THERE will be no GuyExpo this year as the event has been shifted to 2016 to coincide with the country’s 50th Independence anniversary.GuyExpo is usually held in September. Minister of Business, Mr Dominic Gaskin, told the Guyana Chronicle that the timeframe for preparation of the expo to the expectation of the Administration was short. The new Government came to power following the May 11 elections.
“There was no opportunity for a proper analysis to decide quickly that we will have this event in September; it had to be deferred until we do the necessary consultation,” Minister Gaskin explained.
But in recognition of the popularity of the expo, particularly among small businesses, a national exposition for small businesses will be held in November. It will be designed to cushion the impact of shifting GuyExpo to 2016.
Mr Gaskin said the exposition is still in the planning stages, and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) is deeply involved in the process.

He noted that in addition to GuyExpo and the small business expo in November, the Ministry of Business is encouraging expositions at the national level.
“We are encouraging the other regions, they don’t need much encouragement because some of the regions are already talking about it, to have their own expo. That will be a huge sort of testing ground for participants, for those regional businesses to test their products and services at the regional level, before coming to GuyExpo,” he said.
FOCUS ON BUSINESS
Speaking directly on GuyExpo, the minister said that over the years the event has become an important part of the national ‘entertainment’ calendar, but he said that will change, and strong focus will be placed on ‘business’ instead of ‘entertainment’.
GuyExpo has traditionally provided local businesses with a platform to showcase their products so that their operations could grow and expand.
It also gives Guyanese an opportunity to develop an appreciation of products packaged and produced for local consumption and export.
“I am not sure if it [GuyExpo] has met those objectives over the last few years as a business exposition. As an event it might have been successful in terms of how many people have attended and how much drinks we may have sold, and food we would have consumed, and every one would have had a good time, and people do look forward to it. I don’t think it met its objectives as far as business and business development is concerned.”
Minister Gaskin added: “I want to regain that focus on business development. We want to prepare local businesses for the export market, we want to be able to have buyers from the Region and further away coming to Guyana specifically for GuyExpo and to seriously have a look at what we have to offer in terms of investment opportunities and products and services for export. That has to be the primary focus of GuyExpo and that is what we are looking to achieve.”
GENERATING BUSINESS INTEREST
The focus of GuyExpo 2016, Gaskin said, would be geared towards generating interest in terms of what Guyana has to offer in investment opportunities and products and services it exports.
“That is what I would like to see GuyExpo 2016 do. I know that the whole Independence celebrations will generate a lot of interest in the diaspora. I believe that the diaspora do form an important or significant target market for Guyanese products and services,” he said, noting that the expo next year will also focus on tapping into these opportunities.
“I know the interest is there and the fact that some of the businesses in the diaspora are already selling Guyanese products, we want to expand on that,” Mr Gaskin told this publication.
GuyExpo began in 1995, but became an annual event in 2004. In that year, the organisers, noting the growth and interdependence of international trade, opened the exhibition to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and other regional exhibitors.
This premier exposition and trade fair is intended to offer business associates the opportunity to meet, network and negotiate with international companies and establishments, as well as showcase their skills, talents and creative works.
This annual event provides a platform for both local and foreign businesses: importers, exporters, retailers, wholesalers. It fuses together a wide cross section of producers of handicraft, furniture, garments, jewellery, and horticulture, pharmaceuticals, tourism, information technology and most of all – our culture.
According to the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), this ideal setting provides the opportunity for businesses to increase their competitiveness and efficiency and foster growth.

By Tajeram Mohabir