Last Friday’s ‘pineapple affair’: We should have been doing more

Modest token: Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy (left) has a taste of one of the pineapple goodies placed on display at the corner of Robb and Alexander streets last Friday

Last Friday was not the first time that the corner of Alexander and Robb streets hosted a modest display of local products. On Friday, it was the pineapple’s turn to shine and the event attracted displays of modest numbers of drinks, pastries and condiments all made from pineapple.

It is a modest if useful initiative on the part of the Guyana Marketing Corporation’s Guyana Shop. Events like this provide opportunities for the marketing of small and micro enterprises being run by ‘little people’ most of whom get no more than modest returns for their efforts. Perhaps the Guyana Shop might be a springboard to entry into the bigger supermarkets though there is always the concern that the prevailing standards in local manufacturing are not, for the most part, up to the requirements of the well-appointed downtown supermarkets offering predominantly imported foods.

Events like last Friday’s pineapple affair are not to be frowned upon.