Dr. Yesu Persaud
Remembering history is crucial to Guyana’s development
V
ery few Guyanese would not know the name Dr. Yesu Persaud. Those that don’t are bound to recognize the famous El Dorado brand of rums which have been winning awards after awards every year. Yesu, as he is known, has built the Demerara Distillers Limited into a business powerhouse, making it an internationally renowned one. Perhaps as well known as the El Dorado brands, is the legacy that Yesu has built. It spawns not only the business world but culture and religion. The respect that he commands has politicians seeking his counsel. He has even hosted a long running television programme. A very prominent Hindu businessman, his contributions to Guyana remain immeasurable. He is not only making Pepsi, 7UP, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, fruit juices and water, but has managed to diversify DDL into other areas, including the Demerara Shipping Company; CO2 Gas Company; Tropical Orchards; Demerara Contractors and Engineers Ltd; BEV Processors Inc, a shrimp procession plant; and Distribution Services Ltd, which represents Nestle, and Johnson and Johnson. The company also has its subsidiaries in Holland, UK, USA, and St Kitts, and operates a joint venture in India, as well as distribution arrangement in Asia. Yesu was also the brain behind the formation of the first indigenous private sector bank, Demerara Bank Limited, which started in 1994. He holds numerous positions in other organizations. He is the Chairman of Trust Company (Guyana) Limited, and Guyana Unit Trust — a mutual fund — and was the man behind Diamond Fire and General Insurance Company. In 1988, Yesu gained further recognition as he lobbied to the then President, Desmond Hoyte, for approval to celebrate 150 years of East Indian Arrival in Guyana. He won over Hoyte. He is also one of the founding members of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), which was established in New York in 1989. He has been serving as the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Chile for many years and hailed as true representative of the Caribbean people. He was presented the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas award presented by India’s President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on January 9, 2006.
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“Everyone is subject to law irrespective of who you are. Education is the springboard to everything” When it comes to being involved, Dr Persaud, now 86, is no stranger. He was instrumental in campaigning for a change of Government in 1992 and now again in 2015, he is vocal. While he has relinquished the chairmanship of DDL, he still remains a part of the operations, making daily, early morning trips to his beloved office in the DDL building at Kingston. Yesu has been also quietly playing a big role in keeping his heritage alive. He founded the Indian Commemoration Trust, which was instrumental in celebrating the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Guyana. The trust has helped build a monument to mark Arrival Day and is getting ready for a big celebration on May 5-- Indian Arrival Day. Dr. Persaud is profound in arguing that commemoration of Guyana’s rich heritage remains an integral part of the countrywhether it is that of the Afro-Guyanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Amerindians and Indians. “We all came here to work, we all slaved. We have to start looking at each other, learning from each other, if we are to move forward.” A history enthusiast, Dr. Persaud is cognizant of that fact that Guyana’s development lies in the respect that citizens have for each other. “Everyone is subject to law irrespective of who you are. Education is the springboard to everything,” he urged. The businessman is pushing now for more languages like Hindi, and even some of the African ones be introduced in Guyana. Asked about his role in culture, Dr Persaud prefers to extol on the role being played by the Institute of Private Enterprise Development, a revolving fund that he was highly instrumental in establishing in 1986. It is a project that is very close to his heart. It has helped countless families, he insisted. Now used as a case study by students locally and abroad, IPED has issued almost 40,000 loans to micro and small businesses, growing now to 100 staff members and located in each county and all the regions. “IPED is the biggest success story in Guyana, helping people to help themselves. Myself and the directors are offering our services voluntarily, not taking anything. We want it that way. We lend money, we have specialists who help in lending support for manufacturing and farming. We don’t make any distinctions.”