Women have secured greater influence within Guyana’s leading private sector body following the re-election of the Private Sector Commission’s (PSC) Executive Management Committee (EMC), with women now holding two of the five seats on the organisation’s top decision-making team.
The development comes at a time when women account for nearly half of Guyana’s population. According to data from the Bureau of Statistics, Guyana’s population stands at 878,674 persons, comprising 440,882 males, or 50.18 per cent, and 437,792 females, representing 49.82 per cent of the population.
While the increased representation of women at the PSC’s highest decision-making level is being welcomed as a positive development, the national demographic data suggests that much work remains to be done to achieve genuine equity and equality in leadership positions.
Women account for nearly half of the country’s population, yet they continue to be underrepresented in many areas of corporate leadership and economic decision-making.
Against the backdrop of Guyana’s oil-fuelled economic transformation and unprecedented levels of investment, advocates argue that ensuring women have a proportionate voice in shaping business policies and opportunities will be critical to building a more inclusive economy.
The PSC has retained its core leadership team, with Captain Gerald Gouveia Jr. continuing as Chairman, Kathy Smith as Vice Chairwoman, Imran Saccoor as Treasurer, and Manniram Prashad as Corporate Coordinator. Joining the executive body is Josephine Tapp, President of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana (WCCIG), who will serve as Honorary Secretary.
With Smith and Tapp occupying two of the five executive positions, women now have a stronger presence in the small group responsible for setting the PSC’s strategic direction and policy priorities.
The appointment is particularly significant because it marks the first time the WCCIG has secured representation on the PSC’s executive leadership team. The chamber, established in 2019, advocates for women-owned businesses and works to address challenges such as access to financing and other barriers to economic participation.
Smith’s continued role as Vice Chairwoman also reflects her trailblazing record within Guyana’s business community. She became the first woman elected Vice Chair of the PSC and, in 2025, made history as the first female President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry in its 136-year existence. She also became the first woman to chair the Board of Industrial Training.
Tapp, an attorney and President of the WCCIG, joins the executive committee during a period when women entrepreneurs are increasingly seeking greater access to opportunities generated by Guyana’s expanding economy.
Guyana’s unprecedented oil-driven economic expansion has heightened concerns about ensuring that the benefits of growth are broadly shared.
Observers contend that greater female representation within the PSC’s leadership could strengthen advocacy for women-owned enterprises and help advance policies aimed at improving access to financing, procurement opportunities and participation in the economic opportunities emerging from the country’s oil-fuelled transformation.
