Miami, FL (July 30, 2012) – PRIME Minister, Samuel Hinds has lauded the progress Laparkan Shipping has made over its almost three decades of operation and pointed to the increasing critical role the company must play in an environment of expanding trade amongst the countries of the hemisphere and worldwide. 

The Prime Minister, accompanied by the Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill, visited Laparkan’s new warehouse and corporate offices here, along with members of the Caribbean Consular Corps, Caribbean American community leaders and the press.

Following a tour of the 166,000 square foot facility, Prime Minister Hinds congratulated Laparkan on its expansion programme, noting that this should lead to expanded capabilities and heightened efficiencies at a time when consumers are looking to get more for less and value for their money.

The Prime Minister said that Laparkan has, over the years, provided a very necessary service to Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean region, in the process, generating employment for hundreds of Caribbean nationals in the Diaspora and the region itself.

“From a modest start of four employees, Laparkan’s freight operations now employ some 400 people in its network which is admirable growth. It shows that the company saw an emerging opportunity and responded accordingly, in the process providing a much needed service to families and the business sector. Today we can see firsthand how the demand for these logistics services has grown as a result of the development taking place in our Caribbean nations,” Hinds said.

Minister Edghill said that Guyana has been intensifying its investment promotion activities overseas, and expects that more overseas based Guyanese and CARICOM nationals would be investing in Guyana in the future. This, he said, required that there be reliable and affordable sea and air transportation, thereby expanding the opportunities for Laparkan to provide service.

Earlier, Trinidad and Tobago’s Consul General in Miami, Dr Anil Ramnanan, praised the corporate citizenship of Laparkan, pointing to the company’s ongoing support for Caribbean American communities in the Diaspora and in the region.

In welcoming guests to the new facility, Laparkan Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Glen Khan, said that the new warehouse “represents our ongoing commitment to meet the demands of the marketplace, and to offer efficient, reliable and affordable logistics solutions.