Canada Guyana Chamber of Commerce Members

Mr. Anand Beharry

Chairperson

Chairman of the Beharry Group Conglomerate which includes, Edward Beharry & Company Limited; Sterling Products Limited; Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited, Guyana Americas Merchant Bank Inc. and NALICO/NAFICO.

Ms. Patricia Bacchus

Secretary

Patricia Bacchus is an Attorney-at-Law by training, and is currently the Managing Director and
Board Chairperson of Caribbean Container Inc., a Guyanese Manufacturing Company with
Shares Publicly Traded on the Guyana Stock Exchange. Since 2019 Ms. Bacchus has also been
serving as a Director on the Board of Demerara Tobacco Ltd., a subsidiary within the British
American Tobacco (BAT) Group.

Mr. Winston Kassim C.M., MBA, ICD.D

Co-Chair

Winston Kassim is President of Winston Kassim Consulting (WKC), a
founding Director and Co- Chair of the Canada-Guyana Chamber of
Commerce, and inaugural Governor for the International Business
University (IBU). Winston is a Member of the Order of Canada (C.M.), the
nation’s highest civilian honour for Canadian citizens.

Dr. Vishnu Doerga

Director

Dr. Vishnu Doerga, Managing Director of NSBOmega Guyana Inc., a global technical staffing company, holds a Ph.D. in Management specializing in Entrepreneurship as well as an MBA.

As past President, Chairman and Director of several Business Support Organisations including the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, GO-Invest and the National Bureau of Standards, Vishnu has over 20 years of private sector development service. He is very passionate about personal, professional and organizational development and pursues this passion via the numerous organisations he supports.

Mr. Suraj Mattai

Treasurer

Chief Operations Officer of N&S Mattai. Head of the CGCC Finance and Audit Committee.

Suraj Mattai is the youngest member of the CGCC Board of Directors. His role as Treasurer and Head of the Finance and Audit Committee of the CGCC reflects Suraj’s familial background in business as the son of Harry and Visva Mattai, proprietors of Mattai’s, The Food Market, Guyana’s oldest food wholesaler and retailer.

Mr. Fareed Amin

Director

Fareed M. Amin spent over 26 years in the public service at the provincial
and municipal levels in Canada.He served as the Deputy Minister in a
number of ministries in the Ontario Public Service, as a Deputy City Manager
in the City of Toronto and as the Chief Administrative Officer with the Town
of Collingwood.

Dhaman Kissoon, Director (Canada)

Dhaman Kissoon is a trial lawyer in Ontario with more than thirty years of experience. Dhaman is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Queen’s University since 1990.

He has received many awards during his years of teaching. Dhaman has been involved in many community organizations and he sits on many Boards. Over the years Dhaman has also been the recipient of many awards and recognitions for his outstanding community involvement.

Ms. Yanet Vazquez Espinola Singh

DIRECTOR (Guyana)

Business Solutions Sales Manager at Digicel.

In her current role, she supports organizations regardless of size and industry to bring end-to-end fully managed business solutions. Yanet Singh is a Cuban National with an Engineering Degree in Telecommunication and Electronics, she has 7 Years + of experience in the ICT sector with a specialty in Electronic Security and Cyber Security solutions.

Radharani Rajaram, Director (Canada)

Radharani Rajaram is a Business Development Professional and has a strong academic background coupled with over seventeen years of experience in diverse business environments in Canada, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. These include financial, capital market and investor relations, trading and distribution and natural resources industries, specifically mining.

Ms. Rajaram is currently in Business Development in the Mining, Minerals and Metals division of Stantec Consulting Limited, a Publicly Traded Company based in Canada with presence worldwide. She provides strong business acumen and cross-functional partnership skills in strategic pursuits, both locally and internationally with scopes covering all aspect of the mining cycle.

Previously, Ms. Rajaram was an Investor Relations and Corporate Development Manager for Ridgestone Mining Inc. and several other junior mining companies that are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and other stock exchanges in North America and Europe. Additionally, Ms. Rajaram held a key position as a Business Unit Manager at Massy Distribution Guyana Inc. (MDGI) a sister company of the Caribbean conglomerate, Massy Group of Companies.

Ms. Rajaram holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization in International Finance from the University of the West Indies (UWI) along with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and a Diploma in Banking and Finance from the University of Guyana (UG). She holds a certificate in Digital Marketing Management from the University of Toronto and has completed the Canadian Securities Course (CSC).

Ms. Rajaram continues to pursue her professional development in acquiring her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and designation and her certification in Sustainability Leadership – Environmental Social Governance (ESG) studies from Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Ms. Rajaram is involved in many community initiatives through several non-profit organizations. She is actively supporting the Canadian Museum of Indian Civilization (CMIC) and the Global Care Outreach Program with strategic leadership planning, marketing, event planning, fundraising management and grant management.

Ms. Rajaram is also a member of several professional groups including Women in Mining Canada (WIMC), Women in Mining – Toronto Chapter, Developing Professional Group (DPG) at Stantec and Women at Stantec (W@S) Group.

Mr. Shabir Hussein

Director

Executive Director Banks DIH Ltd., Director, Banks Automotive and Services Inc., Director, Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), and Honorary Consul of Sweden to Guyana.

Amita Shariff, Director (Canada)

Amita Shariff is a dedicated and passionate advocate for the Canadian Guyana Chamber of Commerce. Serving as a director on the board, she brings a wealth of experience and expertise both public and private sector industries, Amita has over thirty years of Management consulting services within Canada and Globally.

With a background in Healthcare, Transportation, Information Technology, Management Consulting and Strategic Planning, Amita has demonstrated a commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of these sectors. She currently works as a management consultant (CEO) for Easy Reach Solutions and has previously held key positions at several large public and private organizations.

Amita has managed and implemented several digital products for Elections Ontario getting the organization ready for the 2018 General Elections. In addition to CGCC], Amita has served on the board as Chair to Diaspora Auxilium, a Guyanese founded nonprofit organization. She has a proven track record of effective governance and a history of contributing to the success of this organizations along with other organizations she has served.

Outside of her professional commitments, Amita Shariff is actively involved in the community. She mentors young and upcoming professionals within the technology industry, building their knowledge and growing their career.

Amita also partakes in local municipal activities such as charitable events to foster individuals who may need help for employment as new immigrants. Amita is in progress of developing an app aimed to make immigrants in Canada, adapt and be successful in their first few years in a new country.

Rita Sookrit, Director (Canada)

Rita has worked with diverse clients in various industries including government, professional services, not-for-profit, chemical, and oil & gas. She’s been in learning & development (L&D) for more than 25 years shaping the future of L&D, crafting client-tailored learning strategies, and aligning performance measurement with organizational goals.

Rita fosters innovation that encourages experimentation and implementation of new ideas. She applies design thinking, creativity, and collaboration that benefit both the workplace and the workforce. Most of Rita’s career has been in leadership roles with clients in the Middle East, Oceania, Europe, Africa, Asia, and at home in Canada.

Surendra Persaud MD, Director (Guyana)

US-trained, General Surgeon and Medical Director of Caribbean Surgery Inc established in 2007 with the aim of being one of the leading medical/surgical providers in the Caribbean. With a passion for excellence, Dr Persaud amassed extensive experience in a variety of procedures ranging from routine surgeries to complex interventions. Most recently, Dr. Persaud was merited for performing the first laparoscopic procedure in Guyana in 2002 and is medically and surgically affiliated with major Private Hospitals in Guyana.

He served for a number of years as a board member and medical director for St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital and has undertaken altruistic ventures including being a co-founder of the Kidney Foundation of Guyana and providing key support in the establishment of the Doobay Medical Centre. With 20+ years of experience in surgery, management, and leadership, Dr. Persaud has notably served as the Chairman of the National Insurance Scheme Medical Board, Director of Berbice Bridge Corporation, Board member of the Private Sector Commission, and member of the QC Board of directors He is currently an appointed Medical Review Officer and an approved medical practitioner for OGUK.

In addition, he’s certified by the Maritime Authority to provide Seafarers’ Medicals. Dr Persaud has played a pivotal role in community Healthcare initiatives, embodying the principles of empathy and patient-centered medicine.

H.E. Mark Kevin Berman

Honorary Member

Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana

His Excellency Mark Kevin Berman is accredited as High Commissioner of Canada to The Co-operative Republic of Guyana, as well as being Ambassador-designate of Canada to the Republic of Suriname and Ambassador of Canada to CARICOM. He presented his Credentials to the President of Guyana on 1st February 2021.

Mr. Berman joined the Government of Canada in 1989 as a Staff Advisor to the Minister of the Environment, followed by various positions including the United Nations Environment Program in Nairobi as a legal officer. After 6 years in Nairobi and Geneva he returned to Canada as a Director in the Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development.

Mr. Jake Thomas

Ex-Officio Member

Jake Thomas is the Counsellor and Senior Trade Commissioner at the High Commission of Canada to Guyana with over 24 years of service with the Government of Canada. Having completed assignments in Chicago, Seoul and Delhi, he possesses an understanding of global cultures, and brings his diverse experience to his role in advancing trade and investment between Canada and Guyana. Degrees in Economics and Geography combined with several years working as a Trade Commissioner have also helped shape his trade-positive global view. Jake has been recognised with a Deputy Minister’s Citation for his work on helping to create Invest in Canada, Canada’s global investment attraction and promotion agency. Jake is also fluent in French and Malayalam. He is looking forward to embracing Guyanese culture, while better learning the nuances of cricket.

Ms Rochelle Parasram

Chief Executive Officer

Ms Rochelle Parasram has a distinguished career spanning over 15 years in accounting & management.

Rochelle brings a wealth of experience to her leadership role, driving regional economic growth with analytical and managerial prowess.

Rochelle’s expertise in strategic planning is established, and she has a proven track record of collaborating with various stakeholders, including business leaders and community organizations.

Her unwavering passion lies in supporting businesses of all sizes to ensure their success and prosperity.