The Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce recently launched its 15th Berbice Expo and Trade Fair at the chamber’s building in Rose Hall Town, Corentyne under the theme “Promoting a favourable business and investment climate” and President of the chamber, Mohammed Raffik called for early elections.
Raffik, during his brief remarks explained that while Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan has said there had been a 4% economic growth his chamber had a survey done earlier this year during which their members reported different circumstances, “a drop in business”. He noted, they would like to see the growth being generated throughout Berbice as well.
Touching on the theme of the expo this year, he said it reflects the circumstances of the country and that as a chamber they must think nationally hence their theme
Further, he stated, that with oil production expected next year the country should have seen the parliament the “busiest ever in the history of Guyana”. Parliament has not met since January because of the political stalemate over the December 21, 2018 no confidence motion.
He said, that presently lawmakers should have been going to parliament in order to strengthen the country’s laws as well as the implementation of a regulatory body for oil and gas. However, “unfortunately that has not happen because our parliament has been dormant”.
Raffik also noted, that he would like to see elections held at the earliest possible time and would have liked to have a government in place that not is a caretaker at this time. He said, “I would like to see an election in Guyana as soon as possible, possibly sometime in November, from my perspective I think we can have an election sometime in November”.
Also present at the launching ceremony were Minister of Business, Hemraj Rajkumar, former minister of business, Dominic Gaskin and Regional Chairman, David Armogan.
Both Gaskin and Armogan spoke of existing bureaucracy that has caused hindrance to new investments. However, Gaskin said, that he had suggested to have an agency set up for small businesses “and that agency must be a one shop agency where you can have all the different licences and so on processed within about a month. It takes time for small businesses to get moving with all the places that they need approval from, that sometimes pushes to a whole year”.
He stressed, that “We need to be able to make the system easier for people to invest in our region”.
The Berbice Expo and Trade Fair will commence on 27 September and conclude on September, 30. Entry fees for patrons remain the same as the previous year as well the costs of booths.
The funds garnered from the expo is usually invested into projects in and around the Rose Hall Town area. The chambers had previously donated to projects at the Port Mourant Hospital as well as the Albion Complex.
They have since signed an MOU with the Rose Hall Town Council to develop a playfield in the area. They are hoping that the funds garnered from this year’s expo will go towards making that a success project.
