the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). It is these environmental conditions that
Also being marketed are the culture, foods and craft of the communities. These offerings are even more accentuated during the Amerindian Heritage Month celebrations in September where there are Regattas and Village Days in the communities at which the villagers and others vie
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for supremacy in a multitude of sports and craft displays. These festivals and activities are a far cry from the cosmetic commercialised acts of typical Caribbean tourism activities. Indeed, these small communities provide a personal touch of hospitality for the visitor!
which, when harvested, provide a lucrative revenue base to the residents. The heart pounding agro-tourism feature that is offered in Guyana is the Annual Rodeo in the Rupununi, where visitors can thrill themselves with horseback riding and, if adventurous, try their hands at lassoing cattle or riding wild steers. They can be a part of the annual roundup of cattle and view the activities related above.
The importance of these activities to the communities should never be underestimated. The base of Agriculture is a linkage to all other sectors inclusive of the food industry, agribusiness, agro-forestry, health and nutrition, and tourism. Its contribution to rural prosperity is critical to balanced development, social equity and social peace. Farmers, residents in the communities, and visitors all benefit both directly and indirectly from the productive sectors of these activities in the communities through their active involvement.
The fact that Guyana is the only English-speaking country in the South American Amazon Basin makes it an advantage, a niche destination. This form of tourism can be marketed successfully for the appeal of visitors from Europe, the United States of America and Canada, which are the main markets connected with Agro eco-tourism.
Apart from the activities in the Tri-Lakes Communities, there are other unique forms of Agro-tourism that can excite the visitor. These range from the calm to the enthralling. On the coast in the village of Victoria lies a stretch of mangrove forest, through which there are guided tours. Of interest is the fact that the mangrove not only protects the environment but is also the habitat for a number of terrestrial and aquatic species. The residents have benefited through the establishment of bee hives, as the mangrove produces a rich source of honey and beeswax
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The blend of Agriculture, Ecology and Tourism forms a unique and different alternative to the tourist: The ability to savour the organically grown produce and also experience nature’s paradise of calm and serene waterways, inhale the fragrance of the fresh forest air while traversing trails in the jungle, or even the thrill of regattas or rodeos, or just learning that the sweet honey produced from the mangroves contributes to the sustainability of a natural habitat is an awesome experience. Indeed, what Guyana offers can be termed “New Paradigms� focusing on Agrotourism!
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Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana, South America Tel: (592) 225-5530, 227-0704/9, Fax: 225-5621 Email: ezeeflowpipes@gmail.com
GLOBAL HARDWARE AD
Micro and Small Enterprise Development : Building Alternative Livelihoods for Vulnerable Groups Fund, which will be initiated through the implementation of the GRIF funded ‘Micro and Small Enterprise Development and Building Alternative Livelihoods for Vulnerable Groups Project’.
Small business entrepreneurs in Guyana, especially vulnerable groups, will begin accessing seed financing and benefitting from business skills training in January 2013 when the Mutual Guarantee Fund managed by the Small Business Bureau (SBB) is launched.
The more commonly coined “Micro and Small Enterprise Development (MSED) Project” was designed to support the Government of Guyana’s goals with respect to poverty alleviation and the reduction of carbon emissions, as outlined in the Millennium Development Goals and the Low Carbon Development Strategy. Against this background, the fostering of micro and small enterprise development under this project, is geared towards creating employment opportunities, particularly among vulnerable groups of persons. In addition, the targeted development of low carbon sectors, is expected to enhance the thrust towards a ‘green economy’.
Approximately 1000 micro and small businesses are projected to benefit from financing and business development services and significant employment opportunities will be created during the project’s first year in operation. The funds for small and micro enterprises are being made available under a 2009 agreement which Guyana signed with the Norwegian Government aimed at preserving Guyana’s forests, limiting greenhouse gas emissions and fostering a ‘green economy’, as part of its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
This MSED project will provide incentives to micro and small enterprises through the promotion of easily accessible financial products as well as business development services (BDS). By so doing, two major bottlenecks affecting the survival and growth of small businesses, as well as the ability of persons to build alternative livelihoods in Guyana, will be addressed, these are:
Under this initiative, some US$10M is earmarked for the development of micro and small businesses in low carbons sectors and among vulnerable groups, via a Mutual Guarantee Fund, which will be divided into two phases of US$5M each. The Small Business Bureau is responsible for the promotion of developmental issues of small businesses in Guyana, coordination of programmes for Small Business development and monitoring the implementation of the Small Business Act.
(i) limited access to finance and (ii) limited technical and business skills: (i) Access to finance: The following forms of financing will be offered through the Mutual Guarantee Fund: • Collateral Guarantee – SBB will be able to guarantee up to 40% of the collateral requirements of a loan facility. The ceiling on the guarantee amount is $12M (for loan of $30M).
To this end, SBB has Since its enactment under the Small Business Act of 2004, the SBB has performed and continues to perform several support functions in an effort to fulfil its mandate. These have included: providing assistance to businesses through the creation of market linkages via by facilitating attendance of small business persons at both local and overseas trade fairs (inclusive of subsidising related freight costs), developing and maintaining a database of all local small businesses, encouraging Government procurement from small businesses by taking the lead in this regard, coordinating training and other developmental programmes, among other activities.
• Interest Subsidy – SBB can offer a subsidy on interest rates for loans with financial institutions up to a maximum of 5%. • Grants – This facility can be accessed by persons who would not qualify for loans because of perceived risks. Grant funds can be used to expand existing operations or to start new business ventures.
The Bureau will now be able to fulfill its mandate with respect to ‘access to finance’ via the Small Business Development
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Aquaculture Eco-tourism Sustainable forestry and wood processing Business Process Outsourcing Bio-ethanol
(ii) Technical and Business Skills: In addition to finance, businesspersons require the relevant skills to successfully manage their operations. In this regard, SBB will partner with reputable training institutions/providers, to offer the following:
• • • • •
• Business Management skills training - Beneficiaries would be able to prepare their own business plan at the end of the training, as well as identify factors that are critical to success. • Technical skills training which can lead to enhanced process/business efficiency and and ultimately, increased profitability.
Other Low carbon sectors: • Energy efficient transportation and logistics • Low carbon manufacturing activities • Low carbon agriculture and agro-processing (excludes livestock) • Apiculture • Low carbon energy production and/or distribution • Sustainable mining • Professional and business services • Internet and computer based services • Entertainment, music and performing arts • Arts and crafts • Publishing and Printing
Project beneficiaries will derive the following benefits: • Easier access to finance from the banks and microfinance institutions • More affordable financing • Ability to access financing for new ventures • Garner new and/or additional business and technical skills which would enhance ability to manage business successfully.
Micro Business Small Business Required to be legally incorporated and must meet any two of the three following conditions per the SBA: (i) Employ not more than Ten (10) persons; (ii) Gross annual revenues of not more than G$30,000,000 (iii) Total business assets of not more than G$10,000,000.
Who is eligible? Micro and Small businesses who fit the following criteria can apply: • For Collateral Guarantee and Interest Subsidy Able to comply with requirements for borrowing with the partnering financial institutions in addition to the following:
1. Required to be registered as a business, partnership, private limited company, cooperative society or holding company with the Deeds Registry; 2. Meet two of the three following criteria: i) Employ not more than twenty five (25) persons ii) Gross annual revenues of not more than G$60,000,000 iii) Total business assets of not more than G$20,000,000
• Vulnerable groups Vulnerable groups include individuals and groups without access to credit and or appropriate business and technical training who have been affected by the restructuring of the sectors, such as mining, forestry, sugar and bauxite and/or those wishing to participate in one of the identified low carbon sectors.
The Mutual Guarantee Fund is scheduled to commence in January 2013. Some 1000 micro and small businesses are projected to benefit from financing and/or business development services, during the project’s first year in operation.
• Business activities fall within any of the following: Priority low carbon sectors: • Fruit and Vegetables - Farming and Processing
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The Spirit of
A
operations with five ‘company products’; meaning products made by ANSA Trinidad; these were: Carib Beer, Royal Extra Stout, Smalta, TrinChloro Bleach and Swinger Matches. Mr. Ullyett shortly realised there was a market for numerous other products and expanded the range to include items from companies other than the ANSA Group's. Mr. Ullyett was also instrumental in setting up a depot in Rose Hall, Berbice in 1993.
market ripe with opportunity for growth? A company poised for the task – ANSA McAL Trading Ltd.
ANSA McAL Trading Ltd (AMTL) in 2012, is one of the largest distribution companies in Guyana, servicing approximately 95% of the population with hundreds of products from four major divisions ranging from Pharmaceuticals, Construction Solutions, Consumer Goods, and Beverages. However, this was not always the case, as AMTL started out offering a handful of products.
Recognising that the company needed to be closer to Georgetown, an office was set up on Middle Street, where Mr. Ullyett handed over the reins of the company to Paul Chan-a-Sue in 1994 who was very instrumental in cementing the foundations on the AMSA McAL business footprint on the South American Continent. On Paul Chan-a-Sue’s watch the business grew in size, value and reputation fostering relationships with the trade and customers that endure to this day. Having determined that the warehouse needed to be closer to Georgetown, he moved the entire operation to the Guyana National Shipping Corporation where they continued to thrive. By 2004 the business outgrew the confines of this location and, after several years of looking for a suitable property, in 2006 a strategic decision was made to acquire a property at Beterverwagting, Industrial Site on the East Coast Demerara, wherein AMTL relocated the following year.
Tracing its origins, we get to glimpse into the world of business and learn that when opportunities present themselves, entrepreneurs who are keen on development will grasp these chances and with hard work and determination, turn them into great success stories. This is the case with AMTL. At the beginning of the 1990s, the manufacturing arm of the ANSA McAL Group of Companies saw the opportunity for investment in Guyana and did so in the Caribbean Container Incorporated, or at that time, the Seals and Packaging Industries Ltd (SAPIL). However, while that particular partnership faced some setbacks, undeterred, ANSA McAL noticed that there was a need in the country for a more robust and service oriented distribution business and in July, 1992 AMTL was born. Operations began later that year in October when the company would have officially opened its doors, at the SAPIL plant which is located at FARM, East Bank Demerara.
In 2008, Mr. Chan-a-Sue retired and Ms. Beverley Harper was appointed Managing Director (MD). The new MD took over an established company and has progressively steered the ship to become one of the best performing companies in the entire ANSA McAL Group which spans eight sectors and 63 entities covering much of the Caribbean and
AMTL's first Managing Director, Peter Ullyett, began
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ANSA
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Photo courtesy of Ansa Mcal
Winners of Ariel Soap Powder competition
touching both North and South America.
the country by spending millions of dollars supporting and sponsoring cultural, social and sporting events that help develop the social fabric of our country.
In 2012 AMTL grew to reach a turnover of over G$7 billion while employing a staff of over 160 persons. To accommodate further growth in the company, it extended its warehouse to a capacity of approximately 53,000 sq feet.
As ANSA McAL Trading Ltd celebrates its 20th Anniversary, the company is proud of its modest beginnings, is reflecting on the stepping stones of its success and the achievement of “Best Performer”.
The rapid growth of AMTL can be directly attributed to a dynamic group of young administrative, marketing and sales professionals ably led by an energetic and visionary management team, all of whom remain committed to customer service and teamwork.
“As we celebrate this milestone we continue to remind ourselves that getting to the top is only part of success and that remaining on top will require a rededication to the values and hard work that built this business to where it is today. Sustainability for the next 20 years will also require vision for a future rich with opportunity and real challenge. We at AMTL are poised for the task,” the company said in an invited comment.
Attesting to its personnel development plan and believing that the employees are its greatest asset, management outsources professionals to conduct in-house training in numeracy, literacy and computer studies at the basic levels while encouraging and facilitating persons to pursue higher education and training in their respective fields. AMTL has become a place where leadership and teamwork are promoted, where priority is placed on discovering the potential, propensity and passion of its employees based on their personality and qualifications and allow them to thrive in a supportive environment. Because of these and other factors, the directors, managers and employees of AMTL have been able to produce financial results that have made the company success story that it is today.
Happy 20th Anniversary ANSA McAL Trading!
AMTL being a company that is extremely cognisant of its corporate responsibilities exercises good citizenship by contributing billions of dollars in VAT, taxation and duties, values its ability to assist in the further development in
Photo courtesy of Ansa Mcal
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Ensuring First
IMPRESSIONS
Count!
Impressions, Guyana’s premier marketing company continues to revolutionise the local marketing landscape.
Photo courtesy of Impressions Impressions Office
video billboards, installed in Guyana.
What started out as a screen printing agency twelve years ago has grown into a reputable, effective modern marketing company that offers many exclusive services including Expo Booths and digital advertising. From the inception, Impressions has been working with GuyExpo in the construction and branding of booths and the general GuyExpo venue.
Currently there are ten locations in Georgetown including Sheriff & David Streets, Buddy’s Parking Lot, Sheriff Street, Vlissengen Road and Rupert Craig Highway, North Road in the vicinity of the Bourda Market, Camp & Church Street, Croal Street in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market, Regent and Hinck Streets and Eccles. Impressions intends to take this advertising technology across Guyana with the installation of these digital billboards at critical junctions from Essequibo to Berbice and Linden.
Three years ago, Impressions invested millions in Guyana’s first expo booth systems; a group of 300 10x10 collapsible display booths with five -100x50 ft expo tents with sides and flooring. These Expo booths have transformed the Sophia Exhibition Centre and Guy Expo with its unique and uniformed display. These booths have been in demand for all local exhibitions including Building Expo as its design simply take the exhibition to a new level.
The video or electronic LED billboards, while having been around for several years as a functional animated outdoor media format, is still in its infancy as a developing medium of video message boards for outdoor advertising. It is , perhaps,the first in Guyana and possibly the second in the Caribbean, apart from Trinidad and Tobago. As an emerging media system, LED video billboards offer a greater flexibility of use than conventional billboards could ever provide. With high brightness, high resolution LEDS, the conventional billboard has been transformed into the perfect high-tech electronic outdoor display medium. Not only are electronic
This year Impressions is once again working with GuyExpo for the use of its booths and branding. The local marketing company was the first to introduce several new techniques to the local market. It invested in a multi - million digital advertising project that has seen for the first time LED
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billboards full colour and large format, but they also have many distinct advantages including displaying animation and in effect, showing specialised television commercials outdoors with more frequency and Impressions strives to offer this service at a very affordable price to give Guyanese businesses the chance to latch on to this technology and reap the benefits it offers. The electronic signs act as a multiple message provider, where one sign can show a loop of continuous messages. The technology allows for easy changing of messages as this is done simply by the clicking of a mouse, rather than sending out a crew to pull down and replace billboards.
to employ modern communication tools and concepts to keep apace. Impressions has the technology solution for the local market. A sure way of bridging the gap between the technologically curious and economically serious – a simple, sophisticated electronic infrastructure that allows communication messages (advertisements) to be fed through a network with the end result a targeted multi sensory experience including vision and smell that truly captures your customers’ attention and dollar. This is a multi-million investment project which aims to see a total of 30 indoor advertising media screens being installed in Georgetown reaching a daily average of 20, 000 people in various locations. Already companies have begun indicating interest in this technologically advanced advertising equipment.
One of the best features of these electronic signs is the possibility of evolving them into a citywide or regional display-advertising network to suit specific needs. Meanwhile, the company has moved to invest in the latest advertising media technology in Guyana – the Indoor Digital Advertising Media. With the steady advancements in technology across industries. consumer taste and trends, technology and device utilization are all evolving so quickly that many businesses are forced to relook at the way they do business, especially when it comes to interacting with their customers and employees. They are required
Impressions is proud to be the pioneer of LED advertising in Guyana, to have been able to invest and introduce this initiative, taking electronic advertising to a higher level and,at the same time , changing the local landscape.
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Guyana
The Amazon Adventure
Country Information NAME:
Co-operative Republic of Guyana
CAPITAL:
Georgetown
LOCATION:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Suriname and Venezuela. Latitude 1° and 9° N and Longitude 56° and 62° W.
GOVERNMENT TYPE:
Republic (February 23, 1970)
POLITICAL STATUS:
Independent Nation ( 26 May 1966, from Britain)
SIZE/AREA: 215,000 sq km (83,000 square miles). CURRENCY: Guyana dollar. (There are notes for $20, $100, $500, and $1,000. Coins are for $1, $5 and $10.) POPULATION:
770,794 (2006 estimates)
POPULATION DENSITY:
3.6 per sq. km.
ETHNIC GROUPS: Amerindian, Africans, Chinese, East Indians, Europeans, Portuguese and Mixed. RELIGION:
Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Others
LANGUAGE: English, Creole, Indigenous Dialects.
The only English speaking country in South America.
GEOGRAPHY:
Four distinct geographical areas; the low coastal plain, hilly sand and clay area, highland and interior savannah. Guyana is a part of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
CLIMATE:
Tropical, pleasant and warm for most of the year, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds. Average temperature 24°C - 31°C.
CLOTHING:
Lightweight, business attire for meetings/conferences. There are dress codes for public offices and business entities.
COUNTIES:
Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice
MAJOR TOWNS:
Anna Regina, Bartica, New Amsterdam, Linden, Corriverton, Rosehall
REGIONS:
Region 1- Barima-Waini, Region 2- Pomeroon-Supenaam, Region 3 -Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara, Region 4- Demerara-Mahaica, Region 5 – Mahaica-Berbice, Region 6East Berbice-Corentyne, Region 7 –Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Region 8- Potaro-Siparuni, Region 9 – Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, Region 10- Upper Demerara-Berbice.
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NATURAL RESOURCES:
Bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish, sand
EXPORTS:
Sugar, rice, gold, bauxite, diamond, alumina, molasses, rum, timber, fish & shrimp, dairy products, agriculture products.
COMMUNICATION:
Telephone-domestic and long distance, dial code 592, cellular services- GT&T and Digicel (international roaming, web browsing, picture text, blackberry etc), Internet Services (DSL, Broadband, Dial-up, GT&T Hot Spots services).
TIME ZONE: GMT-4hours. 1 hour ahead of EST ELECTRICITY:
110v in Georgetown, 220v in other places, 50/60 cycles
EMERGENCY NUMBERS:
911-Police, 912-Fire, 913- Ambulance
TAXES:
Value Added Taxes (VAT) of 16% is chargeable on goods and services, however, many items are zero rated or exempt. Business charging VAT should display their Certificate of Registration for VAT.
DRIVING:
Drive and Ride on the Left. Obey all Traffic signs and advisory. Use seat belt at all times. crossing to Guyana via the Guyana/Suriname border from Paramaribo will take approximately 6-8 hours taking into consideration those who have to cross with vehicles.
BY AIRCRAFT ENTRY: All visitors are required to have a valid passport and an onward plane ticket. Visas are necessary for all visitors except those from Commonwealth countries, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and USA.
CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION CHECK: All visitors are subjected to Customs and Immigration checks at Moleson Creek by the Custom Department. Excise taxes are charged on items that are legal and approved by Customs. CROSSING WITH VEHICLES: All visitors entering Guyana with vehicles will be required to have an importation permit at the point of entry from the Customs Department. Permits are valid for one month but can be extended. You are required to present the following documents at the point of entry: passport, driver’s license, vehicle registration, rental documents (if vehicle is rented) and proof of insurance.
CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION CHECK: All visitors are subjected to Customs and Immigration checks. Illegal items are prohibited from entering the Country and will be confined. DEPARTURE TAX: Departure Tax is $ 4,000 GYD or $ 20 USD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS: Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) 45km to Capital City Tel: 592 261 2300 or 592 261 2281.
LOCAL TRAVEL Air (aircraft to all major airstrips in Guyana), River (speed boats and ferries) and Land (taxis, minibus, vans, trucks to most places)
Ogle International Airport (only small aircrafts allowed) 7 km to Capital City Tel: 592 222 4132 FLIGHT DURATION: Miami to Georgetown – New York to Georgetown – Toronto to Georgetown – London to Georgetown –
BANKING: Opening hours 8:00hrs to 14:00hrs Monday-Thursdays, Fridays 8:00hrs to 14:30hrs. Commercial banks are GBTI, Republic Bank Guyana, New Building Society, Demerara Bank, Citizen Bank, Baroda Bank and Bank of Nova Scotia. Credit Cards are used at all commercial Banks and at ABM locations country wide.
4.5hrs 5.5hrs 6hrs 8hrs
BUSINESS HOURS: 08:00hrs to 16:30hrs.
BY FERRY All visitors are required to have a valid passport. Ferry
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VISITOR INFORMATION: You can visit the Guyana Tourism Authority Office, National Exhibition Centre, Sophia for information. Tel: (592) 219-0094-6, Email: info@guyana-tourism.com, website: www.guyana-tourism.com. Or the Tourist Information Booth in the Arrival Lounge of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. Tell 592 261 2980
INVESTMENT INFORMATION: Information on investment can be obtained from the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-INVEST) located at 190 Camp & Church Street, Georgetown, Tel 592 225 0658/227 0653, website: www.goinvest.gov.gy SHOPPING Monday-Friday 08:00hrs – 17:00hrs Saturday 08:00hrs-12:00hrs HOSPITALS There are numerous health units in Guyana both government and privately owned. Here are just a few: The Georgetown Public Hospital 592 227 8204-7 Balwant Singh Hospital 592 226 5783 Davis Memorial Hospital 592 227 2041-3 St Joseph Mercy Hospital 592 227 2071-5 592 225 7402 Medical Arts Centre 592 226 2024 Woodlands Hospital Prashads Hospital Ltd 592 226 7210 Please contact the Ministry of Health for further info on Malaria and Yellow Fever on tell: 592-226-5861 or www. health.gov.gy
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TELECOMMUNICATION: The area code for Guyana is (592). Local and international call can be made using GT&T or DIGICEL services. Your cellular phones can be activated for international roaming, blackberry service, picture messaging, email services and web browsing. INTERNET SERVICES: There are numerous internet service providers (ISP). DSL, Broadband and dial up services are available. There are many GT&T wireless Hot Spots around Georgetown that provide free internet browsing. Numerous internet café are also available across the country.
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Hon. Mohamed Irfaan Ali M.P
2012 Planning Committee
Derrick Cummings Co-Chairman
Indranauth HaralSingh Public Relations Manager
Sabrina Panday Head of Protocol
GuyExpo 2012
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (ag)
Ohene Koama Event Coordinator
Desmond Mohamed Finance Controller
Lennox Canterbury Entertainment Manager
Johnny Mortley Head of Security
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Tameca Sukhdeo-Singh Marketing Manager
Ivor Waithe Logistics Manager
Jewel McKend Secretariat Manager
Catherine Martin Head of Hospitality
Rudolph Persaud Head of Sanitation
Resource Personnel
Sandra Ann Baptiste Event Management Consultant
Dhaneshwar Deonarine Deputy Permanent Secretary
Dacia Ferguson Chief Accountant
Bobby Vieira Technical Event Consultant
Svend Wills Finance Officer
Support Staff
Darren Sills Assistant to Co-Chairman
Sharon John Assistant to the Minister
Joel Sharpe Assistant to Event Coordinator
Minnita Chester Assistant to Event Coordinator
Editorial Committee Derrick Cummings Tameca Sukhdeo-Singh Sandra Ann Baptiste
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GuyExpo 2012
DATE Thursday , 27th Sept
Friday, 28th Sept
Saturday, 29th Sept
Sunday, 30th Sept.
GuyExpo 2012
Calendar of Events TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
18:00
GuyExpo 2012 Opening Ceremony
Entertainment Area
20:00
GuyExpo 2012 Opened to the Public
National Exhibition Centre
9:00
Seminar on the Jagdeo Initiative
GICC
9:00 13:00
Investor's Seminar Buyer's Time Begin
GICC National Exhibition Centre
13:30 15:00
Business Networking Forum Buyer's Time End
GICC National Exhibition Centre
15:00
GuyExpo 2012 Opened to the Public
National Exhibition Centre
18:30
Fashion Show
Fashion Village
21:00
Live Entertainment - Ansa Mcal
Entertainment Area
11:00
Buyer's Time Begin
National Exhibition Centre
13:00
Buyer's Time End
National Exhibition Centre
13:00
GuyExpo 2012 Opened to the Public
National Exhibition Centre
18:30
Fashion Show
Fashion Village
21:00
Live Entertainment - Banks DIH
Entertainment Area
11:00
Buyer's Time Begin
National Exhibition Centre
13:00
Buyer's Time End
National Exhibition Centre
13:00
GuyExpo 2012 Opened to the Public
National Exhibition Centre
16:00
Fashion Show
Fashion Village
19:00
Fashion Show Ends
Fashion Village
21:00
Live Entertainment - GT&T
Entertainment Area
22:00
GuyExpo Closing Ceremony
National Exhibition Centre
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GuyExpo 2012
DESIGN AND LAYOUT SERVICES AVAILABLE
Just ed! ArriDvie Cutter
l Digita
PRINTING & GRAPHICS INC
PRINTING • Offset Sheet Fed • Flexographic • Web Offset Sheet Pre-press Services
Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana, South America Tel: 225-8696, 227-0704, 227-0709, 227-0695 Email: gblprinting@guyanatimesgy.com
GuyExpo 2012
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Magazines • Annual Reports • Catalogues • Brochures • Flyers • Calendars • Posters • Postcards • Invitations
FINISHING • Saddle Stitching • Perfect Binding • Wire/Spiral Binding • UV Coating • Speciality Paper Folding
NOTES
g
Designed & Printed by
Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana, S.A. Tel: (592) 2207-0704/9; 225-8696; Email: gblprinting@guyanatimesgy.com
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GuyExpo 2012
GuyExpo 2012
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