Harmon assures businesses of Govt’s continued support

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon on Saturday evening assured the Private Sector that the Government would continue its efforts to create an enabling environment for businesses to grow and thrive.
Speaking at Gaico Construction and General Services Incorporated’s Annual Christmas Dinner and Staff Award ceremony, held at the Pegasus Hotel, Minister Harmon said when businesses grow and thrive, the Guyanese citizenry benefits.
“I have leaned on Gaico heavily to provide employment and they have risen to the challenge. Mr Komal Singh has big plans for his company and as a Government; we will continue to provide the environment for businesses to grow. We will create the environment, so that you can continue to grow and provide the employment for our Guyanese people as we work to provide a good life for all of our people,” he said.
Minister Harmon also used the opportunity to laud Singh, noting that there was a need for more businessmen like him as he has proven time and time again that service to his community and country was more important than profits.
“I can attest to Komal’s work in the community in which they live. He has worked tirelessly with the Civil Defence Commission as the representative of the Private Sector Commission, particularly during the last hurricane season. He dropped all of the accolades he has and decided to work as a Guyanese to bring the power of the Private Sector to the work which the CDC had to do. Komal, in spite of all that he has achieved, has remained grounded in Region Three in Canal Number One, where he continues to make a contribution. Gaico has single-handedly elevated these communities to a height we never saw before. When there was flooding in Canal, he came out with his team and put the company’s assets at the NDC [Neighbourhood Democratic Council] and the people in Canal and so these are qualities you do not always associate with people who made it well in business. He has risen from a taxi driver to one of the most successful businessmen these days,” Minister Harmon said.
Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, in brief remarks, stated that the success of Gaico must be applauded as it has risen from humble beginnings to be one of the most reputable Guyanese companies.
“There is an expectation today, especially among young people, that you can jump into business today and be super rich tomorrow, but Gaico has shown us how much grit it takes to take a business from its inception to success. We know Gaico is now a very reputable company, but a Guyanese company most of all and we want to celebrate Gaico,” he stated.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Komal Singh said that while his company started from humble beginnings, it has grown over the past 27 years and now offered services such as oil spill response, civil work, marine works, salvaging, dredging and manufacturing of asphalt. By 2019, the company is aiming to build a modern wharf facility, which will see approximately 100 persons employed. Priority, he said, will be given to workers who were laid off by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).
“We are in the process now of developing a wharf facility and we are also in the process of developing a hazardous waste management facility. Our plan is to have a hazardous waste management facility where we bring in waste oil, process it and reuse it. We hope by the end of 2019, we can have that facility up and running. We are hoping to create at least 100 jobs by June/July when we finish the first phase of the construction of that facility. Our priority is to give the jobs to those who would have lost jobs from GuySuCo,” Singh said.
Additionally, he thanked and applauded the Government for the recent announcement that corporate taxes would be reduced from 2019.
The event was also attended by Vice President and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally and Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams.