The Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA), which holds the distinction of being the second oldest Chamber of Commerce in Guyana – after the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce – was founded in 1931 by the Saywack sisters, specifically, two sisters who owned and operated a general store located at 11 Strand, New Amsterdam, Berbice.  The Saywack’s General Store no longer exists and the lot is currently occupied by Sheik’s Travel Service.  At the time of its founding, Berbice had become established as an important economical region, largely due to its sugar production, and the need for an independent Chamber of Commerce to represent the Berbice business community was recognized.   As its name suggests, the Berbice Chamber of Commerce once represented the commercial interests of most of the Berbice region, especially on the eastern bank of the Berbice River, until the eventual establishment of the Upper Corentyne Chamber, the West Berbice Chamber and, at a much later date, the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce. 

Meetings were held at the Reading Room in Church Street and then at the Catholic Men’s Club (C.M.C) Esplanade Road and Ferry Street.  In the later 1980s BCCDA extended its membership to Corriverton and West Berbice.  Meetings were held one month in New Amsterdam and the next month in Corriverton.  The Executive office was shared: President - New Amsterdam, Senior Vice President – Corriverton and Junior Vice President either Central Corentyne or West Berbice. 

In the late 90s Mr. Ramdial Bookmohan and Mr. Mohamed Raffik worked along with the Guyana Economic Opportunity (GEO) Project headed by Tom Whitney and Gordon Studebaker.  They, along with the BCCDA, helped to sponsor the Linden Chamber, Lethem Chamber, Bartica Chamber, West Berbice Chamber, West Demerara Chamber, Essequibo Chamber and the Northwest Chamber.  Upper Corentyne Chamber sponsored the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce.

Today BCCDA serves the business community of New Amsterdam and its environs and its membership comprises financial services, retail operations (general merchandise, hardware, electronics) hotels/restaurants, professional services, importers-exporters and telecommunications.

It should also be noted that aside from its representation of the commercial interest of the New Amsterdam business community the BCCDA also supports social causes and development through recognition of community works, participation in community and social activities and donations to educational institutes.