A STAKEHOLDER Business Forum (SBF) is to be convened during the 12th annual exhibition sponsored by Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).The SBF aims at supporting an integrated approach to management of natural resources and sustainable economic development in the Rupununi, the organisers said.
They said it is hoped that would, ultimately, lead to developing a healthy sustainable economy in Region 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo).
The SBF is being hosted by the RCCI, in collaboration with Conservation International-Guyana (CI-Guyana) and the focus will be to develop sustainable enterprises, CI said.
The event, the first of its kind in Region 9, will be staged at the Rupununi Rodeo Ground, Lethem, on November 30, from 09:00 hrs to 12:00 hrs prior to the opening of Rupununi Expo, scheduled to begin the same afternoon.
Strong alliances
The RCCI and CI-Guyana recognise the importance of building strong alliances between the owners and users of natural resources and ecosystem services within the Rupununi, CI said.
It disclosed that, in keeping with RCCI’s theme, ‘Fostering Development through Cooperation and Partnership’, the forum will provide a unique opportunity for key local, regional and national actors and stakeholders to interact, network and negotiate with each other.
This will be done in an enabling environment to encourage and promote understanding of shared professional and developmental interests.
“Through the forum, we anticipate that these partnerships will lead to joint responsibilities for resource management and the creation of business networks that enable sustainable business development efforts within the Rupununi,” the organisers added.
More specifically and recognising the central role that local communities have, historically, played in the Rupununi, the forum will provide a means to link community-based enterprises to other private sector firms, government agencies, service providers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), CI disclosed.
The SBF, CI said, is being supported by its project.