GuyExpo 2010 is drawing “keen interest” from both local and foreign participants, according to Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad.
He told the Guyana Chronicle that the booths are to be extended this year to adequately respond to the demand. “The demand is so much that we have to invest in infrastructure…this year. The main pavilion will have our local producers, no ministries or government agencies. These will be elsewhere. We are taking up much more space and making GuyExpo better,” Prashad said.
Guyana’s premier trade fair and exposition will be held under the theme ‘Expanding Investment in a Sustainable Environment’.
The Expo will be staged for six days beginning on September 23 at the Sophia Exhibition Centre.
The minister said information packages have been sent to several countries including Suriname, Brazil, Barbados, Jamaica and even Mexico, among others.
“The foreigners are keen on this and we have a few hundred local people who already expressed their interest,” Prashad said.
When asked about support, the Minister said support has been forthcoming from all sectors and sections that have an interest in the exposition and trade fair.
In this context, he maintained that GuyExpo is self sufficient and does not make demands on the government for funding.
“We have not asked the government for a cent. GuyExpo is fully self sufficient,” Prashad posited.
The Minister added that goal behind GuyExpo is to promote the growth and development of small businesses.
He said that through the National Competitive Strategy (NCS) the government is working along with GO-Invest, the Deeds Registry and other stakeholders to make businesses more competitive.
Excellent Platform
Prashad added that GuyExpo has truly become an excellent platform, in that it not only showcases manufactures and what Guyana’s business community has to offers, but also puts on display culture and talent.
He rejected the criticism that the trade fair and exposition is becoming a “sport” and is losing sight of the main objectives.
The minister said like any other activity music is a part of the activity and made it clear that the event has not become a ‘sport’.He pointed out that the music is purely Guyanese talent.
“We are promoting Guyana in many areas. GuyExpo is getting bigger and better,” Prashad posited.
On the note of security, he said the Guyana Police Force is on board as usual and a security detail is in place.“Security is not a problem for us,” he posited.
Prashad said GuyExpo is the single largest event in the Caribbean, a fact confirmed by countries including Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
GuyExpo started in 1995 as a bi annual event and has evolved into an annual event in 2004. Since then it has continued to attract an increasing number of patrons and participants each year. The trade fair is lauded as the longest sustained exhibition in the Caribbean and is a collaborative endeavor between the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), the Ministry of Tourism Industry and Commerce and the private sector.