Shyam Nokta returns as GMSA president

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Environmental Management Consultants, Shyam Nokta, has been re-elected unopposed as President of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA).
The association’s annual general meeting (AGM) was held on March 28 but the election of the president and the other executives was done on April 12, 2018 when the newly selected Board of Directors held its first meeting.
Other executives elected during last month’s AGM were: CEO of Sterling Products Ltd., Ramsay Ali, who was re-elected 1st Vice President; Ramesh Dookhoo of Banks DIH Limited, who was elected as 2nd Vice President; and Glenis Hodge of Tropical Shipping, who was elected as the 3rd Vice President.

Additionally, Rafeek Khan of Woods Direct – Durable Wood Products, was elected Chairman of the Forestry & Wood Products sub-sector; Carlos Mendonca of Ricks & Sari was elected Chairman of the Agro-Processing sub-sector; Mahadeo Panchu of KSM Investments was elected Chairman of the Construction & Engineering sub-sector; Brian James of Guyana Pawnbroking and Trading Company/Royal Castle Restaurants, was elected Chairman of the Fast-Food sub-sector; and Major General (Ret’d) Norman McLean of Bosai Minerals Group was elected Chairman of the Extractive Industries sub-sector.
Meanwhile, Yonette Jeffers of Laparkan Freight Forwarding; Clement Duncan of Swansea Industrial Associates; Joycelyn Williams of JTW Associates Management Institute; Peter Pompey of Brass, Aluminum and Cast Iron Foundry (BACIF); Raymond Ramsaroop of Edward B. Beharry & Sons Co. Ltd; Clinton Williams of Guyana National Industrial Company; Andre Cummings of Cummings Wood Products; Allison Butters-Grant of Global Seafood Distributors; and Carol Webster of O-Squared Consulting were all elected executive members of the new GMSA Board of Directors.
Nokta and the other board members will serve for the period 2018-2019. In his acceptance speech, the re-elected GMSA president indicated that his main objective over the next year will be to further expand the membership of the organisation.
He noted that an important area of focus will be facilitating the resolution of issues affecting members, principal among which are in relation to the tax regime and access to markets for locally manufactured products.
According to Nokta, emphasis will be placed on strengthening important sub-sector bodies covering agro-processing; services; chemical and pharmaceuticals; construction and engineering; forestry and wood products; fast foods; and minerals and related products.
He went on to express his strong interest in seeing the GMSA strengthen strategic partnerships with other business support organizations (BSO) to position the business community to maximize opportunities from new and emerging sectors such as the imminent hydrocarbon industry.
He further highlighted initiatives undertaken by the GMSA in the last year, such as the Ministerial Roundtables and UncappeD, which have had success and will continue in the next year.
The GMSA has over 100 member companies covering the manufacturing and services sectors.