| -wants more transparency, revamped UG, Procurement Commission, tax reformsBy Leonard Gildarie City businesses have unveiled a list of demands for the country’s politicians including the need for the government and opposition in the National Assembly to put aside differences and to compromise on critical issues.The Christmas wish list was read Thursday night during the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony at the Pegasus Hotel.Prime Minister Sam Hinds with the recipients of GCCI’s awards during the annual ceremony on Thursday evening.According to GCCI’s President, Clinton Urling, “compromise is not easy and neither party (Executive and Legislature) can solve our challenges by dogmatically defending its core tenets and refusing to compromise on basic principles that fuels development.”The National Assembly had been deadlocked over several critical issues following the November 28, 2011 General Elections which saw the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) losing its Parliamentary majority for the first time since assuming power in 1992.The past year in the National Assembly has been filled with battles,Discount NFL Jerseys, no-confidence votes and budget cuts. There have been criticisms over the progress made to advance the legislative work.According to Urling, whose family owns the popular German restaurant, Parliamentarians should respect the process and procedures of Parliament and respect the will and rulings of the Speaker of the House.Government has gone to court to challenge the Speaker’s recent ruling to send a motion to gag Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, to the Privileges Committee, a Parliamentary body which investigates members. The Opposition had passed a no-confidence motion against Rohee earlier this year, criticizing him of the handling of the country’s security sector.More transparencyUrling also called for more transparency and accountability in the way the country’s public sector and private sector organizations are managed. This should be one of the highest priorities of national leaders and public officials to help build trust with the public.“That trust is achieved by providing accurate and complete information on expenditures, projects and other transactions. We need the expeditious establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC), which is tasked with oversight responsibilities for public procurement.”GCCI’s President, Clinton UrlingAccording to the businessman, this would ensure the economic and efficient use of public funds in the procurement of goods,Wholesale Jerseys, works and services through processes that are competitive, transparent and non-discriminatory.”At the event were several powerful business leaders from the financial, manufacturing and services sector. Prime Minister Sam Hinds, Government Ministers and Parliamentarians were also in attendance.GGCI is also asking for urgent local government reform and elections, especially in light of the poor state of the city.The battle to have Government revisit its tax system was also raised with Urling calling for an accelerated and holistic tax reform.“Tax reform should be done in a comprehensive manner as opposed to a disjointed or fractional manner. Furthermore, I await the results of the ternary committee that was established by President (Donald) Ramotar to recommend bold reform of our tax system.”Yes to AmailaGCCI also restated its endorsement of the Amaila Falls hydro-power project, noting that it is no secret that high electricity costs is a major constraint and impediment to private sector development.A revamped University of Guyana geared to meet the demands of the country’s labour force was also on the wish list.Regarding the crime situation, GCCI made it clear that there should be a full and comprehensive security sector reform.“I call on the government to review our entire security sector with the aim of reviewing, restructuring, upgrading and enhancing our entire security apparatus… including our police force, the prison system and the military…”Businesses are also badly in need of a development bank that speaks to the needs of small businesses…”Micro and small businesses, new and innovative economic ventures, just to identify a few,Adrian Wilson Cardinals Jersey, are all considered risky by traditional commercial banks…We need a development bank, preferably structured in the public-private partnership model, that offers longer term lending, lower interests rates and less onerous collateral requirements.”The GCCI President also called on Guyanese, inclusive of civil,nfl jerseys china, religious, “professional, workers, gender, students, journalists, consumers, and human rights organizations”, to all have an integral role in the development process, “least we risk public policy being decided solely by political actors.”GCCI also expressed a wish for a more balanced media that is objective and responsible in the way they report events and the news.”The demands of GCCI would not be too dissimilar to that of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GM&SA) who last week also called for tax reforms.But Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, while saying that government is all too willing to drop tax rates, finds that there are repercussions.At the function several businesses were honoured for their contributions, among them Survival Supermarket and Air Services Limited.The late Bakewell owner, Naeem Nasir,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, and founder of Denmor, Dennis Morgan, also received special posthumous awards for their contributions to Guyana’s business world.The guest speaker was renowned Tradewinds lead singer, Dave Martins, who spoke on what it takes to find success in the business world.Known for his wry humor,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, Martins drew from his worldly musical background, urging business leaders to find a niche product and aim for the sky as far as service is concerned. |
