[www.inewsguyana.com] – The recently appointed Board of Directors of the Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association (GMSA) has elected Major General (rtd.) Norman McLean President of the Association for fiscal year 2015/2016.
He succeeds Clinton Williams who has completed a two-term stint which is the consecutive limit prescribed by the GMSA’s Articles of Association. Mr. McLean himself had previously served as President of the then Guyana Manufacturers Association (GMA) during the 1990’s.
In his acceptance remarks, Mr. McLean noted his long history with the association, reminding members that he had in the past worked assiduously to ensure that the GMA was adequately meeting and surpassing the needs of its membership. He said that he was happy to head the association again at this time when its record of recent achievements is good.
He thanked the Board for the confidence reposed in him and asked members to continue to work together in order to meet the goals the association has set itself. These goals include revisiting and re-calibrating the GMSA’s Strategic Plan in keeping with the changing needs of our member companies.
McLean brings to the GMSA considerable experience in human resource development and Operations Management. In recent years the former Chief of Staff of the GDF has been working on the ‘winding up’ process for the now defunct Omai Gold Mines. He has transferred these considerable skills into his consultancy with ETK Sand Springs, an expatriate Gold and mineral mining company which is currently preparing to commence operations in Guyana.
Mr. McLean also serves as Company Secretary of the Bosai Bauxite Mining Company. Outgoing GMSA President, Clinton Williams, expressed his own gratitude for the unstinting support he received from the Board and membership throughout his two 2-year terms.
The first he served in 2010 – 2012. Williams noted that he is vacating the Office with the finances in the healthiest state it has been in for some years, and will continue to work with the GMSA in his new capacity, the Immediate Past President and Sub-Sector Co-ordinator.
The GMSA held its two-part Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 10th and 30th April respectively. The first session is usually held to discuss the audited accounts and to elect the core members of the Board of Directors. This new Board later attends Part II of the AGM to elect the President and identify the members who would head the sub-sectors, specified areas on the Manufacturing/Services landscape which the GMSA oversees. These sub-sectors are:-
- Construction & Engineering
- Services
- Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals
- Agriculture & Agro-Processing
- Forestry & Wood Products
- Fast Foods
- Minerals & Related Industries
The Board also selects the members who would manage the affairs of the main Standing Committees which include International Trade and Investment, Policy and Legislation, and Governance and Security.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015/6
Norman McLean – President
Ramsay Ali – Sterling Products Ltd., 1st Vice President
Eon Caesar – Safeway Security, 2nd Vice President
Malisa Nokta – Environmental Management Consultants, 3rd VP/Treasurer
Clinton Williams – Guyana National Industrial Co. IPP
Autamaram Lakeram – National Milling Company
Mark Bender – TCL Guyana Ltd.
Raymond Ramsaroop – Edward Beharry Group of Companies
Peter Pompey – Brass, Aluminum & Cast Iron Foundry
Clement Duncan – Swansea Associates
Yonette Jeffers – Laparkan Freight Forwarders
Mohindra (Neil) Chand – Barama Company
Ramesh Dookhoo – Banks DIH Ltd.
Luanna Persaud – Qualfon
The GMSA is one of the three major Business Support Organizations in Guyana and it is now in its 51st year of existence. [GMSA release]
When will we start replacing these dinosaurs?