GCCI, GTT’s collaboration complements Govt’s efforts to support small businesses – Minister Walrond

Small, micro and medium-sized business owners countrywide can now benefit from faster and more reliable fibre broadband internet service called Connex, which was launched on Saturday.

The launching coincided with a small business expo at Parc Rayne, Rahaman’s Park.

The initiative is a collaborative effort between GTT’s Business Solutions and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond, M.P., in brief remarks, commended the collaboration, nothing that contributes to the tangible development of small, micro and medium enterprises in Guyana.

This year, government has injected over $300 million in the Small Business Development Fund to provide small business owners with opportunities to grow their businesses.

“This partnership, between the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce and the GTT Business Solutions exemplifies the type of effort that is needed to complement government’s efforts… developing an enabling climate for small and medium enterprises,” Minister Walrond noted.

She added that while the private sector is the engine of growth for the country’s economy, small businesses will push this agenda. Over 95 percent of businesses worldwide are small and they have been able to significantly contribute to employment rates, the minister highlighted.

To this end, she believes the approach will now allow small businesses in Guyana to compete with others on various levels.

“I see this as providing one critical element in creating that enabling environment that will facilitate our businesses to grow to a point of regional and global competitiveness.”

Also present at the ceremony were GTT’s Chief Executive Officer, Damian Blackburn, and GCCI’s President, Timothy Tucker, among other officials.

The launch also coincides with the National Small Business Week being held under the theme “Shop small for a big impact” which features over 40 exhibitors.

Each exhibitor will receive a three – month free internet service from Connex, while those who are not GCCI members will get one-month free membership.

Among those who participated in the expo was Traceyann Massay, who built a creative and innovative business called Handicraft with Traceyann.

Creating quilled handmade cards among other personalised items, Traceyann went above and beyond, especially during the pandemic.

“When I started to go to university (University of Guyana), I needed to pay for stuff and by ways and means I began research for a business idea and this is the concept I came up with,” Traceyann said.

She told DPI that so far business has been doing well, since this kind of service is not the norm in Guyana. “Not everyone has seen this kind of work and while it takes patience when you see it, you will love it and then you will want it.”

Ariela Azaire is an artist who puts a spin to her art to attract art lovers who appreciate ‘out of the box’ paintings. While drawing has been her passion since childhood, it was intensified during the pandemic, and quickly transformed into a booming business.

“I do portraits with any kind of landscape, literally anything…some of my arts are even glow in the dark, and contextual one so I can do everything.

“Think about it mostly what is your passion and what is different. I would tell others to think about your marketing strategies and how you can connect to people, and if you are quiet start breaking from that shell,” she noted.

Ariela is currently a first-year architectural student at UG.