Your Eyewitness was pleased as punch when he read about a “Black Entrepreneurs Association (BEA) of Guyana” meeting with Public Works Minister Edgehill. Very encouragingly, the spokesperson explained, “It was not about complaining. We need to stop (the) complaining aspect of things, and just be persistent and go after our goals. That is the approach we are taking. We did not go there to complain, or anything like that. We said, ‘We have challenges in getting contracts’, a lot of them are new to the space and want to get into the procurement aspect of things. So, what is it that the Ministry is offering in terms of procurement, [and] what is that like here? What are the pitfalls that relate to people not being qualified?”
Now, what more can you ask from persons who feel they’re excluded from Government contracts? The Opposition, who are busy beating war drums, should’ve taken the lead in such an initiative decades ago. But they’d rather play to the gallery and complain about “racial discrimination”. Sadly, that hasn’t done much for their constituency, has it?
Some time ago, there was a high-profile launch of an African Business Roundtable (ABR) at the Marriott; but sadly, that never really took off. In the end, it was revealed that some of the executives, in their personal capacities, had used the name of the organization to try and bid for oil blocks.
The BEA – which says it has 300 members locally and another 300 in London – was launched in 2021 with the blessings of the US Ambassador and an American delegation, who promised much support. But first and foremost, they must be prepared to do whatever it takes to get their business going. And from what the spokesperson explained, it appears they have jumped through all the legal hoops. But that is only the beginning – now comes the hard part – actually completing projects when they win bids. In this arena, they should also be aware of the apt Biblical saying: “The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned, but time and chance happen to them all.” They gotta keep at it.
Lots of eyes will be on them, and your Eyewitness wishes them well, because, if they succeed, Guyana would’ve jumped a hurdle that’s held us back since independence: greater participation of African Guyanese in business. Burnham had led them over a cliff with his co-op utopianism!! Now your Eyewitness hopes there will be entrepreneur groups from all the other six peoples – but especially the Indigenous Peoples.
It’s hoped they acquire some sponsors – as evidently, BEA did from London and the US!!
…from the past??
As your Eyewitness observed above, we gotta learn from past mistakes. In this vein, he cites the Goals of the ABR founded in 2016, and asks what happened: “The sustainable development of Guyana’s economy; The economic re-vitalization of African villages in Guyana; The nurturing of African entrepreneurship, especially among youth; The establishment of partnerships for sustainable growth; The establishment of business linkages with African-Guyanese businesses in the diaspora, and the hosting of business expos from time to time
The nurturing of Caribbean trade linkages for African-Guyanese businesses and the nurturing of South-South trade linkages with the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa; The fostering of joint ventures with other ethnic and business groups in Guyana; Working with PSC, the GCCI and the GMSA to build bridges; The provision of think tank position papers, incubator and business services to the Guyanese community in partnership with other groups and stakeholders; the development of competitive, sustainable, job-creating African businesses across Guyana and in the diaspora”.
They bit off too much??
…achievements?
A year after their launch during the APNU/AFC regime, the ABR announced a welter of “achievements”, including “A full-service banking licence; Nurturing of an Association of African-Guyanese Construction Companies which meets at the headquarters weekly.”
These should assist the BEA, no?
