In this, the ninth year of GuyExpo, Guyana's local trade fair and investment exposition, local manufacturers plan to build on earlier successes and to showcase side by side with international manufacturers.
For four days, from September 23 to 27, the Sophia Exhibition Site will house a number of local and overseas based businesses who will be exhibiting and displaying their products. All 350 booth spaces are now booked but organisers are trying to create additional space which can house tents. Uchenna Gibson, export promotions officer at Go-Invest, was not available to comment on how much of the space was allocated to overseas companies. Hemraj Kissoon, from A H & L Kissoon Ltd., explained that GuyExpo has helped the company's local sales but they have not benefited much in terms of foreign purchases.
In 2002, around 47,000 visitors attended the exhibition and 55,000 are expected this month.
Manzoor Nadir, Ministry of Tourism Industry & Commerce was quoted in other sections of the press as saying that since trade fairs are now international, local businesses have to meet the competition. Regional firms and firms from India and Brazil are expected to showcase electronics, handicraft, furniture and rice among other areas.
Kissoon noted that the ministry has done effective marketing for GuyExpo and the company is expecting to attract some foreign sales. In recent years, Kissoon says there are more extra-regional goods on display than locally manufactured goods. "The whole idea of what the government is doing...they should get the value," he says, adding that the entire country benefits when local manufacturers get foreign or other sales. The Kissoon Group has 10 to 12 booths this year, many more than previous years.
Ray Imoff, at Amazon Caribbean stated that for their third expo, canned heart of palm and pineapple chunks will be exhibited. Imoff says since this year's show is larger than others the company hopes to attract overseas orders.
The Linden Economic Advancement Programme(LEAP) will have 10 booths - one will be for LEAP itself and the remainder for Linden entrepreneurs. Kene Mosley, LEAP's Inward Investment officer explained that LEAP's goal is to showcase its work and to attract investors to Linden and Region 10.
LEAP will sponsor half the cost for the Linden entrepreneurs, who are contributing towards the booth space, which is $20,000. Booth space of 8-feet by 8-feet is allocated but participants have to build their own booths. Overseas-based businesses are charged US$800 for booth space but the booths are provided.
Two booths will have displays by seven entrepreneurs from Guyana Empretec's Linden chapter and the remaining seven booths will feature Linden entrepreneurs or investors in the areas of leather craft, furniture and information technology.
Tandys Manufacturing Enterprise began showcasing independently at GuyExpo in 2002 and will showcase its new jams such as passion fruit, mango and an improved watermelon jam. "We are having new labels and new products," says Tandika Denny, marketing assistant at Tandys, adding that improved labeling on the peanut butter and other products will also be on display.
Their passion fruit and mango jams are being exported to the United States and negotiations are ongoing to supply outlets in Canada and in Trinidad.
Denny noted that taste testing will be done and a recipe to make fruit cake from their fruit mix will be available.
None of the jams have added colouring or flavouring.
As local milk products begin to make its mark on the local market the National Dairy Development Programme(NDDP) will be having a booth to promote their nutritional value. Dr. Appupillai Murugan, an Indian dairy specialist at the NDDP said the organisation will have three booths - one for information purposes, another for beef and the third for producers of milk products(yoghurt and flavoured milk).
Timothy MacIntosh of Moogoodies milk plant in New Amsterdam said there are still many persons who do not know of the company's products and his aim is to introduce the product to them at GuyExpo. Goodmorning and Whitegate dairy products are to be on sale.
Bal Persaud, executive director of the Private Sector Commission, feels there should be some kind of evaluation or report as to how useful the experience at GuyExpo was for participants. He says it is good to have foreigners but the country is more interested in selling local goods. (Nicosia Smith)