Private Sector scared of getting into business with Gov’t; Harmon dispel rumours of two sides at war

While the Private Sector is calling on the Government to create the enabling environment for investments which would, in turn, create jobs, it has noted some fear in entering Public-Private Partnerships.

During the PSC’s 25^th Annual General Meeting yesterday, (Thursday, June 8, 2017), at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, one of its members, Gerald Gouveia called on the Government to create “the good life” which was promised.

Gouveia also acknowledged that efforts must also be made by the Private sector and Opposition members. However, he noted that the business community is afraid of getting into long-term partnerships with the government for fear of it falling apart if the Administration is voted out of office at the next General and Regional Elections.

As such, he is calling for legislation to be put in place to secure these agreements.

“We are very scared of getting into business with Government because we’re not sure if the Government changes, what the next Government will do. Whether the people in the SARA Administration will come to recover what business you do with Government and this is about investor confidence. So whatever we do with Government needs to be properly imbedded in legislation to foster investor confidence, so that when government’s change, new political leaders don’t create the kind of apprehension,” the businessman said.

He clarified that “we are not for one minute saying if illegal things happening that it must not be dealt with, but we are very concerned about the relationship and involving ourselves in partnerships, in privatisation deals that could then come under serious scrutiny politically.”

Also speaking at the event was Minister of State, Joseph Harmon who expressed his administration’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for investments. He also sought to dispel the perception that the PSC and Government are at war.

“I take this opportunity to end this myth once and for all. That there is no fight, there is no feud between the Government and the private sector commission,” Harmon told those gathered.

Eddie Boyer who was re-elected to the Chair of the PSC called on the administration and the opposition to join hands for the betterment of Guyana instead of bickering and casting blame.