By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Clinton Urling’s presidency of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) will come to an end today (Thursday, March 27).
The Chamber meets this afternoon for its Annual General Meeting (AGM) where it will elect a new Council and within days a new Executive.
The Chamber’s constitution does not allow for a President to run for more than two consecutive years. It is in this regard that Urling is required, respectfully so, to step down as president.
“It was a great two years,” he told iNews (www.inewsguyana.com) in a preempt to this afternoon’s proceedings, adding that “the Chamber has done well and we were able to increase our activities ten folds.”
The satisfied outgoing President boasted that the GCCI, under his stewardship, performed exceptionally well and managed to increase its revenues 100 percent.
Urling told iNews (www.inewsguyana.com) that in 2013 the Chamber raked in $41.3M in revenue, which was $18.6M more than the previous year, which was also a record breaking year – 2012.
2013 ended with a surplus of $6.5M.
Urling said what is significant is that none of the money came from donors or the government, adding that non-membership dues accounted largely for the body’s income.
The GCCI celebrates its 125th anniversary this year and according to Urling it has managed over the years and more specifically within the last two years to increase its activities in an effort to ensure financial sustainability.
He recalled seminars, the publication of magazines and business directories, diners, annual awards among others. Urling will address the AGM this afternoon. More details will be provided then.
