With looming increase in taxes, GMSA President suggests Guyana become a glass producer

Amid a proposal for taxes on glass imports to be increased, President of the Guyana Manufacturing Services and Association (GMSA), Rafeek Khan suggests that Guyana, once again, become a glass-producing country.

Khan was a guest on the weekly webinar – The Guyana Dialogue – on Thursday when he made the suggestion.

He said Guyana is on the verge of becoming the bread basket of the Caribbean and manufacturers must take advantage of opportunities that are becoming available.

Khan added that with this goal, there will also be a need for other areas to support further sectoral booms.

Guyana is also being boosted with massive investments in the housing and infrastructure sectors.

“I would like to encourage anyone today who is considering or reconsidering should we get involved in manufacturing, don’t think twice. Put on your blinders and start producing.

“We have been talking about manufacturing glass bottles since I was a kid but I keep hearing about it. That is a great opportunity. We have the highest grade silica sand on the planet and it’s just a matter of time before we start producing glass bottles,” Khan said.

Glass manufacturing in Guyana would also respond to the need for more glass manufacturers in the Caribbean.

The regional supplier for glass packaging, a Trinidad-based business, cannot meet the demands of the entire region, businesses have said.

Nevertheless, the company is expanding and the Caribbean Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) recently requested for the taxes on imported glass packaging from outside of the region to be increased. This could result in a possible increase in prices for all glass bottled products such as rum and food ingredients.

While on the issue of manufacturers expanding their services, the GMSA President said there is support for all producers from both the association and the government.

“Producing any product that is being consumed in the Caribbean and you will see with our trade negotiations, you will get protection from the government once you can produce the products,” he said.