Treat Guyana as large holding company -- President Jagdeo by Robert Bazil Guyana Chronicle December 1, 1999 PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo on Monday commissioned a multi-million slipway and a tug boat at the Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC) in Georgetown, and urged Guyanese to treat this country as "one large holding company". "...All the companies and various interest groups within Guyana should be treated as companies within the holding company...then we will see our future and our fortunes linked, which is vital," the President said. He observed that people often tend to retreat within their sectors or companies and do not see these linkages between manufacturing, agriculture, service and other sectors. Mr Jagdeo maintained that it is vital that Guyanese adopt an approach by which they see each other as partners; as one company, with the Government, the private sector, the trade unions and the opposition all working together. The politicians must see themselves as one family because this is vital too, he said, pointing out that it is not just the business interest that is important. "We need to redirect attention and focus heavily on education and providing skills," the President said. "We've all recognised that for our country to move forward and recognise its full potential and rapid growth that is ten times faster than we are having today, and to have progress that is a million times more than we have at present, we must have the right political climate," he said. "If we see each other as one family and as brothers, we would never do anything to harm the house or the mother, which is our country," he reiterated. Impressed by Phase One of GNIC's `Shipyard Modernisation Programme' - a multi-purpose slipway and a 350-horsepower tug boat, the President remarked that the company, formerly the Guyana National Engineering Corporation (GNEC), is an example of good cooperation. "We in the PPP/Civic Government have put a lot of resources into the education sector, but we are still a bit concerned that those resources often are not appropriately used...we are not getting as much as we could get from the use of those resources...but the commitment has been there and we will continue to focus on this," President Jagdeo stated. He called for greater private sector input in Guyana's technical vocation programme, and suggested that the private sector should write the curricula for skills agencies because they are the people who are going to be employing the graduates of these institutions. The private sector should therefore have a greater say in the level, quality and content of training. GNIC Chairman, Mr. Glenn Khan said that the Laparkan/workers joint venture was a good move but it was not easy sailing. According to him, the first challenge the partnership had to face, was dealing with the human resources by building trust and confidence. "When we took over GNEC, the physical infrastructure was completely rundown...the human infrastructure was demoralised, they were down and they were out, they did not know if they were coming or they were going," he recalled. Khan spoke of earlier views by some people that Laparkan was coming to take over, but it was eventually proven that the firm came as an equal partner with workers and management to make the facility a success. During the last four years, GNIC spent $80M on repairs and maintenance; $312M in capital expenditure; and $362M to government coffers. Workers' salaries have been increased by over 120 per cent, the cadet scheme was reintroduced with the acceptance of 25 cadets last year. Another batch of 25 is expected next year. "But most of all, what we have achieved is the phenomenal spirit of our people...it really makes me proud when I come into this complex to see how pumped up they are...they are a great team and when you go and you walk around this facility, and you see it from where it was four years ago to today, we can really set an example for Guyana," the GNIC Chairman said. Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Clinton Williams in his remarks, explained that the new slipway is intended to reduce Guyana's dependence on overseas suppliers for marine vessels and maritime transportation services and supplies. Additionally, it will also increase GNIC's capability to produce and or provide these inputs via the design, construction, assembly of vessels suited to conditions of the local and regional waters, thereby reducing foreign exchange outflows. The installation capacity in order to satisfy a large part of the drydocking and ship repair market needs of both the local and regional maritime industry, is also important, Williams said. GNIC is also hoping to create an impact in the forestry, fisheries and agriculture, mining/quarrying, construction/housing/roads and export industries. Williams explained that the slipway project can accommodate the construction and/or repairs to barges of up to 2,000 net registered tons with maximum dimensions of 120 metres by 22 metres. It can also simultaneously accommodate the construction and/or repairs of up to four fishing vessels of approximately 22 metres long or other similar work boats or launches. The facility can be used as a wide-span fabrication bay following the installation of suitable overhead cranes, or simply as a launching pad for any marine vessel. And the tug is specially designed for towing and pushing, anchor handling/mooring and positioning among other things. It has a pull board of 4.3 tonnes. Meanwhile, GNIC and an overseas partner have submitted a comprehensive proposal to the Government for the removal of all wrecks in the Demerara and Berbice harbours. This project is likely to come on stream during the first half of 2000, William said. A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples