US accounting firm launches Guyanese branch

Sep 18, 2017 News

– Corporate Social Responsibility high on agenda

An accounting firm, Bazilio Cobb Associates (BCA) that is based in Washington D.C, USA, launched its Guyanese branch on Thursday and promised to continue performing its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The launch was held at Parc Rayne on the East Bank of Demerara.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the firm, Ralph Bazilio said that his company is a leader in Corporate Social Responsibility.
He said that launching BCA in the Guyanese market took a lot of time to bear fruit, but this did not deter the commitment to the process.
The CEO said that BCA will now bring its vast experience and capability to make significant contributions to Guyana as the time of economic transformation rolls and brings its expected challenges.
“It is our considered view that only commitment to multi-sectoral partnerships, excellent service delivery and adherence to Industry Best Practices will provide the results we need to understand and thrive in this fast-paced global environment. Undoubtedly, technological advances, attention to detail, human capital development, quality assurance and rigid systems controls are the qualities that will make or break firms.”

BCA Guyana Principal, Keith Hendy, CEO, Ralph Bazilio, Country Manager, Tracey Featherstone and President of BCA Tommie Thompson

He said that the company has over 34 years of experience and grew from a company that primarily provided accounting services to one that has in its portfolio over US$150 billion of structured deals in real estate and asset management.
“In addition, we have implemented Management Consulting and Information Technology solutions for very significant clients, including the US Federal Government, many states & local governments, commercial banks and other financial institutions, and even multi-national companies, such as Marriott, Hilton, T-Mobile, Prudential Financial among others.”
Further, he said that his company is a leader in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), having over the last nine years, sponsored the Basil and Doris Bazilio Learning Centre in No. 28 Village, West Coast Berbice.
This was reaffirmed by Country Manager, Tracey Featherstone. She said that the quality of corporate governance, commitment to quality service, the integration of local partners in the value and supply chains are all endearing qualities of the firm.
“BCA is committed to ensuring quality service delivery. In addition, BCA will take Corporate Social Responsibility seriously as it continues its practice of engaging in community-based charitable initiatives which was started many years ago with projects such as the Learning Centre.”
Keith Hendy, a Guyanese serving as Principal of BCA, said that the programme at the Learning Centre took two tracks.
“The first track was to provide lessons for children up to standard four. The second track was to provide an introduction to computers. Under the direction of Ms. Carole Watts and several teachers from the area around No. 28 Village, Track 1 got underway quite quickly. Each day since its inception, an average of 65 children attends the Centre, and so far over 500 have been served.”
He said that for track two, IT resources and equipment were rounded and a computer network was installed. He said that local resource personnel from Hopetown Village were used as the instructor.
“In the intervening nine years, the learning center has graduated more than 400 students who have been instructed in the using the MS Office Suite of software.
“Within a very short time, we realized that there was a desire among some of the youths in the area to attend the University of Guyana. In response to this, the Bazilio Learning Center has assisted 11 students in attending the University of Guyana. To date, seven of them have graduated. We plan to continue with the efforts at social outreach.”
He said that the most recent venture of BCA in giving back, is the management of a project to digitise the records of the registry at the University of Guyana.
“The evolution of this project was the visit of the Vice Chancellor to Maryland last year. We offered to assist in digitising the University’s records. This project was started in June this year and to date the Registrar’s office’s Academic records for 1997 to 2006 have been completed. We are about to move on to other sections of the University’s records.”
From its Georgetown office, the firm intends to offer services such as assurance and accounting, IT assurance services, financial consulting services, management consulting services, information systems analyses tax and emerging business services.
Attending the launch were Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes; Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence; Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally; Mayor of Linden Carwyn Holland; and Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Greene.