Critics of the distracting noise levels emanating from the loud music from ‘boom boom’ boxes that have been an integral part of the annual GuyExpo in previous years appear to have gotten their way with the organizers, according to GuyExpo 2012 Public Relations Officer Indranauth Haralsingh.
Speaking with Stabroek Business last week Haralsingh said that arising out of a review of last year’s event the organizers have decided that this year the decibel levels of music played at the country’s largest fair will be significantly reduced and will be stopped altogether at 11pm.
The issue of loud music and its role in distracting from the central purpose of the trade fair has been an issue for several years now and according to Haralsingh this year music will be confined to particular areas of the complex.
According to Haralsingh, who is also the Executive Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, the review of last year’s fair has also resulted in the creation of some new initiatives designed to enhance the quality of the trade exposition.
Haralsingh said this year the organizers are focusing on creating an event that affords local manufacturers the opportunity to interface with potential foreign buyers. In this regard, Guyanese Bobby Vieira and Sandra Baptiste have been engaged to promote GuyExpo in the United States and Canada, respectively.
He also disclosed that with the start of the event still two weeks away private sector firms from Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent and Cuba in the Caribbean, Brazil and Suriname in South America, India and China in Asia, and business enterprises in North America are likely to attend the event.
Regarding local exhibitors concerns about the number of foreign exhibitors that come to GuyExpo every year seeking markets for their own products, Haralsingh said that this year the presence of such exhibitors will be minimal. He said that this year emphasis will be placed on securing exhibitors who might be interested in “joint ventures and joint partnerships” with local firms.
According to Haralsingh, more than 300 exhibitors have already confirmed their participation in the September 27-30 event. He said this year there will be significant participation from Amerindian individuals and groups that travelled to Georgetown recently to participate in activities related to Amerindian Heritage Month. Haralsingh said that while several other small businesses had expressed an interest in participating in the trade fair, considerations of space had placed a constraint on numbers. However, some organizations, including the Guyana Arts and Craft Association had negotiated with the organizers to enable their members to benefit from concessionary rates for the renting of stalls.
Foreign exhibitors attending GuyExpo this year will benefit from special briefing from local officials while local exhibitors will be given an opportunity to interact with foreign buyers in order to facilitate the creation of partnerships.
Haralsingh also told Stabroek Business that previous experience of lengthy queues on exhibition days has resulted in a proposal that consideration be given to pre-selling entrance tickets for the exhibition for the first time.
