— Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association

THE Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) said the recently held International Building Expo at the Guyana National Stadium has created momentum in the construction sector and praised the government for hosting the event.

The expo themed “A New Frontier for Building a One Guyana” was organised by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) and the Ministry of Housing and Water. It afforded participants the opportunity to showcase and market their products and services, not only to Guyanese but to regional and international stakeholders alike, a release said.

Guyana’s transformative agenda is well underway and while the government continues to play the key role in providing sustainable and affordable housing solutions to citizens, the ‘Expo’ reiterated government’s continued commitment to working with the private sector to enhance and fast-track the national housing agenda, the release noted.

It added that the GMSA’s Construction and Engineering Subsector, as well as other related subsectors such as Forestry, Agro-Processing and ICT were well-represented with over 50 existing and prospective members exhibiting at the event.

The members of the GSMA commended the efforts of the government and expressed confidence in the prospering construction sector, with keen interest in manufacturing related products and providing complementary services.

Apart from the traditional concrete and timber building systems, several new and innovative building solutions were presented for display at the International Building Expo 2022.
“Factory-built modular panelised homes using a combination of timber and cement board, 3D printed concrete house, prefabricated PVC building system, homes made of recycled plastic material and fully customisable modular steel framed systems, offered a unique perspective to potential homeowners, builders and local construction companies.

OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
“These housing solutions provided options for consideration and coincided with the government’s housing programme to offer affordable and durable housing solutions, while remaining suitable to Guyana’s landscape. The exposure of Guyanese companies to international options for housing will undoubtedly challenge local companies to innovate further and utilise technology to improve on construction processes and standards,” the release said.

The building expo has evolved, allowing for strategic collaboration among various stakeholders and creating a forum for interaction between prospective homeowners, financiers, real estate agencies, builders, contractors, manufacturers and the public and private sectors.

The GMSA said it continues to collaborate with the public sector and it is important to recognise the efforts that the government has provisioned through its Dream Realised Initiative to expand home ownership to Guyanese.

“The ongoing initiative is provisioned with the private sector at the helm of the planning and execution phases and creates a market hub for manufacturers, suppliers and other members of the value chain.
“More notably, the International Building Expo highlighted avenues whereby persons benefitting from the Dream Realised Initiative can access financing through various lending agencies that partner with the government and private sector to provide low interest-rate mortgages,” the release said.

The GSMA also noted that the International Building Expo has created momentum within the construction sector and brought together various businesses and key players in the industry that can leverage and enhance their services for optimum delivery.

CRITICAL ROLE
“The GMSA recognised the critical role which this sector plays in the transformation of our country and economy. Immediately after participating in the Building Expo, through our Construction & Engineering Subsector, the GMSA hosted a business dinner which featured the Ministry of Public Works and was attended by contractors, construction companies and operators who expressed interest in joining the GMSA.

“It should be noted that the development and growth of the country goes beyond the housing trajectory and must rigorously expand to include national infrastructure works and improvement. The business forum facilitated an opportunity for clarity on how companies can participate in the government’s transformative agenda. This platform will encourage the GMSA to continue working with our members in taking their businesses to the next level and become more creative in moving Guyana’s housing and infrastructural landscape forward,” the release noted.

It also said that as the construction sector continues to expand at an exponential rate, the Construction and Engineering arm of the GMSA will be working closely with the Ministry of Housing and Water and other related Ministries to realise opportunities to work together in supporting local businesses, who have demonstrated the various innovative building systems at the expo, as companies prepare for rapid growth in the construction sector.

“The GMSA anticipates continued fiscal incentives to further bolster manufacturing for the construction industry. We further challenge our local manufacturers and service providers to consider creating the inputs needed for the construction industry and becoming viable contributors to Guyana and the wider region,” the release concluded.