Page 52 - GMSA 2017 AR Print for flip1

ANNUAL PRESENTATION OF AWARDS AND DINNER 2017

Remain focused on all sectors of the economy

– UK High Commissioner implores

…warns against oil dependency syndrome as

GMSA hosts Annual Presentation Awards and Dinner

GMSA Annual Presentation Awards Dinner Awardees

ritish High Commissioner Greg Quinn joined scores of “The Government in cooperation with the private sector has to
private sector officials, business executives and other do something to address this issue especially before oil revenue
Bindustry leaders as the Guyana Manufacturing and Services comes on stream. There are too many instances worldwide
Association (GMSA) held its 25th Annual Awards and Dinner where oil revenues have not been spent in the way they should
ceremony for 2017 at the Pegasus International Hotel on Friday, have been instead they have been diverted into pet projects and
December 8, 2017. into people’s pockets. Guyana must avoid that...,”he explained.

At the event, High Commissioner Quinn, who delivered the Meanwhile, Mr Quinn said innovation must be encouraged for
feature address, warned that while Guyana pursues oil and gas, the country to continue to experience sustainable growth and
it should not lose focus of other sectors that contribute to the one way of doing that is to make setting up a business easier. He
economy. He said that the UK Government has been working maintained that the ease of doing business index suggests that
with local agencies to provide the information needed for Guyana there is still so much to be done on this.
to apply for marine stewardship council certification.
“The Minister of Business is doing what he can to change, but
“That certification will allow Guyanese fishermen and seafood it calls for a collective effort, which includes the private sector,
processing companies easier access to global markets and since they are the drivers of economic growth,” he related.
alongside such certification is to ensure proper food safety
legislation in place thereby protecting the health of consumers,” Mr Quinn also explained that the public sector indeed has a role
the British envoy remarked. to play, but ultimately, the success of an economy is very much
dependent on how well the private sector performs as he added
Mr Quinn, being mindful of the need to tackle corruption in all of that the Government cannot solve all the problems or make the
its forms, said both the Government and the private sector must private sector flourish, neither can the private sector do all of
play their part. this by itself instead this needs to be a partnership between both
sides for the benefit of all.

50