CEDA assisting Government and Private Sector to plan new business-to-business event for 2018.

(Ministry of Business/June 15/2017/Georgetown/Guyana) The inaugural meeting of the Steering Committee for what will be a major biennial business-to-business engagement in 2018 was held yesterday in the Boardroom of the Ministry of Business.

The idea for the initiative emerged from consultations on the future of GUYEXPO.

Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) had agreed to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Business to restructure GUYEXPO. In February 2017, CEDA’s competitiveness and Innovation Manager along with representatives from Jamaica Investment Promotions (JAMPRO), the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce visited Guyana and conducted a two-day workshop with the GUYEXPO planning committee that included representatives from the Ministry of Business, the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) and Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

CEDA and the Ministry also had consultations with Local business leaders in March 2017, arising out of those consultations, it was agreed that a new event that is purposeful and focused on business to business engagements was needed. Hence the concept for the business to business event was developed.

The event which is yet to be officially named, is geared to providing sustainable markets for export-ready products; providing opportunities for foreign companies to partner with local companies; and also providing opportunities for green field ventures among other outcomes.

The event is expected to contribute positively to export earnings for Guyana, build capacity of local businesses and aid general growth and development of the business sector.

Its objectives are to promote packaged investment opportunities for Foreign Direct Investments (FDI); link export-ready firms to export-markets; create opportunities for foreign investors to partner with local businesses; and to highlight Guyana as a good place to do business.

GUYEXPO, which was introduced in 1995, was initially under consideration to be redesigned but recommendations coming out of the consultations were for GUYEXPO to maintain its current business-to-consumer format since it was now an established brand. However, given the emphasis on export-promotion, it is unlikely that GUYEXPO will be held this year.

The Steering Committee includes: CEO GO-INVEST, Owen Verwey ( Chairman), Representatives of CEDA, Coordinator of the National Exhibition Center, Tameca Sukdeo-Singh (Coordinator), CEO Small Business Bureau, Lowell Porter, First Vice President, Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association, Ramsey Ali, Director, Guyana Tourism Authority, Indranauth Singh, Junior Vice Chairman Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Vice Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Desmond Sears.