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$50 million Chinese store irks some Lethem businessmen
The development of a commercial zone in the bustling community of Lethem on the Guyana/Brazil border is only now in its infant stage, but it has already created some controversy among businessmen there.
Feng Liang Ji, a Chinese national who came to Guyana to work on the Moco Moco Hydro Project, 10 years ago, has so far invested $50 million into a retail business, selling mostly clothing and footwear.
Feng Liang Ji
John Macedo
But some Lethem businesses claim the business should not have been where it is and in fact was not set up in keeping with the principles governing the establishment of the commercial zone at Lethem.
The setting up of the business, the China Star Shop, is one of the newer businesses changing the landscape of Lethem, as cross-border shopping soars following the opening of the Takutu border bridge.
Brazilians from neighbouring communities are rushing for the cheap prices and within the last month of its opening, there has hardly been a slow day at the China Star Shop.
The setting up of the commercial zone was advocated by the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce, which now has a register of approximately 100 businesses. President of the Chamber, John Macedo, said yesterday that the setting up of the zone was meant to centralise commercial activity in Lethem.
However, some members of the Chamber, including those who sit as directors, told Kaieteur News that there might have been a blunder in allocating land to the China Star Shop owner and permission to build the store.
One director said that the commercial zone was intended to set up local businesses in the first phase, and discourage importers from dominating the market. President Bharrat Jagdeo unveiled a plaque to declare the commercial zone open Saturday.
The China Star Shop
Macedo was reluctant to discuss whether members of the Chamber had a problem with the business. He said as President of the Chamber, he speaks only on the mandate of the Chamber, and so far no such discussion has taken place.
But he is in staunch support of the China Star Shop, even though he faces competition himself.
He said as far as he knew, the owners of the China Star Shop are naturalised Guyanese and neither are they importers, but in fact sourced their items for resale from Chinese importers in Georgetown.
However, the owner of the store, Feng Liang Ji, said he is not a naturalised Guyanese and when asked if he was importing his products, his answer was a clear “yes.”
He said he applied to the Guyana Office for Investment to set up his business and received approval so he doesn’t know what the problem is. If some of his competitors are afraid of the competition, Feng Liang Ji has a clear word for them: “business is business.”
Macedo, who also has a clothing store, said he faces competition too from the China Star Shop, “but I respect that.” As far as Macedo is concerned, there is no control on prices in Guyana and Lethem is certainly gearing up for the competition.
Macedo said that of the 60 plots identified in the commercial zone, 55 have already received approval, while the other five plots are on hold pending further discussions because they are located in close proximity to the Lethem airstrip.
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