Several Guyanese exhibitors who travelled to Atlanta, Georgia, USA earlier this month to take part in the March 16-18 Guyana Trade and Investment Expo reportedly suffered significant losses after encountering a series of organisational glitches associated with their preparation for the event, according to information received by this newspaper.
This newspaper understands that not least among the travails of the unfortunate ambassadors for Guyanese art, craft and cuisine was the fact that the release of goods shipped to the United States for the event was delayed by the US Customs.
The source said that the reason for the delay had to do with the fact that food items that were to be part of the exhibition display were shipped as “exhibition items” in circumstances where they ought to have been shipped as “food items” and may therefore have been in breach of increasingly restrictive US laws governing the importation of food items.
This newspaper has learnt that while the goods were eventually released, the exhibitors were unable to secure access to them in time to have them displayed at the Trade Show. The goods, according to the source, were likely to remain in the United States to be displayed at another forum in May.
The Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest) which has responsibility for overseas investment promotion customarily provides support for local exhibitors travelling to international events. The source told Stabroek Business that some of the distressed exhibitors who travelled to Atlanta were contemplating seeking compensation from the state agency for expenses associated with travelling and participating in the event as well as lost revenue arising out of them being unable to sell their goods at the Trade Fair.
On Wednesday Stabroek Business sought to contact Officer in Charge of Go-Invest Dhanpaul Dhanraj and Import and Export Officer Uchena Gibson. But Dhanraj was out of office and Gibson was out of the country.
Among the goods shipped to Atlanta for display and sale at the Trade Fair were craft, clothing, bottled oils and decorative items.
Meanwhile, Stabroek Business has learnt that the event was a mixed blessing for the participants from Guyana since those vendors who travelled with their merchandise in suitcases were able to participate. Some of them reportedly acknowledged that for them the event was a commercial success. It appears, however, that most of the exhibitors shipped their merchandise in the container.
Stabroek Business has also learnt that some of Guyanese exhibitors may have been displeased with the accommodation that had been officially recommended to them.
Guyanese who travelled to Atlanta to participate in the Trade Fair were reportedly required to invest around $250,000 each in the venture.
