GMSA head refuses to comment on faults of Jagdeo regime

May 20, 2014 News

The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA)’s head, Clinton Williams, is mum on public statements made by Kaieteur News publisher, Glenn Lall, that the Jagdeo regime purposefully withheld work permits for Indian engineers to come to Guyana to set up a confectionery factory five years ago.

Glenn Lall, Publisher of Kaieteur News and pioneer of Sueria Manufacturing Inc

According to Clinton Williams, there is no evidence to support the charge, since no letter of complaint about the matter was sent to the GMSA. He said that had Lall taken that course of action, the GMSA could have advocated on his behalf.
On Saturday, at the formal opening of Sueria Manufacturing Inc, a confectionery factory pioneered by Lall, it was revealed for the first time that former President Bharrat Jagdeo and High Commissioner to India Ronald Gajraj maliciously refused to grant the engineers visas to travel to Guyana to set up the factory.
He reflected that the engineers were denied the visas because of lack of ties. Incidentally, an engineer who possesses a US Visa in his passport was also denied a visa to Guyana.
Lall said that it was unlikely that Williams and the GMSA could have done anything to change the situation.
“He should comment and act now. I exposed that dirty and vindictive action to the whole country. Williams and others should speak out about any oppressive government action without being asked to comment.”
Lall said he never brought the matter up, before, because he did not want to sound like a “cry baby”, even though the non-issuance of the permit stalled his operations for four years and cost him to lose tons of money.
Lall said, “I stood up and fought like a man in the face of this oppression. I knew that this could not go on forever. They were not going to conquer me; they were not going to make me bow and beg.
“I stood like a man and said the Creator would make it possible. I said that one day they wouldn’t get their way. I am certain there are other manufacturers who are being harassed through Customs and other Government departments but they are afraid to speak out against such victimization and discrimination.”
He questioned how Jagdeo as the leader of a poor country could stifle the establishment of a manufacturing company that would have created jobs for over 100 Guyanese. Lall stressed that unemployment is a major problem in Guyana.

Clinton Williams, President of GMSA

The factory would also contribute to the country’s economy and allow competition on the local market that would result in better quality produce and certainly at a competitive cost.