Guyanese Microbiologist is 2018 Entrepreneur Laureate

Last Updated on Wednesday, 27 December 2017, 18:06 by Denis Chabrol

The 2018’s Entrepreneur Laureate of the Caribbean is the local microbiologist and the Chief Executive Officer of the Eureka Medical Laboratories, William Andrew Boyle.

The Entrepreneur Laureate Award forms part of the Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence (ANSCAFE).  The Sabga awards, which is now the English-speaking Caribbean’s leading recognition programme, was initiated by Anthony Sabga, founder and chairman of the ANSA McAL Group of Companies.

The awards programme was launched in October 2005 and as of 2015 focuses on the four areas of Arts & Letters, Science & Technology, Public & Civic Contributions and Entrepreneurship.

With the award, Boyle hopes to give back to his village by establishing projects which will help to alleviate the living condition of the residents. With his business engagements in solar energy, medical laboratory science, and agri-business, the possibilities for development are immense.

Boyle was born in Haraculi (also called Good Hope), in the Kimbia village, located along the Berbice River. He attended the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School where he graduated as class valedictorian.  Following his success as a state scholar, he then proceeded to pursue a BSc in Microbiology at the University of Cienfuegos, in Cuba.  He then earned his MBA at the Australian Institute of Business, thus fortifying further his entrepreneurial skills.

Boyle expanded out of his field and country. A small lab and a collection centre were opened in St Vincent in 2010. In 2017, a Psycho-diagnostics and Family Centre, a first-of-its-kind facility dedicated to psycho-social ills, was added to the Eureka services.

In 2016, Boyle converted his Georgetown and Anna Regina laboratories and his home to solar power. In March 2017, he founded the Caribbean Wind and Sun Incorporated (of which he is the sole director) to help provide green energy (solar) installations.

Surpassing all other candidates in the region, the CEO of the Eureka Medical Laboratory expressed pride and humility having been awarded this honour. “I am … deeply honoured. The most important part is that I feel so happy because I’ve come this far from my humble beginnings. It’s a deep feeling of accomplishment. Not that I will behave as though I’ve arrived but I feel vindicated,” government’s Department of Public Information quoted Boyle as saying on Wednesday.

Apart from his work in the field of science and technology, Boyle diversified into an egg production and supply business, Amazonia Farms. His ‘Produced in the Berbice River’ brand has become a source of pride and employment for persons from the area.

Further, Boyle is the recipient of several awards, including those from PAHO/WHO for an outstanding contribution to public health and leadership; from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce for innovation, in recognition of recorded breakthrough achievements in technology, processes, marketing campaigns and development; and from Scotia Bank (Guyana) for a laboratory with outstanding entrepreneurial achievement.

The goal of the Caribbean Awards for Excellence is to recognise significant Caribbean achievement, to encourage and to support the pursuit of excellence by Caribbean persons, for the benefit of the region.