Berbice Expo 2011 launched

The Berbice Trade and Fair Exposition was officially launched on June 10, under the theme “Promoting Agri Businesses and Tourism”.

This seventh such annual event organised by the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) would again see exhibitors showcasing what the Ancient County has to offer. The exposition would run from July 22 to 25. This year, the event will be hosted at the Albion Sports Complex, the Tourism Ministry said in a release.

The organising committee said that about 75 per cent of booths are already booked, and the committee acknowledged sponsors, including the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry.

At the launching of the expo at Albion Sports Club, Corentyne, Tourism Minister Manniram Prashad congratulated the chamber for upkeeping the event, and commended the organising committee for the continuous improvements in the expo seen over the years.

Wishing the Berbice Expo 2011 a successful staging, the minister said he was extremely impressed with the CCCC and the work it has been doing. He challenged other chambers, including the one in Essequibo, to host annual expos. Alluding to the public/ private partnership, he reminded that Berbice Expo is part of the Commerce Ministry’s calendar of events, and that people both locally and internationally now look forward to the event.

Minister Prashad said the county of Berbice is growing rapidly, and there is no doubt that many developments are taking place there. “Berbice is now becoming a centre- piece of attraction,” he said, noting that many Berbicians are remigrating and more persons, including foreigners, are investing, with the tremendous infrastructural developments in the county.

One such investment he mentioned was the Berbice River Bridge, which makes the county more easily accessible. Minister Prashad said Berbice is now a hub of activity, and residents can look forward to more developments in the region.

He added that government is trying to create an enabling environment for the private sector to invest, be more competitive, and succeed. Minister Prashad also recognised the private sponsors and supporters of the expo, noting that business is also about corporate social responsibility.

He said the signature event in Berbice will give businesses, such as manufacturers, arts and craft producers, and the services sector, opportunity to showcase the standard and quality of their works while building contacts and creating networks. And he encouraged the chamber to conduct a survey after the expo to determine how many contacts, new links and markets were made as a result of the event.

Prashad emphasised that tourism is evident in Berbice, which has a number of beautiful attractions, such as the Number 63 Beach; and he also alluded to developments taking place at Cow Falls and Orealla, along the Corentyne River. Prashad said that, in its efforts to promote tourism in Berbice, the Tourism Ministry is linking with Suriname, and also attended the Vakantiebeurs Trade Fair in Holland, to create linkages and offer packages for tourists.

Present at the launching were President of CCCC, Imrad Hamid; Expo Coordinator, Tajpaul Adjodhea; the chamber’s Public Relations Officer Adrian Anamayah, and Region Six Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha.

Other sponsors of the event are the Agriculture Ministry, the Region Six Administration, Comfort Sleep, Republic Bank, Banks DIH Limited, Nand Persaud and Company Limited, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), Digicel, Caribbean International Distributors Inc., and Beharry Group of Companies.

Chairman of Region Six, Zulfikar Mustapha, also commended the chamber for sustaining the activity.