Expocaribe’s next edition will be devoted to Guyana

Santiago de Cuba._ Expocaribe Fair’s next edition to be held from June 8 through 13, 2003, will be devoted to Guyana, said Antonio Luis Carricarte, chairman of Cuba’s Chamber of Commerce during the closing ceremony of the 11th tradeshow that recently came to a close in Santiago de Cuba. This year’s fair was attended by 650 firms from 35 countries, 16 of them from the Caribbean Basin.

Guyana had a major representation during the tradeshow with an official delegation headed by Manniran Prashad, an advisor to the nation’s President.

Mr. Carricarte pointed out Expocaribe will be from now on devoted to the region’s countries, an element that proves this fair is not only Cuban but also Caribbean. The proposal was welcomed by all participants.

Some major moments came to pass during the course of this event, like the visit paid by a group of businessmen from the Movement of French Enterprises, the second meeting of the Cuba-CARICOM Entrepreneurial Commission and the signing of an agreement between the Caribbean Exports Development Agency (CEDA) and Cuba’s Chamber of Commerce (CCC).

CCC took advantage of this event to unveil its own Web site, especially those pages containing useful information for Caribbean enterprises interested in investing on the island nation.

The closing ceremony got everybody on the edge of their seats as awards for quality and design, communication and best stand layout were presented.

Quality awards were handed in to 15 products –nine of them made in Cuba- like the Partagas Club, the Tukola Diet Soda, concentrated juice of organic orange, Vegueros eau de toilette, instant drink for dispensers, galvanized doors & windows and Santiago de Cuba Rum, both aged and extra aged.

As far as foreign firms were concerned, some prized items were a portable welding machine and aluminum systems –both from Holland- as well as Spanish-made economical kitchen module and Llaza awnings.

Three products walked off with awards in the desig