… over 90,000 families now have a stake in their country, through  housing drive, says President Jagdeo
THOUSANDS of Guyanese thronged the National Stadium  on the East Bank of Demerara, last evening , to witness the official  opening of the second annual International Building Expo, under the theme ‘Bridging the Gap –Transforming Guyana’.
The much-anticipated event, conceptualized by the Ministry of Housing and Water, attracted an even greater turnout as Guyanese from all walks of life gathered in the stadium’s parking lot to witness the ceremony, along with members of the Diplomatic Corps, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Ministers of the Government and members of the private sector.
There was also a visiting delegation from Trinidad and Tobago, lead by their Minister of Trade and Industry, Stephen Cadiz.
Bigger and brighter this year, the expanse of the exhibition site could not contain the overflowing crowd that gathered to peruse the many booths and their displays related to the building and construction sector.
Delivering the feature address, President Jagdeo said that he is pleased with the relationship that has been forged between Guyana and Trinidad, as a partnership with the island and the wider Caribbean will provide greater opportunities, vital to our prosperity.
He said, “This is not a competition, it is about partnerships across the region… I am pleased that the representatives from Trinidad are here today.”
The Head of State reminded the audience that Guyana was once viewed as “the only undemocratic country in the Region”, and as a result many opted to migrate for varying reasons.
According to the president, this situation has drastically changed and the world is now witnessing a Guyana that “knows where it wants to get to” due in part to the fact that government has opened up the economy to trade and investment.
He noted that this was a necessary step in moving forward as the private sector in the past had been marginalised and explained that partnerships are welcome, so that the necessary capital is made available and so that all can benefit from the vast opportunities that exist.
The president emphasized that it is necessary to identify new sectors of the future to invest in, as we move away from dependence on the traditional sectors such as rice, sugar, bauxite and mining .
He emphasized that the intention is not simply to create wealth, but to create  opportunities so that persons across the country can improve their lives and have the opportunity to own their own homes.
“We never lost site of what is important to the people,” President Jagdeo affirmed.  
As a result, over 90,000 families now have a stake in their country, through the aggressive drive by the Ministry of Housing and the Central Housing and Planning Authority, in addition to improved access to education and health care, all vital facets in the accumulation of wealth, he added.
According to the president, over the past several years, Guyana has been making progress in the right areas, because more and more, today, people can dream again and aspire to own things, and the government has to play a supportive role in this movement toward wealth accumulation by its citizens, because, ultimately, it is the people of the country who are going to create that wealth.
“I always say the wealth of the country is in the aggregate wealth of the people of the country,” the President related.

President Jagdeo expressed appreciation to the corporate partners , participants  and the Ministry of Housing and Water for making  the event a success.
In his presentation, Housing Minister Irfaan Ali reiterated that this historic EXPO is being used as a marketing tool to showcase where Guyana has reached in the construction sector, and this country’s potential for growth.
He pointed out that the Expo can be viewed as the “people’s expo”, as working together, the country can move forward and “bridge the gaps” that exist.  
Ali noted that the concept of this International Housing Exposition was a result of a challenge issued by President Bharrat Jagdeo, who, he emphasized, has been the “architect of modern Guyana”, through his dedication and selfless work.
Because of the former state of the housing sector in Guyana, government has been strenuously concentrating its efforts in the acquisition of lands and the allocation of house lots, and also in facilitating enabling mechanisms to potential homeowners to achieve their objective of building their homes in cost-effective ways, he added.
Through these efforts more than 17,000 house lots have been distributed; and because of this rapid growth and evolution in the housing sector, the rules governing building codes have to be examined to facilitate this.
“Our country has a great and prosperous future ahead and we have genuine leadership to ensure that this progress is continued and Guyana continues to grow,” Minister Ali announced.
He lauded the massive response by companies, with either direct or ancillary interest in the building industry, who are participating in this Expo, as well as the financial sector, and the corporate entities that have partnered the Housing Ministry in this initiative.
Meanwhile, the Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Trade and Industry, Stephen Cadiz, assured that relations between the two countries will continue to grow from strength to strength, as his administration seeks to strengthen its trade  relations with Guyana, particularly in the agricultural sector .