Berbice businesses must strengthen their qualifications, financial records and operating standards if they want to compete for major contracts, President of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association, Samantha Reid, has said.
Appearing on the Energy Perspectives Podcast, Reid urged local firms to prepare for more demanding work by formalising their operations, obtaining relevant certifications and developing partnerships that bring technical expertise.
She said business owners should begin that preparation before opportunities arrive.
Some enterprises, she noted, still operate without basic registration or supporting documentation, while skilled tradespeople may have practical experience but lack recognised qualifications.
“Documentation is very important,” Reid said.
She encouraged businesses to obtain the necessary licences and certificates, conduct audits and ensure their companies are properly registered. Those steps, she argued, would improve their ability to attract larger clients and meet procurement requirements.
Reid pointed to the difference between hiring someone informally because they are known to perform plumbing or electrical work and engaging a professional who can demonstrate recognised qualifications.
She urged tradespeople to use available technical training to support their experience with certification.
The Chamber President said her own company was undergoing an ISO certification process as part of efforts to qualify for more demanding opportunities. Although certification can be expensive, she described it as an investment worth considering.
Her concern, she explained, was reaching the point where a suitable opportunity becomes available but the business cannot participate because it lacks a required standard or credential.
Reid cited a request for information she had seen for an operator of the Berbice training school. The requirements, she said, illustrated the level of technical capability needed for some major assignments.
She suggested that partnerships could help local businesses develop the expertise necessary to compete.
“I want businesses in Berbice to either join with an international company or join forces together and bring up those standards so we can compete on that level,” Reid said.
She also called for businesses to move beyond concentrating on labour, security and janitorial services and prepare for more technical and operational roles.
That transition, she said, would require learning from experienced companies, investing in training and building the ability to perform more sophisticated work.
However, Reid stressed that a partnership should provide meaningful involvement for the local business, including access to decision-making and opportunities to acquire knowledge.
“I want to be on the board, I want to be in the decision making,” she said.
According to Reid, the Chamber has been helping members explore partnerships through engagements with the United States Embassy’s commercial representatives. She also pointed to meetings with ExxonMobil representatives about business opportunities and preparation for anticipated developments in Berbice.
Alongside technical qualifications, Reid identified financial management as an area requiring attention. She said the Chamber was offering financial literacy courses through the Small Business Bureau to help owners better understand their businesses.
Even small operators, she emphasised, need reliable records, proper documentation and tax compliance.
“It might be a small business, but record keeping is important,” she said.
Reid urged firms to use the preparation period to improve how they operate, arguing that Berbice’s economic potential would only translate into stronger local participation if businesses were ready to meet the requirements of prospective clients.
