GCCI worried about large cash transactions, Customs operations

Apr 12, 2011 News

… Ramnauth returned as President

The use of large sums of cash and Customs operations continue to remain a high priority for the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).
This is according to newly appointed members of the Executives during a one-on-one with the press yesterday.
Komal Ramnauth has been returned as President of that business body, while banker, Jennifer Cipriani, is the first ever female to hold the post of Senior Vice President. Lance Hinds is the new Secretary; Clinton Urling, the Junior Vice President; and former President, Chandradat Chintamani, is now the Treasurer.

Some of the new members of the GCCI Executive. From left is banker, Jennifer Cipriani; President, Komal Ramnauth; and Lance Hinds, Secretary.

According to Ramnauth, GCCI has a packed year including starting work to rebuild its headquarters on Waterloo Street and a breakfast meeting with political parties later this month to discuss the coming General Elections.
According to Ramnauth, the escalating fuel price is also much cause for concern with freight and manufacturing costs being impacted.
Businesses may very well have to rethink their operations, cutting costs by conserving, among other measures.
Crime also is a top priority of the GCCI agenda with regular meetings with senior officials. The Chamber last year hosted a seminar in which Crime Chief Seelal Persaud, was the main presenter.
The official, expressing confidence in the force, believed that the police were
“doing okay” in the crime fight.
One of the main projects for GCCI this year will be what has been described as the Citizens Awareness Initiative for the upcoming elections and which should start within weeks.
Fielding questions on the continued use of large sums of cash, which has been blamed for the incidence of armed robberies, Cipriani disclosed that this issue has been on the agenda of the Guyana Banking Association for a while.
Bankers are now working to create a platform that will allow the different debit cards of the banks to use one single terminal.
This has been seen as a major setback in the fight to reduce the prevalence of businesses dealing with huge sums of cash. Hinds, the new Secretary of GCCI, noted that this may be easier said than done as there is a culture change involved.
Regarding questions over what happens if one of the GCCI members is delinquent on NIS payments, the President disclosed that they will be writing the scheme to provide a list on these.
The official also noted the processing of Customs entries which has improved remains one of the highest concerns.
However, the body has been meeting regularly with representatives at the Guyana Revenue Authority and other stakeholders.