The International Building Expo 2024 is gearing up for its grand opening, and according to a release from the Department of Public Information (DPI), some 353 exhibitors from over 14 countries have already registered.
The release informed that Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, inspected the site yesterday at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara, and provided an update on preparations for the expo, noting that this year is expected to be the best yet.
The event, scheduled from August 8-11, was launched in June under the theme “Building on the Foundation of Sustainability and Unity.”
“We have two main auditoriums; those are filled. And this year we added a third auditorium, which is the One Guyana Development Auditorium. This will have some major engineering and construction companies, that are participating in the transformational projects in the country,” Rodrigues explained.
She disclosed that this year has seen the highest level of participation of international companies, with 24 already registered, spanning countries across the Caribbean and the rest of the world.
“Just to give you an idea of where these companies are from, we have companies from Barbados, Trinidad, Brazil, the United States, Canada, Dominican Republic, India, Europe, Indonesia, Italy, Puerto Rico, China, Suriname, [and] Zambia.”
In addition, some 2,000 house lots are also expected to be allocated during the “Dream Realised” exercise and the government is aiming to distribute 1,000 land titles.
The master plan for the Silica City project, which was completed through a collaboration with the University of Miami will be unveiled at the expo. “Within Silica City, there will be also the Innovation Village, which will feature the ideas in terms of research and development for new technology, and sustainable designs. We are pushing the envelope in terms of what a smart city should be like,” the minister emphasised.
And offering a little more insight into what Guyanese can expect at the expo, Rodrigues disclosed that many innovative, sustainable, and energy efficient technologies will be on display, which can be incorporated in housing models.
Several housing models such as the core home, prefabricated house and the young professional home, will also be on display.
