Members of the Private Sector Commission (PSC)—the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and  Industry (GCCI) and the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) on August 28  signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster cooperation and increased collaboration in  order to undertake several environmental and beautification initiatives jointly, as well as capacity  building projects for the tourism sector.  

The MoU, which was signed by President of the GCCI, Mrs. Kathy S. Smith and President of THAG,  Mr. Mitra Ramkumar at a simple ceremony at Herdmanston Lodge, was the realisation of discussions  that commenced during the tenures of former THAG President and GCCI Councillor, Mrs. Dee  George and former GCCI President, Mr. Kester Hutson. 

The catalyst of this MoU was a shared recognition of the importance of a strong, clean, and attractive  physical and social environment in fostering economic opportunity, improving quality of life, and  stimulating sustainable tourism growth. The MoU also seeks to collaboratively address shared  challenges, including poor customer service standards, inadequate waste management, and weak  environmental stewardship through long-term, multi-stakeholder strategies that engage the private  sector, schools, and local communities. 

GCCI President, Mrs. Smith in her remarks stated, “THAG and the GCCI have been friends for a  long time. These are two organisations that stick to their mandates and get the work done—we always  get the work done.” Added to that, she iterated that her desire is for the local private sector to focus  on investing in tourism even as the government is establishing the infrastructure and systems needed  to support the industry. She emphasised, “Tourism markets Guyana as an eco-destination and  commerce showcases Guyana as a place to do business. So together we can build a national identity— a place to do business, a place to invest.” 

Meanwhile, President of THAG, Mr. Ramkumar underscored the importance of partnerships within  the private sector to successfully execute shared pursuits. “The passion that we share is simple—we  are working together for the business community in Guyana and by extension this entire country.”  Collaboration, he stressed, is key to successful representation, saying, “It is important to have our two  organisations team up to face our challenges. We are going to use our platform to work with the  authorities to transform the tourism sector.” 

President of the PSC, Captain Gerry Gouveia Jr. welcomed this initiative as a shining example of how  collaboration builds a stronger and more prosperous Guyana. “It is partnerships like these that  demonstrate the strength of our private sector, where business, tourism, and community development  work hand-in-hand for the benefit of all our people,” he posited.  

As part of this MoU, the GCCI and THAG will be conducting monthly meetings to ensure that the  workplan is successfully executed. The GCCI has also amended its ‘Green Economy Committee’ to  ‘Green Economy and Tourism Committee’ as part of its commitment to this initiative.