Page 40 - GMSA 2017 AR Print for flip1

TRADE FACILITATION AND MARKETING AND PROMOTION
“because the State is the biggest investor in areas that
service the private sector”.

However, in strengthening this partnership, PM Nagamootoo
said it was important for them to also recognise that even
though the country was not growing as it should, it was still
above most of its Caribbean counterparts. He added, “Even
if we were four percent annually or three and a half percent
annually, we were shining way above the development
growth rate of Caribbean countries and that shows that
we have something that tells us that Guyana may not be
moving forward as fast as we want it, but it is not moving
backward. We have a two percent inflation rate, which has
been kept low over many years, but it is not something that
we should bemoan. We have stability.”

With the exception of the sugar industry, the Prime Minister
said the private sector continued to dominate the economy,
and pledged the Government’s unwavering support to the
sector. Making reference to the rice industry, he said with
innovation and diversification, this industry could soar to
great heights. “We can do better so we don’t have to export
bulk rice, bulk paddy; we could diversify and have better
packaged rice and better varieties. Why sell rice to Mexico,
only for Mexico to sell biscuits to Japan. Why can’t we make
biscuits right here?”

He added that, “In this situation, you have to take the
advantage and run with it. You have a friendly and cooperative
Government. We have challenges and difficulties, but we
can see the end to some of these.”

Alluding to the recently-concluded Business Summit, the
Prime Minister said it showed that the business community
and the State were finding common ground on which
problems were resolved in an amicable fashion. The Prime
Minister added that, “It is not a confrontational matter. There
is no case to be won, feeling that the State is not supportive,
but you have to tell the State what it needs to do and how it
needs to do these things to build your confidence.”

He also commended the private sector for its humanitarian
efforts in pledging financial and other forms of support to
the hurricane relief efforts.

Meanwhile, GMSA President Shyam Nokta indicated:
“Companies offering packaging and labelling services,
shipping, logistics and financing are among those
participating. We also have the presence here of many
facilitating and regulatory agencies. This response is indeed
encouraging for the GMSA.”

He noted that, in the past and even today, talks continued to
surround the country’s untapped agro-processing potential,

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