Prominent Attorney-at-Law Devindra Kissoon will be taking the helm as President of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM Guyana), following his election on Wednesday.
President Dr Irfaan Ali
Wednesday saw AMCHAM holding its third Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Arthur Chung Conference Center, where Kissoon was elected unopposed. Kissoon, who is a founding member of the London House Chambers law firm, played a prominent role in several court cases that followed the 2018 No Confidence Motion.
Meanwhile, Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) executive Shyam Nokta was elected at the AGM as one of three Vice Presidents (VP). His fellow VPs are Iman Cummings and Edwardo Repele. Additionally, Fitzroy McCloud will be returning as Treasurer of the chamber.
In his acceptance speech, Kissoon promised to continue the chamber’s legacy of forming a conduit between commercial interests in the United States of America (USA) and Guyana. He was also confident that the chamber would play a key role in Guyana’s standings on ease of doing business indices.
Attorney-at-law Devindra Kissoon
“We will continue to take our fiduciary role seriously, to provide our members with the highest possible service in promoting trade and investment, business development services, continued representation, and efforts to improve the local business climate,” the lawyer said.
“During my tenure as President, the Chamber will increase focus on attracting foreign investment to Guyana, increase joint ventures between Guyanese and American firms, increase AmCham’s civil society role, and work with the relevant authorities in bolstering our legal system, to increase efficiency and enforcement of contracts as well as general improvement in the Ease of Doing Business Rankings,” Kissoon added.
Bridge gap
Meanwhile, President Dr Irfaan Ali, who was among the attendees, congratulated Kissoon on his election and challenged members of AmCham Guyana to attract the necessary investments in the non-oil sectors, which include the agriculture sector. He also told the newly elected members that he is looking forward to them championing the country’s quest in the removal of barriers to trade.
He said that although the organisation has done very well in promoting opportunities for United States businesses in Guyana, more can be done for local businesses with investments in the US. He also referenced Guyana’s current exclusion from the US catfish market.
“Whilst I’ve seen great aggression in you championing the cause of American businesses here, which we appreciate, we need the same aggression in championing our cause. You should be in the forefront of ensuring that our catfish and our gilbaka (gillbacker) get back on the American Market,” Ali said, adding, “You should also be in the forefront of having seminars with our local farmers in telling them what opportunities exist in food supply and what they need to do to be part of those opportunities.”
The Head of State also reminded the new executive of the need to take the organisation to the next level, and bridge the gap between them and ordinary Guyanese.
“When we do these things, then the ordinary people out there would see the necessity of what they term ‘sophisticated people’ in this room sitting; otherwise, we mean nothing to those people, none of us.
“Because when they look in this room, they will see a talk shop. But when they can see you out there fighting for something they know that can improve their lives or give them an opportunity, then they feel a part of this,” President Ali said.
According to the President, he is looking forward to continuing the progressive relationship between his Government and AmCham. It is a relationship, he said, that has led to positive outcomes for Guyana, and has specifically helped to foster and strengthen increased trade and commercial ties with the United States.
The event was also attended by members of the Cabinet, the US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, and the outgoing President of the chamber, Zulfikar Ally. In one of his final acts as President, Ally had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AMCHAM’s Trinidadian counterpart a few days ago.
The MoU will see the two organisations collaborating and working together to jointly host seminars focusing on key business issues, including but not limited to Health, Safety, Security and the Environment (HSSE), Trade Missions etc; collaborate to encourage members within both AmCham membership bodies, and to support Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives jointly. (G3)
