By Randy Gopaul
In recent years, Guyana has transformed into a veritable carousel of conferences, seminars, and summits, all promising transformative solutions for small businesses but delivering little more than empty rhetoric. The latest example is the Business Brunch & Finance Seminar, where Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, delivered the keynote address.
Hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in partnership with the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana, the event took place at the over-priced and over-rated Guyana Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown. It provided a platform for small, medium, and large businesses to improve their knowledge of obtaining the financial resources needed to grow their companies. But did it accomplish anything tangible for these enterprises? Highly doubtful.
These conferences, frequently held at the government-owned Marriott hotel, seem to serve as nothing more than photo opportunities for government officials and lucrative ventures for event organizers. They are masterclasses in superficiality, designed to give the illusion of progress while small businesses continue to struggle with the same financial barriers.
Dr. Ashni Singh and his colleagues could easily turn these endless talk shops into meaningful engagements by innovating a funding instrument for small businesses, guaranteed by the government. Such an instrument would give small businesses access to low-interest loans or lines of credit, crucial for their growth and development. Instead, the current approach benefits no one but the organizers and the Marriott hotel, leaving small businesses in the lurch.
The Senior Minister’s address, no matter how well-crafted or eloquently delivered, means little without substantive action to back it up. It’s time for the government to stop hiding behind these costly and ultimately useless conferences and start implementing real, effective measures to support small businesses. Until then, these events remain nothing more than self-serving spectacles, enriching a select few while the broader business community continues to suffer.