Security service provider named new head of GMSA

Apr 16, 2016 News

In keeping with its Articles of Association, the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association held its two-part Annual General Meeting (AGM) for fiscal year 2015-2016 and unanimously elected chief of Safeway

Some of the new members of the GMSA Board of Directors: From Left: Autamaram Lakeram, Brian James, Shyam Nokta, Eon Caesar, Clinton Williams, Clement Duncan and Mohindra Chand.

Security, Eon Caesar, as President.
Ramsay Ali, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sterling Products Ltd, was re-elected First Vice President.
Shyam Nokta, CEO of Environment Management Consultants, was named Second Vice President with responsibility for the Services sub-sector, while Autamaram Lakeram, of NAMILCO retained the finance portfolio as the 3rd Vice President.
GMSA said that Caesar, in his acceptance remarks, said that his main objective this year is to reboot the association’s Strategic Plan which will strengthen relationships between the board and member companies.
“More precisely, the Strategic Plan will engender more frequent one-on-one engagements which will in turn, deliver better business services to members.  He added that the revised plan should also encourage stronger partnerships with stakeholders including the Guyana Forestry Commission and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
Board member Ramesh Dookhoo stated that the GMSA’s preference for development of a value-added industry with local primary products is in consonance with the Government’s thrust.
According to national projections, value added production and sales are expected to grow the GDP by three per cent in 2016.
Caesar, GMSA said, is an Electrical Engineer by profession.  His company, Safeway Security, an electronic security service provider was established in 2006 soon after he graduated from the University of the West Indies.
He has been heading the GMSA’s Security and Governance sub-committee since 2013.
Outgoing GMSA president, Major General (rtd) Norman McLean, in remarks delivered at the AGM, outlined some of the GMSA achievements in 2015 which included the Oil and Gas Symposium held last September, and the association’s continuing advocacy for Government to intercede in a dispute between local exporters of Greenheart wood and the United Kingdom Environment Agency (UKEA).
In 2015, the UKEA placed an import restriction on Guyana’s Greenheart.  Their contention was that the wood is harvested from unsustainably managed forests.
The GMSA, GFC, the FPA and several operators in the private sector have since combined their resources and conducted a scientific grid analysis (a detailed on-the-ground assessment) that resulted in a document titled: ”Sustainable Management of Greenheart”.
It was presented to the relevant government ministries to bolster the intervention with their UK counterparts.