When the curtains came down on the Housing Ministry’s International Building Expo 2012 on Sunday night, many of the businesses that had showcased their offerings to thousands were upbeat about their future prospects.
Participating businesses dubbed the event, staged under the theme “Embracing Standards – Building the Future,” a success, saying they garnered many prospective deals and local and international interest.
Speaking with Stabroek News on the closing evening, Minister of Housing Irfaan Ali also said that with the over 45,000 attendees, the event could only be dubbed as “very successful.” He added that investors like patrons commended the event while there were only minute hiccups.
“I have no complaints [about] this year’s expo. It has given us the opportunity to market our items well, because persons have before only seen us as a gadget store. When they came into our booth and saw the various household items furnishings, etc, they were marveled and we had good sales,” said Ewart Sampson, Special Projects Manager of Gizmos and Gadgets.
His views were similar to the many other businesspersons that Stabroek News spoke with on the closing evening of the event on Sunday.
When this newspaper visited the Guyamerica Furniture Store booth on the opening night, many persons had flocked enquiring about the immaculately-designed Purple Heart kitchen, $3M price tag and all. On Sunday night, Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Ali said that over the course of the three-day event, nothing had changed. However, he said while the kitchen seemed to be the main draw, it was the hardwood outdoor furniture that saw the most sales. “Everyone was in awe with the kitchen and almost all who visited the expo came for a peek but their attention [was] turned to outdoor furniture as no one believed it was made in Guyana,” Ali said.
Over at ND&S Furniture establishment, manager Natasha Mahadeo said that it was the company’s second year at the expo and also its best so far. Of the over 40 pieces on display, she revealed, the company was only returning to its location with three pieces, having sold all the others.
Representatives of Melsha’s Furniture Store, which had its products displayed in some of the housing developers’ homes, also lauded the expo as an event that gave them scope in not only meeting potential local buyers but establishing foreign markets. They had no complaints and were looking forward to next year’s expo.
The charge by President Donald Ramotar to use alternative materials to deliver sustainable options while still maintaining quality saw many showcasing PVC ceilings with a guaranteed warranty of 50 years to decorative bamboos and coconut tree stands for interior designing.
King’s Panel Ceiling had many accelerated workshops demonstrating to attendees the benefits of using panel PVC ceiling instead of the traditional wood or ply. Explaining that it was affordable, easy to clean, did not require painting and could be installed in a fraction of the time used to complete wooden ceilings, many home builders and renovators were drawn to the new trend in ceilings.
Since many have opted now for concrete homes as compared to traditional wooden houses, cement and block makers also had a sizable audience. Exhibitors, such as Caricom Cement Company and ANSA McAl, who are now marketing clay blocks instead of concrete blocks, worked feverishly to sell builders on their options.
One company even held a block making workshop for local block makers, in an attempt to have them produce blocks of required standards, while noting that many homes were being built with substandard blocks.
All of the local banks reported positive feedback, with the New Building Society informing of an overwhelming number of on-the-spot loan applicants, possibly owing to the fact that the expo was used to also promote one of the Ministry of Housing’s One Stop Shop for land applicants. The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry did not have an on-the-spot loan application system, with representatives explaining that in the past it was too laborious and time consuming, especially since many of the applicants did not take the required documentation to the expo. The bank’s focus was on interest rates and possible pay back terms to prospective loan applicants.
