The Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) is at present negotiating with five Indian engineering firms for the purchase of a machine that could make bio-plates and leaf-cups.
Through an agreement reached earlier this year between IAST and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in India, the acquisition of the machine will facilitate the setting up of the industry by businessman Kumar Ramlall on the East Coast Demerara.
According to Director of IAST, Roshan Habibullah, Ramlall is the first private investor to have shown interest in accessing any of the available technologies in India.
He said that by using leaves and the pseudostem from the banana tree, Ramlall will be able to commercialise the production of bio-plates and leaf-cups.
Bio-plates and leaf-cups are commonly used for serving foods at religious and social functions and traditionally have been made in Indian villages, but the laborious craft can now be accomplished with a mechanical operation to make cups, containers and other utensils in exquisite sizes.
Habibullah said such cups and plates would have good dimensional stability besides being inexpensive, hygienic and bio-degradable.
He estimated that it will cost Ramlall some US$170 plus freight and insurance to acquire the machine, which has a production rate of 2,000-2,500 cups per day.
The businessman, according to the director, has already placed an order for the machine and is hoping to establish several units throughout the country where the raw material resource is easily accessible. He also intends to establish similar manufacturing entities in CARICOM countries where there is a well-structured banana industry.
Habibullah observed that the project was pursued without any financial allocation or visits by technical experts. "It was essentially done via discussion."
He applauded Ramlall's entrepreneurial spirit and hoped that other members of the private sector will pursue the opportunity to invest in appropriate manufacturing technologies which have become available through this mechanism.
IAST and CSIR have developed a technical cooperation programme under a bilateral agreement between the governments of Guyana and India to facilitate the transfer and implementation of commercial technologies from India to Guyana.
Among some of the technologies available in India which can be utilised in Guyana are those related to bricks, blocks, tiles, water purification, aromatic and medicinal plants, leather, pottery and metal work.
AMI Engineering and Chandan Engineering Works in Bihar, Shawh Engineering Company in Gujurat, Kalpatharu Enterprises and Anil and Company, are the five Indian companies to which IAST had submitted requests for price quotations on the machine.
Habibullah noted, however, that IAST would not be financing the acquisition of the machine, but would only facilitate the procedure for acquiring it.
In addition, since the signing of the agreement 50 companies, both foreign and local, have sent in requests to IAST for different types of machines.
The IAST director also disclosed that demand for the projects has been very great and in an effort to boost the response to requests, the institute recently recruited a specialist who will deal directly with the technology transfer project.
Habibullah said that while there have been many requests, some of the persons who submitted them have not been very enthusiastic in the follow-up phase and the specialist is also expected to make an input in that regard.
Stabroek News understands also that two businessmen from India, Dr V. Prakash, Director of the Central Technological Research Institute, and V.K Mathur, Director of Central Building Research Institute, will be coming here early next year to accelerate the technology transfer process in the area of food manufacturing and building construction.
Habibullah said that most of the requests they have received so far are in the area of food manufacturing and construction.
According to him larger projects can also be introduced in a similar way to minimise travel and expedite decision-making and implementation. He said in this regard, the installation of satellite capability at IAST will assist tremendously in the direct interaction with Indian technologists by providing audio/video presentations of commercial plans directly from India to Guyana. IAST sees such technology as being critical to the speedy implementation of some of the commercial projects.