Farfan and Mendes inks partnership with UK company for sustainable concrete drainage solutions

Signing of the agreemnet (L-R): Sherwyn Naughton, Country Director for Trade, British High Commission; Jane Miller, British High Commissioner; Will Crawford, Director, Concrete Canvas; Andrew Mendes, Managing Director, Farfan & Mendes; President Dr. Irfaan Ali; and Anand Harrilall, Head, Planning & Development, Farfan & Mendes (Photo: Office of the President)

Guyanese company Farfan and Mendes has formed a partnership with UK’s Concrete Canvas that will deliver more durable and climate friendly concrete drainage solutions in Guyana.

The British Trade Mission to Guyana is a partnership between the Department for International Trade of the British High Commission, the Caribbean Council and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

The most recent visiting delegation spent three days in Guyana last week, where visiting company Concrete Canvas was able to ink a partnership with local company Farfan and Mendes.

This partnership agreement was signed at a reception on November 15, 2022, hosted by the British High Commission for delegates of the UK trade mission to Guyana.

The partnership allows for the provision of concrete drainage solutions with a lower carbon alternative to traditional concrete and increased soil stability functions.

Concrete Canvas products are from an innovative material, Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCMs) with proven use for erosion control, weed suppression, slope protection, and typically, 10-times faster to install than conventional concrete solutions.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali in delivering remarks at the reception expressed his view that the product complements the government’s infrastructure programme including drainage projects.

“We have to revamp the entire drainage network of Georgetown.”

The partnership aligns with Guyana’s interest to develop sectors beyond oil and gas and will help deliver environmental and climate change priorities.

British High Commissioner Jane Miller underscored the importance of UK companies collaborating with Guyanese companies to grow the economic relations between the UK and Guyana.

“This is our second trade mission in 2022. It really illustrates the growth in economic partnership between the UK and Guyana.”