SUPPORT LOCAL INDUSTRY

May 13, 2018 Consumer Concerns, Features / Columnists

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by PAT DIAL

The caption of this offering appears too nationalistic, but it is not. It is very much a consumer position. Consumer advocates have always enjoined that consumers must never depart from the rule of having “the best value for their money.”
That injunction simply means that they should purchase goods and services of the best quality at the best price when compared with similar goods and services, irrespective of their origin. If therefore, a foreign product offers a better price and quality than a local one, the foreign product should be purchased since this is of better value than the local one.
The obverse of this position is however difficult to convey to Guyanese and Caribbean consumers since there is a deep prejudice that products from abroad are superior to the locally produced. Social historians have traced this prejudice to a variety of factors: During the period of slavery and indentureship, all goods were imported from abroad.
For example, the wood to build the logies for the slaves and indentures were imported from America and so were the other building materials. Much of the food to feed the slaves such as salted fish were imported. And so were the clothes to the extent where clothes more suited for the temperate zone rather than the tropics had become the norm.
In addition, the Planter class felt that food from abroad was superior and necessary. Thus during the American War of Independence when food imports were cut off, the Planter class bitterly complained of food shortages though there was an abundance of local foods available. Another reason proffered was that attitude was due to cultural imperialism.
It is not surprising, therefore, that Guyanese and West Indians after 200 years of indoctrination could not easily exorcise this deep prejudice. Of recent years, however, much progress has been made in getting Guyanese to be more realistic in their purchases.
With the advent of Independence, Guyana and most West Indian territories have become more nationalistic. The leaders have clearly seen the value of supporting and encouraging local industry for nation building and development but their campaigns have not met with the expected success. Thus, there is still room to educate the consumer.
We think it appropriate at this point to bring to readers attention a number of illogical ways in which consumers have ignored the consumer injunction “value for your money”. We do this in some detail as we think it could be more educative:
If we visit the bigger supermarkets and look in their freezers, we are almost certain to see a number of local fruits and vegetables, which are imported from abroad. These fruits and vegetables are the same, which can be obtained at the municipal markets or elsewhere. The only difference is that the local product is fresher and cheaper. The better value for money would be to buy the local product.
The rums and other alcoholic products as well as its beers produced by Banks DIH can compare with the best produced in other parts of the Caribbean and Puerto Rico. And its crackers are world-class and sold at cheaper prices when compared with foreign imports. Indeed, if one travels over the developed world and try their crackers, none is superior to Banks DIH’s. This is a clear case of value for money.
Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL) produces the best rums in the world and this is known worldwide. And their liqueurs, especially their cream liqueurs are equally good. DDL rums are served in many of the top or exclusive bars in the developed countries and could be found at all the major international airports. Yet, in Guyana, one is sometimes served inferior imported rums and Guyanese buy more expensive lower quality rums abroad and bring them here.
Rum is a clear case where buying local is in the consumer’s interest.
In confections, spices, pasta and curry powders E.B. Beharry produces products, which are excellent. Their sweets, for example, have been formulated by the best European expertise and their wrappings are the highest class available. Yet consumers buy less wholesome Colombian and other foreign sweets, though for quality and price, the local product is far superior.
Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (GPC) succeeded Bookers, which was one of the main pharmaceutical companies in the Caribbean and has maintained the high traditions. GPC products are of the highest international quality and are so recognised in the pharmaceutical industry worldwide. Flagship products such as Limacol and Ferrol are household names throughout the Caribbean and give Guyana a good image. GPC is the biggest pharmaceutical company in the Caribbean and gives Guyana a drug-security not enjoyed by most countries.
There are many new products, which GPC intends to produce such as antibiotics but cannot do so as yet until the hospital system commits itself to buying the local products.
In Engineering, also, Guyana has gone further afield than many are aware. On the East Bank Demerara, for example, there are a few companies that could fabricate any machine part or set up factories and in the Construction Industry. There are companies that could build most of the buildings required in Guyana and maintain and build sea-defences. In the recent past, such works were done by foreign companies.
Almost all the companies mentioned have achieved ISO-International Standards Organization ratings which is an imprimatur of quality.
When consumers go shopping, therefore, they should buy local goods and services of equal or better quality and price than the foreign both for their own benefit and for the benefit of their country.

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