Building Expo 2023 offers wide-ranging networking opportunities – Min. Croal

─ Preparations progressing smoothly

International Building Expo 2023 will create a plethora of networking opportunities in the housing and construction sectors.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal made the disclosure on Friday following a visit to the National Stadium, Providence where preparatory works are ongoing for the August 24-27 event.

“We are pleased about the progress so far, in fact, this afternoon we met with a number of contractors and big players in the construction sector so, that is to get their participation in an area we call the transformational zone because that’s an addition we are doing because we just don’t want an expo. This is not about someone who has a hardware store and wants to sell a product, this is not about that, this is about enlightening persons who want information about the sector, this is about networking,” he noted.

The housing minister said the expo also aims to showcase the transformation that is taking place in Guyana.

“You will see the showcase of many of those contractors or persons in the sector who are playing their part, so for example, if you are building the bridge, that means they are an important player in the sector and they are part of the transformation of our country, so we would have all of that being featured as part of the showcase, so while they will be able to present what they do as a business, it will also be showcasing what Guyana is capable of and what is happening for our country.”

There will be various features and attractions such as a dome and a fountain, which are currently under construction.

“We thought that this will be a feature attraction for persons who want to come and take their pictures, but the intention is to show Guyana in terms of being on top of the world and where we are going and the development that is taking place, the trajectory path that we are embarking on as a country,” Minister Croal highlighted.

Model houses will also be on display including the ones designed for the new Silica City.

There will be some 380 booths, with 60 per cent already secured, leaving just over 100 to be rented.

Minister Croal explained that the section of the National Stadium reserved for volleyball, football, and other sporting activities, will be used as a temporary exhibition site for heavy-duty machinery.

“We are putting loam and then we are compacting it so you will have a solid area, this area is under the National Stadium, and under the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, so we can’t put any stone or crusher run here because here is being utilised for football or other beach like type of activities,” he explained.  

The Theme for this year’s International Building Expo is: Building for All: One Guyana, Many Opportunities.