Black Immigrant Daily News

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill said the PPP/C Administration has invested substantially in the Maritime Sector since returning to office in August 2020.

His statement was in direct response to opposition Member of Parliament, Amanza Walton-Desir, who in a recent online statement, alleged that Guyana lacks Marine Spatial Planning, a situation that has caused Guyanese to suffer because of the unscheduled closure of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, due to a recent marine accident.

Addressing the claims by the MP, Minister Edghill said among investments made by the government was the certification and appointment of nine new pilots to conduct ships in the Georgetown pilotage district.

Additionally, five new inspectors of shipping were appointed to inspect and certify vessels operating in Guyana.

He said the maritime department is cognisant that more manpower is needed in the sector to meet the exponential growth. As such, it is finalising plans to train scores of young men and women as cadets as ship officers, pilots, inspectors, surveyors, marine communications officers, among other positions.

To safeguard national infrastructure, he explained that MARAD’s pilots are also now required to be on all seagoing vessels transiting the retractor span of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

To accompany this growing demand for pilotage services, a total of $530 million was expended towards the acquisition of a new pilot boat – ML ABDULLAH.

“While port infrastructure is mainly privately driven, the Government of Guyana has rendered tremendous support, having recognised the importance of ensuring that our ports are resilient,” the minister said in his response.

Further, the government’s recognition of the demand for port facilities in Guyana and the strain placed on Port Georgetown has led to repeated declarations of its intention to develop a deep-water port in the Berbice River.

Concomitantly, MARAD and other regulatory agencies are currently processing several applications for the construction of port facilities, the minister noted.

Auxiliary to its plans to enhance the maritime sector, the central government allocated $117 million for the construction of 15 concrete beacons marking rocks in the upper reaches of the Essequibo River. The project is still underway, but so far, 11 beacons have been built.

He said MARAD has been constantly executing the Commonwealth Marine Economy Plan and is in constant contact with the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), which has been lending support to Guyana.

Minister Edghill said it is no secret that the damage caused by the Motor Tanker Tradewind Passion on Saturday, October 8, inconvenienced the entire country. He explained that the government inherited a Demerara Harbour Bridge that was on the verge of collapse. Since assuming office in 2020, billions of dollars have been poured into the bridge to keep it afloat and operational.

He said the government is not ignorant of the importance and intricacies of the maritime sector. In fact, since taking office, it has made it its duty to transform the sector to ensure it is prepared to operate in a modern economy.

“It, therefore, cannot be said that issues surrounding the maritime space are not being addressed,” Minister Edghill said.

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Katherine Bethel, managing director of B’s Homemade Ice Cream, speaks at the CARIRI/ Supermarket Association’s information session on supermarket requirements for small and medium-sized entrepeneurs at Centre Pointe Mall, Chaguanas on Wednesday. – Photo by Lincoln Holder

MANAGING director and co-founder of B’s Homemade Ice Cream, Katherine Bethel, has urged young business owners in the food and drink industry not to give up on their dreams despite the challenges they may face.

She was speaking at a conference held by the Supermarket Association and the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) in Chaguanas on Wednesday.

It was aimed at entrepreneurs to inform them of the supermarket requirements for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

She recalled the struggles she and her husband Andy endured when they just started making their business idea a reality.

She said they took a $3,000 loan from the Eastern Credit Union, made a cart and “formulated a product we thought was ice cream at that point in time…

“When we first took our product to Food and Drug, the feedback we got was ‘Aye, this is not ice cream you making, nah. There’s something called fat that is totally missing from this ice cream, so you have to go back and do your homework,’” she said laughingly.

Bethel said there are many challenges when it comes to being an entrepreneur in this field.

She recalled moving the cart around the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain to try getting sales but to no avail.

“So sometimes you might think, ‘Okay, this is a viable location,’ based on your perspective, and you might go to this location and set up and all of that.

“Hello? Three-dollar sales, one cone, two cones, sometimes nothing, rain falling, you packing up the cart, carrying it down and nothing.”

She recalled feeling like she was wasting her time with the idea especially as she was venturing from Barataria to Port of Spain daily.

“We said, ‘Wait, what about our community?’”

This, she said, led to her business becoming popular in East Trinidad.

“(Before this) we thought (maybe) the product wasn’t good.

“Sometimes when you pursue a product, you give someone a sample, somebody buys your product, they don’t buy it again, sometimes you get demotivated and demoralised on the product and you’re going to want to give up on it – don’t.”

She said it took about ten-15 years of rolling carts around communities for the business to really kick off and they began to distribute to supermarkets.

She said understating your product and the demographic you would like it to reach is very important.

“Don’t give up.

“It took some time but it also gives you a proud feeling…It’s a good feeling to overcome challenges and break glass ceilings.”

Supermarket Association president Rajiv Diptee at the information session. – Photo by Lincoln Holder

Supermarket Association president Rajiv Diptee said sessions such as these are crucial, as “food security is such a big issue across not just TT but the region.

“I get a lot of people who come to me and say, ‘Mr Diptee, how do I get my products on the shelves of supermarkets?’”

He said it varies, which is why he felt the session was a good idea, adding that the attendees would be hearing “good content” from the speakers.

It featured entrepreneurs and supermarket owners and officials.

CARIRI CEO Hans Erich Schulz said MSMEs play a “vital role in the economic growth of developing countries such as ours.

“In many studies, MSMEs, are seen as key actors in increasing the competitive and innovative capacity of countries and regions.

“At CARIRI, we have recognised this importance and our approach is holistic; combining advisory and technical solutions to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

He said the session would provide practical and valuable knowledge.

Cariri CEO Hans Erich Schulz. – Photo by Lincoln Holder

“As you sit in the audience, I ask that you listen, absorb, and react. I know you will have no trouble listening and absorbing but I want to speak on your reaction.

“When you leave here, create an action plan. Use the knowledge and advice gained here to chart your way from your current position to the supermarket shelf.”

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