ANSA McAL to help push Guyanese products on Caribbean shelves

…as Pres Ali says time for Region to “bat for Guyana”

With Guyana investing heavily in agro-processing, President Dr Irfaan Ali is tapping into to vast distribution footprint of regional conglomerate, ANSA McAL Group of Companies, to push Guyanese products onto the shelves across the Caribbean.

During the sod-turning ceremony of the US$60 million Chateau Margot Mall on the East Cost of Demerara (ECD)– a project being undertaken by the ANSA McAL Group, the Head of State highlighted a number of ways in which the Trinidad-based company could help distribute locally-made products in the region.

“I challenge ANSA McAL today, with the support of Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), to distribute in every one of your supermarkets, Guyanese products. Not to come back with all the barriers that do not allow you to do it but to come back with a clear strategy as to how our small farmers can say ANSA McAL means something to me. Our small agro-processors can say, ANSA McAL means something to me,” he stated. According to Dr Ali, “I have a duty and responsibility as President to look out for every Guyanese, and I’m disappointed every time I go [into a supermarket in the region] and Guyanese products are not on the shelves… So, I would like to see a clear strategy as to how ANSA McAL’s distribution arm will allow our agro processors and products of Guyana to be in your distribution chain, and we can start with your three malls [across the region], if you can dedicate spaces for Guyana’s products.” In response, Executive Chairman of the ANSA McAL Group of Companies, Norman Sabga, declared his readiness to working with the Guyanese authorities including the GMC to have a consignment of locally-made products be distributed across the Caribbean. “Organise a few containers of Guyanese-made goods and immediately ship it to our people,” Sabga directed the Head of External Affairs Guyana and Managing Director of ANSA McAL Distribution Inc. Guyana, Troy Cadogan, on Friday in the presence of the Guyanese Leader. The ANSA McAL Chairman noted that his company is already a major distributor of Guyana’s rice across the region, as he lauded President Ali’s vision to ensure prosperity goes to everyone. In fact, Sabga also committed to dedicate spaces at the new Chateau Margot Mall for Guyanese products and businesses.

‘Bat for Guyana’
According to President Ali, he has been exploring different models to ascertain how to incentivise and expand the marketing and use of Guyanese products within the region. For instance, he pointed out that ANSA McAL could take all of the prawns and meat that are being produced at large-scale at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice (WCB) in Region Five. Additionally, he noted that Guyana is positioning itself to supply the entire Caribbean with locally-produced black eye and red beans in less than two years. But this, he noted, could only happen if major distributors like ANSA McAL are onboard with the vision. The Head of State explained that rather than building out such a distribution system from ground-up, Guyana prefers to partner with existing operators to get its products in the regional market. In fact, he lamented on the hindrances Guyana faces in this regard and the lack of support from the region to promote Guyanese products. “We have made our fair contribution to this region. We have made a remarkable contribution to this region. And everything that we are building is for this region. Our healthcare system, I’ve made it clear, will be made available to this region. The region must bat for us. ANSA McAL must bat for us. You must remove those barriers in Trinidad and Tobago that keep our goods out on your shelves.”
“And I’m passionate about this… We have simplified doing business in Guyana [for Caribbean countries]. Help us now. Let’s work with you. The Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) would consolidate. If you have to start with one or two containers, we’ll consolidate the containers, but let the small man get a chance to breathe and grow and build,” the Guyanese leader stated.
One of the products, which President Ali encouraged ANSA McAL to utilise in their processing system is honey made in Guyana. However, for years now, Guyanese exporters have long been complaining about the trade restrictions from Trinidad and Tobago when it comes to honey exports. Currently, the Twin Island Republic’s honey and bee products are guided by the country’s archaic Food and Drug Act of 1960 and the Beekeeping and Bee Products Act of 1935. According to the Beekeeping and Bee Products Act, only honey from the Windward and Leeward Islands can be transshipped to the twin-island Republic – something which Guyana and Grenada have long been arguing, goes against the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which facilitates free trade and movement of goods and people within the region.