New wave of thinking needed to grasp incoming opportunities – Ali

New and innovative thinking will be an advantageous tool for the Private Sector, in grasping the windfall of opportunities that will reach Guyana as it stands on a developmental pathway.
This was the position shared by President Irfaan Ali during the sod-turning ceremony for Aiden Boutique Hotel by Best Western Group, which is being constructed in the heart of Georgetown at Regent and Oronoque Streets.
“For us to truly realise the opportunities that lie ahead, we have to do two things: understand that we can’t do it alone and understand that we can only do it by coming together. The size and nature of the opportunities itself dictate this…We have to break down barriers within businesses themselves and this calls for a new wave of thinking in the Private Sector in making use of the opportunity that will come along,” was the advice given by the Head of State to investors and the local Private Sector.
It was highlighted that Government is working on building capacity and ensuring that Guyana benefits from all aspects of the oil sector and even traditional sectors. For this, stakeholders need to know how to capitalise on these openings.
“One of the things we’re working on is to bring together different consortiums ensure that 100 per cent of the forward and backward linkage of the oil and gas sector comes here, whether it’s tourism services, health services, hospitality services. Whatever it is, we have to build the capacity and we have to start now.”
He added, “We have to transition to create the transformation that we want. The transformation is not only the physical transformation. It’s the human transformation. How do we transform our way of thinking? How do we transform our way of action? How do we transform the way in which we celebrate our country? How do we transform the way we do business?”
He said this type of transformational thinking is seen with the new Aiden Hotel, optimising the potential with its design. Additionally, new standards will be required and will necessitate investments in human resources, research and development.
“It is the proactive nature of this group in researching and understanding what is the best product for this site that allowed them to go to the Aiden Brand. The Aiden Brand is a very simple brand. For us, we can define what it means here,” Ali acknowledged.
The US$15 million hotel is being developed by local company Arimu Investments Incorporated and constructed by Build Smart Construction and Supplies Incorporated.
The completed Aiden Hotel will span nine floors of a 74,000 square feet modern building. The vision is to have 101 executive rooms, an executive bar and lounge, executive conference rooms, private dining rooms, a state-of-the-art gym, bar and restaurant.
The hotel will be the 12th Aiden Hotel worldwide and the first for the Caribbean and South America.
Director Geraldo Alphonso has indicated, “This project is expected to be completed within 18 months starting [Saturday]. This project will provide jobs for as much as 150 Guyanese workers throughout its construction phase and a total of no less than 50 whilst operational. It was high on our company’s construction agenda to ensure that we utilised every inch of the Guyanese workforce.”
Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Dr Peter Ramsaroop said these investments all point to the modernisation of the known industries for the future.
“Guyana’s development is on a trajectory of growth but at a rapid pace…The amount of investors that will hit our shores will be tremendous and in that vision of our President to see a one Guyana and a sense of pride back in our country where we feel part of it, to see local content take the first step in all the hotel discussion, I’m proud to be here to see our local Private Sector has stepped up,” Ramsaroop detailed.