MoU inked to target poor customer service, waste management in Tourism Sector

Members of the Private Sector Commission (PSC)—the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) on August 28 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster cooperation and increased collaboration in order to undertake several environmental and beautification initiatives jointly, as well as capacity building projects for the tourism sector.

The MoU, which was signed by President of the GCCI, Mrs. Kathy S. Smith and President of THAG, Mr. Mitra Ramkumar at a simple ceremony at Herdmanston Lodge, was the realisation of discussions that commenced during the tenures of former THAG President and GCCI Councillor, Mrs. Dee George and former GCCI President, Mr. Kester Hutson.

The catalyst of this MoU was a shared recognition of the importance of a strong, clean, and attractive physical and social environment in fostering economic opportunity, improving quality of life, and stimulating sustainable tourism growth. The MoU also seeks to collaboratively address shared challenges, including poor customer service standards, inadequate waste management, and weak environmental stewardship through long-term, multi-stakeholder strategies that engage the private sector, schools, and local communities.

GCCI President, Mrs. Smith in her remarks stated, “THAG and the GCCI have been friends for a long time. These are two organisations that stick to their mandates and get the work done—we always get the work done.” Added to that, she iterated that her desire is for the local private sector to focus on investing in tourism even as the government is establishing the infrastructure and systems needed to support the industry. She emphasised, “Tourism markets Guyana as an eco-destination and commerce showcases Guyana as a place to do business. So together we can build a national identity— a place to do business, a place to invest.”

Meanwhile, President of THAG, Mr. Ramkumar underscored the importance of partnerships within the private sector to successfully execute shared pursuits. “The passion that we share is simple—we are working together for the business community in Guyana and by extension this entire country.”

Collaboration, he stressed, is key to successful representation, saying, “It is important to have our two organisations team up to face our challenges. We are going to use our platform to work with the authorities to transform the tourism sector.”

President of the PSC, Captain Gerry Gouveia Jr. welcomed this initiative as a shining example of how collaboration builds a stronger and more prosperous Guyana. “It is partnerships like these that demonstrate the strength of our private sector, where business, tourism, and community development work hand-in-hand for the benefit of all our people,” he posited.

As part of this MoU, the GCCI and THAG will be conducting monthly meetings to ensure that the workplan is successfully executed. The GCCI has also amended its ‘Green Economy Committee’ to ‘Green Economy and Tourism Committee’ as part of its commitment to this initiative. [GCCI Press Release]