Georgetown: Government has announced that it will not host the much-anticipated GuyExpo trade show this year. The decision was announced by the Ministry of Business. A statement released by the Ministry mentioned that after consultations with the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association (GM&SA), the Ministry decided instead to hold a “special version of the event” to mark the 50th anniversary of Guyana’s Independence in May 2016.
In the statement, the Ministry shared that it did recognise that the annual GuyExpo was a popular event and an avenue for local businesses to showcase and sell their goods and services to thousands of potential consumers, so the Ministry was now considering the hosting of a Small Business Expo to be held in late November, as well as efforts to encourage and support the holding of Regional Business Expos.
The Business Ministry is anticipating that such an approach will provide income-earning opportunities for businesses, as well as allow for the testing of new products and services in preparation for the bigger event in May 2016.
The Ministry will be consulting with relevant stakeholders, such as Regional Chambers of Commerce, Regional Democratic Councils, Government Ministries, agencies and other Private Sector bodies in the coming weeks to share ideas on this matter.
Guyanese on Thursday took to social media to express their thoughts about the decision to cancel Guyana’s biggest trade fair. Although many explained that they were very disappointed by this move, some stated that it was a great move by the Administration as the event had become more of a grand party instead of what it was supposed to be, a way to help businesses showcase their products to many prospective customers.
GuyExpo began in Guyana in 1995 and has since evolved, with 2015 marking 20 years of the premier event. It began as an activity that attracted almost 200 exhibitors and was now Guyana’s biggest trade fair with almost 500 local and international businesses participating yearly with the chance to display their goods and services.
GuyExpo became an annual event in 2004 under the chairmanship of Keith Burrowes. It is now recognised as the longest sustained exhibition in the Caribbean.
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