Whether or not the September 19-22 Guyana Trade and Investment Exhibition (GUYTIE) will be responsive to the particular needs of local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) depends on whether the event is structured in a manner that is responsive to the concerns of the smaller operations in the manufacturing sector, according to a group of eight owners of small business owners with whom the Stabroek Business has spoken over the past two weeks.
“The truth is that we at an event like this we cannot be sure that there will be a place at the table for us,” one member of the group told us even as they each, in turn expressed the view that GUYTIE’s likely preoccupation with putting local “big businesses” together with overseas investors could very well overshadow any serious concern with the key interests of SME’s.
While representatives of the GUYTIE planning committee met recently with the Stabroek Business to provide a briefing on their unfolding plans for the September 19-22, some local small businesses appear inclined to the view that historically, not a great deal in terms of meaningful follow-up usually derives from locally organized trade and investment-related events.
