GCCI inks MoU to benefit 20 small businesses

One week after inking with the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enable 20 businesses to become standardised and compliant, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has ventured into a new collaboration with the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) to further assist those businesses.
The MoU in regard to this collaboration was signed on Wednesday with the GA-FDD in the boardroom of the GCCI. Deputy GA-FDD Director Jewel Sears signed on behalf of the GA-FDD, while Executive Director of the GCCI, Richard Rambarran, signed on behalf of the GCCI.

The MoU was drafted to benefit agro-processors. On Friday, the GCCI outlined that the two parties will collaborate to enhance “understanding of the quality standards required to operate effectively as an agro-processor in Guyana, and application of knowledge and skills gained to improve food safety practices and food quality”.
As part of the agreement, the agro-processors — which include men, women, youths, indigenous groups and even persons with disabilities — would benefit from training to help them develop their standards.
“The parties also agree that the scope of work will be carried out according to the terms and conditions stipulated in the accompanying Appendix, subject to mutually agreed amendments from time to time for the new initiatives,” GCCI said.
The agreement, which took immediate effect, will be valid for one year, but will be extended for successive periods with the agreement of the parties.
GCCI last Thursday inked an agreement with the GNBS which would allow for those businesses to be more competitive.
It was explained that the first batch of 20 small, medium and micro-businesses will go through an inspection phase and be selected thereafter.
Deodat Indar, GCCI president, explained: “The outcome of the project is to develop those 20 companies in the areas of standardisation, certification, as well as to enable them to have proper GMPs or good manufacturing practices, and also assisting them with proper packaging and labelling of their goods.”
These new initiatives for small businesses are being made possible through the partnership of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
GNBS Executive Director Candelle Walcott-Bostwick noted that technical assistance and guidance will be given to 20 agro-processors across Guyana to implement good manufacturing practices so that they can become certified and export ready.
She added that, with these new standards, the businesses would be able to improve their competitiveness and business operations, enabling them to provide better and safer products for consumption.