he Rupununi Rodeo Arena is set to come alive in the first weekend of November when the region hosts the sixth annual Rupununi Expo.
A press release from president of the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), Daniel Gajie, said the RCCI along with the tourism and commerce ministry and the Region Nine Regional Democratic Council will be hosting the Expo on November 3 and 4.
Saturday’s event begins with an exhibition of goods and services available in the region. Products will be on display and for sale throughout the weekend. The Annual Miss Rupununi Pageant is slated for Saturday evening with six contestants vying for the crown. A number of cultural items are also planned for the same evening. Sunday promises to be an action-packed “Day of Sports” beginning with a 35-km cycle road race. The sports roster also includes archery, football and volleyball, a 5-km track race and horse races.
The RCCI said this year the event focuses on marketing Guyana in anticipation of the completion of the Takutu Bridge and the implementation of the Partial Scope and International Road Transport Agreements between Guyana and Brazil. Senior government officials and businessmen from the State of Roraima have been invited to join and participate at the event. To ensure that the country’s products attract visitors, an export promotion booth will be set up with assistance from the Guyana Office for Investment and other government and private sector agencies.
The release said already most of the booths have been taken including those for gifts, processed foods, organic fruits and vegetables and livestock. The RCCI noted that government agencies such as the Guyana Tourism Authority, the National Agricultural Research Institute and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission will have information available for the visitors. And, private entities such as the National Milling Company, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry and non-governmental organisations such as Conservation International and Youth Challenge International have also indicated their interest in participating.
The Expo will be preceded by a week of activities including an environmental clean-up, posting of street signs, a tree-planting exercise and awareness programmes. The labour ministry will also be conducting a two-day seminar on HIV awareness and occupational health and labour issues in collaboration with the RCCI.
