…all space booked at National Stadium, some businesses have been turned away
THE International Building Expo 2011, set for the National Stadium, Providence, from July 29 to 31, has been designed to benefit all Guyanese.
Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, made this pronouncement yesterday during a media briefing on preparations for the event  at the stadium.
The bold initiative by the ministry, which promoted growth in 2010, saw its launch last month, under the theme ‘Bridging the Gap-transforming Guyana’.
Ali explained that several participants have already begun to assemble their models on site.
He noted too that due to the overwhelming response from exhibitors, about 15 persons were denied participation in the much-anticipated event.
“I am pleased to report that Building Expo 2 has seen so much success, that we had to stop granting space a few days ago; this is because about 15 investors registered late, and we are not in a position to provide space for them,” he said.
He pointed out that the exposition has attracted interest from several overseas companies,  including businesses from Trinidad and Tobago which have been aggressively seeking  opportunities here in Guyana.
He announced that a “huge” Trinidadian delegation is expected for the Expo.
Ali said,“There are a few targeted  investments (from Trinidad and Tobago) for Guyana ; there is one company out of Trinidad that is looking to move to Guyana one of their facilities for  the manufacturing of pipes and other products, and we also have another company looking at opportunities in the housing sector.”
In addition to this, the Housing Minister revealed that there are plans to host a special Guyana /Trinidad Business Summit as efforts intensify to maximise business opportunities between the two countries.
Companies from the United States, Suriname and other Caribbean countries are also set to participate, and this, according to Ali , will serve to expose local consumers to a wider variety of products.
As for the overall cost of the event, he  said, “This is borne by the government and the private sector; but if you look at each investor who invests an average of $2M on their booth, and multiply it by 105 booths, then you have an indication of their personal investment.”
Minister Ali emphasised that the overall aim of the initiative is to  educate the population and create opportunities for Guyanese entrepreneurs so that our country will continue to develop at a rapid pace.
And so he is encouraging all to attend the Expo and to garner as much information as possible, which will also aid in the process of home ownership.
“ It is an exciting,  new future for the  building and construction sector, and Building Expo 2 will make a difference; it will be an  expo of international standards, an expo that is well planned,” he stressed.
In his remarks, President of the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association Ltd (GMSA) Clinton Williams, explained that he was pleased to be associated with this “critical and vital activity” once again, because of what it can and will do for the economy.
He noted that as a business-supported organization, the GMSA has been encouraging its members and partners in Guyana and Trinidad to participate in a very strong way to make the event a success.
As to his expectations this year, Williams said, “We would like to see, in respect of the exhibits, more innovation and utilisation of technologies to allow us to maximise on financial assistance from the banks.”
According to the GMSA President, this will only be realised if all of the parties collaborated and “put their shoulders to the wheel.”
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission(PSC), Ramesh Dookhoo, explained that he was pleased that the Expo is attracting overseas participants.
“Last year, it was a resounding success; a huge amount of money was invested by the private sector , and there have been no regrets, since a lot of the companies have returned to participate in this expo, and a lot have increased the  size and scope of their exhibits,” he noted.
He explained, “We are doing two things that are extremely important to the citizenry of Guyana; the average age of the home owner has dropped to about 30 years, so that is a huge plus; and that has coincided with the fact that we have an emerging middle class in Guyana.”
These two resulting effects, the PSC Chairman noted, are permanent changes to the local landscape of Guyana, which has been created by the Government of Guyana and its partnership with the private sector.
In closing, he lauded the Ministry of Housing, the Central Housing and Planning Authority and corporate sponsors for their inputs into such a bold initiative that will help to catalyse growth and development in public and private investments in the construction industry.