IN an exciting new endeavour, the November 30th opening ceremony of this year’s Rupununi Expo 2013 in Lethem was chosen by the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) as the platform on which to launch the first ever Rupununi Stakeholder Business Forum on sustainable enterprise development. This inaugural event was jointly hosted by the RCCI and Conservation International -Guyana, its partner in this ground-breaking initiative.

In keeping with the theme for this year’s Expo — “Fostering Development through Cooperation and Partnership” — the forum provided a unique opportunity for key local, regional and national actors and stakeholders to interact, network, and negotiate collaborative opportunities. The aim of the forum was to catalyze networking and collaboration towards integrated management of enterprises in the Rupununi, with the ultimate goal of developing a healthy and sustainable economy in the region.
The event was conducted in an atmosphere that encouraged and promoted understanding of shared professional and developmental interests.
Recognizing the importance of building strong alliances between the owners and users of natural resources in the Rupununi, the RCCI and CI-Guyana anticipate that partnerships formed through this medium would lead to joint responsibilities for resource management and the creation of business networks that enable sustainable businesses to evolve in the region. Building on the vital role played by local communities in the Rupununi, the Forum will strengthen the links between community-based enterprises and other private sector firms, government agencies, service providers, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
In his opening remarks, RCCI President, Daniel Gajie expressed delight at the turn out and support for the event. “All of us are stakeholders in this region,” he said. He added, “As both of our organisations are engaged in community activities centering on agriculture and tourism, the partnership with CI allows us to combine our efforts for the benefit of the participants of both the Rupununi Expo and the Business Forum.”

Close to 80 participants attended the Forum from a variety of industrial backgrounds: agriculture, tourism, handicraft, light manufacturing, and financial/technical service provision. Representatives present from organisations such as the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA); the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG); Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA); Neal & Massy (Guyana) Limited; the Society for Sustainable Operational Strategies (SSOS); the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development (IIC); as well as financial institutions such as the Guyana Bank of Trade & Industry (GBTI), The Small Business Bureau (SBB), Global Environment Facility (GEF)- Small Grants Programme (SGP), and the newly opened Republic Bank were able to hold discussions with individuals and groups from communities across the Rupununi who are currently engaged in community-based enterprise activities.
The president of THAG, Mr. Kit Nascimento, commended the initiative as an “ambitious and brave project.” He took the opportunity to draw attention to the range of skills and knowledge already in existence in the Rupununi, and the need to bring providers of resources and service agencies from the region and Georgetown to work together with these “extraordinary people from the Rupununi.”
Peter Joseph, a self-employed tour operator, could hardly contain his enthusiasm after his dialogue with SBB representatives. “This forum is a great ‘First Step’ for all the businesses in the region,” he said. “You could see how urgently it was needed when people started networking even before the official opening!” he exclaimed, adding: “It was interesting and interactive. I am looking forward to seeing it continue, bringing in more stakeholders, which will be better for the region and better for Guyana.”

“The number of participants was impressive,” commented Jessica George, Programme Manager for the Kanuku Mountains Community Representative Group (KMCRG). “It enabled more sharing of ideas and knowledge, and allowed community members to get to know the wider business communities, especially those from Georgetown.
“This forum opened a window into more possible forums in the future,” she continued, “and it is encouraging to see the Rupununi Expo back on track towards its original purpose, which was to showcase products and services from the Rupununi.”
Pleased with the overwhelming positive feedback from the participants, Dr David Singh, Executive Director of Conservation International Guyana, shared his vision for the future of the forum: “We hope that the networks and collaborative efforts, assisted by this process, will support an integrated approach to the management of natural resources and viable enterprise development in the Rupununi; which will, in turn, lead to a progressively healthy and sustainable economy in the region.”