THE success of the just concluded International Building Expo 2011 is seen as testimony of the Housing Sector drive and the widespread recognition of the opportunities it offers, Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon said Wednesday. Speaking at his post-Cabinet media briefing in Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, he said: “Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali was highly commended by Cabinet for the planning and execution of Building Expo 2 recently held at the (National) Stadium.”
Luncheon said Cabinet noted the increased participation of stakeholders, particularly State and commercial participants from the CARICOM Region and the Guyanese Diaspora, in addition to the large number of exhibition booths and foreign participants who graced the occasion.   
“It was evident, Cabinet was advised, that local support from the business, banking and other sectors in Guyana was quite large and enthusiastic and the participants who attended were close to 50,000 in numbers,” Luncheon reported.
At the financial end of the drive, Cabinet noted mortgage and financing initiatives by the banking sector and the Government’s initiative to diversify land development and land allocation, he added.
The highly successful International Building Expo 2011 was staged at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara, from July 29 to 31.
It is estimated that more than 40,000 people would have benefitted from its staging, which, according to Minister Ali, has ignited interest in the building and construction sector by providing access to information, new technologies, business opportunities and partnerships and has definitely bridged the gap between businesses, suppliers, consumers and every stakeholder in the sector.
At the conclusion of the exposition, Minister Ali pointed out that, once again, the event, in its second year, has been a resounding success, made possible through strong collaboration between sponsors, exhibitors, private sector agencies and, most importantly, the participants who continue to support the venture.
The International Building Expo was staged under the theme ‘Bridging the Gap- Transforming Guyana’.