Georgetown: Guyana is expected to host its first African Business Exposition in the New Year which is aimed at promoting newer forms of entrepreneurship among Afro-Guyanese through more aggressive and modern forms of marketing and promotion.
Co-founder of the African Business Council Dr Eric Phillips said that the move to execute the Exposition is long overdue and a step in the right direction, given the problems and limitations that are facing Afro-Guyanese in their pursuit to overcome historical developments that resulted in other ethnic groups dominating various aspects and forms of businesses in Guyana.
Dr Phillips disclosed that the Exposition is scheduled for August 2015 and will be held as part of activities to commemorate Marcus Garvey’s birth anniversary.
He advised that it is also being held to mark the establishment and 100th anniversary of Garvey’s United Negro Investment Association (UNIA) which played a significant role in the promotion and establishment of networks of African businesses in the developing and developed world.
Dr Phillips related that the Exposition will be executed by an entity set up by the Council called the African Business Exposition Council. This entity would be headed by Ras Leon Saul who would serve as its President.
Phillips, who is an Executive Member of the African Cultural and Development Association of Guyana (ACDA), said while there are many traditional and new African businesses in existence in the country, they are not recognised or promoted in a manner which would lead to expansion, sustained profitability, and continuity.
He said that the time has come for there to be a change in this development, as Afro-Guyanese now more than ever needed to benefit from newer forms of networking and training in modern entrepreneurship to survive in the local, regional, and international spheres.
He advised that attempts would be made to secure the participation of more than 100 local businesses that were owned by Afro-Guyanese who were based at home and in the Diaspora.
Dr Phillips said that coming of the national discussions on Reparations was the urgent need for these businesses to become more visible and modernized. As such a series of workshops targeting young Afro-Guyanese and existing entrepreneurs would be undertaken focusing on modern business financing, branding, access to marketing tools and sustainable business management practices.
He said that the Exposition would see the launch of 10 new Afro-Guyanese businesses as well as the rebranding of others, but not before pointing out that the pioneers of various areas of business will also be honoured.
The 2015 African Business Exposition is also geared toward refocusing Afro-Guyanese youth on the importance of entrepreneurship to their socio-economic development and sustained independence.
To this end, focus will be placed on rejuvenating the village economy and the promotion of manufacturing and value added businesses in the country.
Another problem, he asserted that had put Africans at a disadvantage and Guyanese in general is the very poor performance of students in the areas of Mathematics and Science.
He said that there is an urgent need for the local education system to address the implementation of a modern and successful curriculum aimed at promoting business and entrepreneurship in a serious way.
Dr Phillips was also concerned about the competitiveness of local companies and the need for the private sector as a collective to push the overall success of various entrepreneurship ventures.
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