GCCI elects new executive

Mar 31, 2023 News

– Kester Hutson replaces Timothy Tucker

Kaieteur News – The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the largest private sector organisation is now being led by Kester Hutson, Founder and Director of local business, Dapper Technology Inc.

In a statement on Thursday, the body said its 133rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held virtually on March 22, 2023, followed by its first Statutory Council meeting on Monday, 27th March 2023 where the new Executive Management Committee (EMC) for the year 2023 to 2024 was elected.

The Chamber’s 21-member Council voted in support of Hutson chairing the Executive Committee. The EMC comprises a President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Immediate Past President.

While Hutson has been voted new President of the GCCI, Richard Rambarran, of NCB Capital Markets (Guyana) Inc will serve as Senior Vice President and Gavin Ramsoondar, of Zarc Properties Inc, as Junior Vice President.

The six-member EMC also includes Orson Ferguson of GTT Inc as Treasurer, Kathy Smith of Dover Waterproofing Technologies Inc as Secretary and outgoing President, Timothy Tucker of, Rid-O-Pest as Immediate Past President.

New GCCI Executives: (from left) Gavin Ramsoondar, Junior Vice President, GCCI, Kathy Smith Secretary, new Chamber President, Kester Hutson, Richard Rambarran, Senior Vice President and Orson Ferguson, Treasurer

Hutson in a brief telephone interview with Kaieteur News yesterday explained that he has been a member of the Chamber since 2016. As new President, the businessman said he will be advocating for improved access to finance for small and medium scale local businesses.

“My wish list will be to focus on advocacy in terms of the financial stability of the country and improving the economy for businesses to operate…so access to finance, having more access to finance especially small and medium scale businesses for them to develop,” he said.

Hutson’s company provides ICT and Electronic Security systems for both the private and public sectors. He developed and managed the organization for 17 years.

This newspaper also spoke to the outgoing President, Timothy Tucker who cited his confidence in and support for the new Chairman.

Tucker said, “I am there to offer my assistance to the new President, at least for the next year, as immediate Past President of the GCCI. I actually sit on the EMC of the Chamber for the next year.”

He added that Hutson has given a commitment to continue tackling the challenge of access to finance, even as he pointed to the progress made on this front by the Chamber during his tenure.

According to the past president, “We had a call up to today from a Consultant who is looking in to what are the hindrances and access to finance we see as one, the foreign currency issue is being addressed by Bank of Guyana and there are some companies that are coming in to assist or to offer finance to locals.”

Tucker said while steps are being made, there is still a “tremendous amount of work” required. He was keen to note that the new President is capable of taking on these and other challenges to improve the environment for the private sector to thrive.

The GCCI currently has 760 members.

• Dapper Technology Inc., Founder and Director of local business, Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Kester Hutson, Timothy Tucker