With several local businesses seeking every opportunity to secure access to international markets, this week’s two-day International Trade Conference and Expo has provided yet another opportunity for a modest group of Guyanese businesses to explore the possibilities that exist in the Florida area.
Earlier this week, the Stabroek Business was notified by the Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) that seven companies from Guyana as well as Guyanese-owned enterprises in the United States were among two hundred and forty exhibitors from more than fifty countries that were due to participate in the Florida International Trade Conference and Expo (FITCE) which opened at the Florida Convention Center on Wednesday.
One of Guyana’s blue ribbon companies, Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL), blenders and bottlers of Guyana’s internationally acclaimed El Dorado rum was due to be among the sponsors of two receptions where participants in the two-day event would have the opportunity to meet with one current and former Heads of Government, diplomats, and private sector officials from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Guyana’s Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond was listed to make a presentation at a forum on ‘Doing Business with the World’ where she was expected to provide information on trade and investment opportunities in Guyana. DDL Executive Chairman, Komal Samaroo, and GACC’s President, Wesley Kirton, were also slated to speak at the two-day event which ended yesterday.
The Florida event saw the Chamber organising a number of one-on-one meetings between Guyanese and foreign companies, with companies being paired for discussions based on assessments of mutual interest in doing business with each other. Foreign companies with an interest in probing investment opportunities in Guyana were also expected to be briefed on how to pursue inquiries here.
“The expo’s world marketplace will provide for Guyanese companies to network among numerous international companies while various plenary sessions and workshops will cover issues such as how to bring your business to the USA, key steps to importing to the US and the effective use of technology. Time has also been set aside for matchmaking sessions among companies with interest in each other’s products and services,” Gordon said.
A number of meetings were arranged for DDL with government and private sector officials from Africa and Latin America with a view to expanding the company’s market share in these regions for its El Dorado brand of rums, while its chairman, Komal Samaroo, will be meeting with officials of the World Trade Center corporation to continue on discussions begun in 2020 for the establishment of a World Trade Center in Guyana.
